Tennis, anyone -- widely used but inaccurate quote

[Bernard W. Kane]

Slightly surprised not to find this in the Archive: original occurs in the
first act of W. Somerset Maugham's 1921 production The Circle, widely
reviewed. The scene is, natch, "a stately drawing-room...at Aston-Adey,
Arnold Champion-Cheney's house in Dorset." On stage are Arnold
Champion-Cheney, Mrs. Shenstone, Elizabeth: to them:
[EDWARD LUTON shows himself at the window. He is an attractive youth in
flannels.}
TEDDIE: I say, what about this tennis?

The "Tennis, anyone?" or "Anyone for tennis?"  variant was apparently built
on Maugham's line which was prob. frequently quoted; has been noted in print
a number of times since '21.

Bernie Kane
theatre buff