Lilian Baylis

“ As it is, the theatre and the ideal of its promoter are, perhaps, more firmly established than ever before.
The type of entertainment presented has gradually progressed through the years from variety—imagine variety at the Old Vic!—ballad and symphony concerts to operatic tableaux (the existing licence at the time prohibited the entire performance of opera) ; from this to the entire opera and then in 1914 to the great adventure of Shakesperian repertory. And now the latest chapter of the theatre's glorious history will be marked by the completion of the cycle of plays. ”

“ Struggles to Survive.
The theatre is not wholly devoted to Shakespeare, as opera in English is given on Thursday and Saturday nights and alternate Saturday afternoons, while Nativity plays, Everyman, Eighteenth-century comedies, and the works of modern dramatists are also occasionally presented.
In the course of its career, the Old Vic has had many struggles to survive and on not a few occasions in the old days of Shakespeare has played to £5 "houses." ”

“ A woman of strong force of character. Miss Cons was the first member of her sex to be co-opted on the London County Council. That no difficulty seemed insurmountable to her is shown by her attitude in attempting to transform the Royal Coburg. ”