The Silver Shield is a comedy in three acts by playwright Sydney Grundy that was first produced on May 19, 1885, under the direction of Amy Roselle at London’s Royal Strand Theatre.
[4]A review in The Athenaeum, 1885, was as follows: Of many experiments recently made at morning performances the production of Mr. Sydney Grundy's comedy The Silver Shield is the most hopeful.
When, for instance, concerning a half finished dinner which the guests hurriedly leave, one of the characters says, "It can wait," Mr. Grundy unworthily makes another add, "The servants could not."
Add to this that the plot deals with details of the behind-scenes life of the theatre, which, whatever their success with the exceptional audiences attracted to a first representation, are not calculated to appeal to a more promiscuous public, and the chief elements of weakness are indicated.
It is difficult to fancy acting brighter or more effective than that of Miss Amy Roselle and Mr. Groves, or more touching than that of Mies Kate Eorke, who at one point attained a hold over the audience such as a girl of her age has rarely achieved.
Mr. Beauchamp, Mr. Rutland Barrington, Mr. Dacre, Mr. Herbert, and Mrs. Leigh Murray were also good, and the performance as a whole had a commendable ensemble.