THEATRE-goers in and around Malvern a century ago may well have been interested in the forthcoming appearance at a Worcester playhouse of Fred Karno's vaudeville show, His Majesty's Guests.

The show "has the reputation of being a really rollicking musical farce, in which fast and furious fun is provided by Mr Fred Karno's great company of comedians, pantomimes and vocalists," enthused the Malvern News.

It was also described as a "whirlwind of merriment and simply over-running with fun", and it must have had something going for it, since it had been staged over 1,500 nights at all the country's top theatres and music halls.