At Mrs. Edith Garrud's charming School of Ju-jutsu, 9, Argyll Place, Regent St., W., [in London, England] I saw a rehearsal of the new suffragette sketch, by Mr. Armstrong, in which Ju-jutsu (the real thing) plays a dominant part. The moral of the sketch is great. Liz, the coster's wife [a costermonger, or seller of fruits and vegetables] (personated by Miss Quinn), having been taught Ju-jutsu by Mrs. Garrud, tames her drunken husband into subjection. "I'll learn this 'ere jucy jujubes, Liz, for I could do for you if I was sober," he says. "No," answers Liz; "you're a good husband to me then, and wouldn't want to, but when you're drunk I'll always be a match for you." "Then I'll never get drunk again," says Bill, and husband and wife embrace. Mrs. Garrud has specially instructed Mr. Roland and Miss Quinn for this sketch, some scenes of which are reproduced above[below]. Follow the numbers and then you will follow the story. Mr. Roland plays the part of Bill:
1. A real good counter and lock for right body-blow (swing or kidney
punch).
2. Bill is top-dog, or thinks he is.
3. Bill is foiled by a knee-push when Liz straightens her right leg
quickly. Bill will fall backwards, and Lizzie's left foot prevents him
recovering his balance.
4. Liz catches a hand-twist as Bill is getting up. Liz can take him
anywhere she likes now.
5. Bill seizes a shovel from the fire-place and makes a final attempt
to overcome his missus, but she runs in to get under the blow, and so loses
its force. She has just turned, ready to take a hip throw.
6. The hip throw; the heaviest and last. Bill does not get up again
until he has apologised to Liz.
7. Liz has securely tied both Bill's legs, one acting as a wedge on
which to wrench the other. She is just exclaiming: "Where's that there
skewer?" and she holds her husband fast until he taps the mat and halloos
out "Enough!"
[The photo sequence is: 1,5,6 2,3 4,7 top to bottom]
JNC Dec 1999.