Where the Rainbow Ends facts for kids

Where the Rainbow Ends is a magical children's play first performed in 1911. It was written by Clifford Mills and John Ramsey. The music for the play, called incidental music (music played during a show), was created by Roger Quilter.

This play tells a fantasy story about four children and their pet lion cub. They go on an exciting journey to find their parents. They travel on a magic carpet and face many dangers. A brave hero, Saint George, helps and protects them along the way. The rainbow in the story is a symbol of hope. It shows that with faith (like the magic carpet) and a noble hero, good can always win against evil. Most of the story takes place in a magical place called 'Rainbow Land'. Here, animals can talk, mythical creatures exist, and there's even a white witch!

The Play's First Performance

The very first time Where the Rainbow Ends was shown was in London. It opened at the Savoy Theatre on December 21, 1911.

Famous Actors and Child Stars

The play had a large cast, including 45 children!

• Reginald Owen played the hero, St. George of England.
• Lydia Bilbrook was also a main actor.
• Many children who later became famous stars were in the play. These included a 12-year-old Noël Coward, Esmé Wynne-Tyson, Hermione Gingold, and Philip Tonge.
• In the years that followed, even more future stars performed in the play. Some of them were Gertrude Lawrence, Nora Swinburne, Jack Hawkins, and Brian Aherne.

Behind the Scenes

The play was first produced by Charles Hawtrey. The children in the cast were found and trained by Italia Conti. She later became the main producer of the show herself. The play was very popular and received great reviews. Critics called it 'masterly' and praised the 'marvellously trained crowds of little folk-dancers'. They also said the music was excellent and fit the play perfectly.

Italia Conti's Influence

Italia Conti was a very important part of the play's success. She came from a family of musicians and actors. After the play became a hit, the children loved working with her so much that they wanted her to keep teaching them. This led to the creation of the Italia Conti Academy, a famous performing arts school. Italia Conti then mostly stopped acting to focus on her school.

The Music of the Rainbow

Roger Quilter's music for Where the Rainbow Ends became very well known. A special collection of the music, called a suite, was performed at the Proms on September 26, 1912. The BBC often played the music on the radio, which helped it become famous around the world.

A Royal Audience

On December 23, 1937, a very special guest came to see the play. The 11-year-old Princess Elizabeth, who would later become Queen Elizabeth II, watched a performance at The Holborn Empire in London. She was with her grandmother, Queen Mary (Mary of Teck). At the end of the show, the Queen and Princess stood up with everyone else. They joined in singing the National Anthem, which had a new verse written just for the play.

From Play to Book and Film

After the play first opened, Clifford Mills quickly turned the story into a novel (a book). This book was printed many times. In 1921, the play was even made into a film. It was directed by Horace Lisle Lucoque and was one of the first movies for the actor Roger Livesey.

A Long-Running Success

Where the Rainbow Ends was performed professionally almost every year for 49 years! This included during both World Wars. Even though it was very popular and always had full audiences, it became harder to find a theatre to put on the show. The last professional performance was in the 1959-60 season. It took place at the Granada Theatre in Sutton, Surrey, with Anton Dolin playing St. George.

The play was a big part of the Christmas season for many years, much like "Peter Pan." Even after its professional run ended, amateur (non-professional) groups all over the country continued to perform it regularly. In 1976-77, a production in Brighton featured the actor Simon Gipps-Kent.