Coyne, Melford, Byford, Bellamy - Down! Up! Left! Right! ('Going Up' - Hirsch) (1918)

Having been premiered on Broadway, 'Going Up' opened at the Gaiety Theatre, London, on 22 May 1918 and ran for 574 performances. It was the story of a writer-turned-aviator who won his girl as the result of his daring handling of his biplane. 'Down! Up! Left! Right!' from Act II of the show was recorded on 6 June 1918 by original cast members Joseph Coyne, Austin Melford, Roy Byford and Franklyn Bellamy with a chorus of men (Ernest Pike, Edward Halland, Joseph Reed and - possibly - Peter Dawson), with the Gaiety Theatre Orchestra conducted by Arthur Wood. It is quite an unusual and atmospheric recording, as the first two thirds of the side consists of dialogue: very unusual for 1918.