"CHARLEY'S AUNT."

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 145, 19 June 1894, Page 2

"CHARLEY'S AUNT."

(FKOM A CHskrCHTJCBt COBBKSPONDENT.)

Foe some time past, the Theatre Royal iof Christchurch has worn a dismal loook. On| Saturday night last, howeverj a cHangej came o'er the ecene, when Frank Thornton1*! and Charles Arnold's New English Comedy Company commenced a season in the City of the Plains. Beneath flaring lights al crowd might be seen actually besieging j the doors. Such a palpitating mass oil well-dressed people, pushing and striving! for precedence; with occasionally utter diaregard!of ceremony, is seldom seen outside.1 our usually wells-conducted theatre. M stranger asking the cause of such comif motion woald have, been told, "Why 3 ' Charley's Aunt,' of course "—"'Charley'rl Aunt,' from Brazil, where the nuts cornel from," being probably added for purposed of enlightment. Thab the benevolent ladyf in question is a personage possessing, singular powers of attraction, cno glance at the interior of the Theatre Royal on Saturday night furnished imme« diate positive proof. Long before'! the curtain rose, the seating (an<s standing) capacity of the auditorium was?! strained to its utmost, and the members of the Thornton-Arnold Company must have! experienced very gratifying sensations when, as-each one appeared, they were greeted with the most spontaneous and hearty welcomes. And what rendered the compliment all the more gratifying was that it was paid to the Company by a very large audience representing all classes of society. In the dress circle were to be seen »11 of our most prominent citizens. The | whole of the stalls had been taken up an re* served Beats, and at the back of the dress circle over one hundred spectators bad to be contented with standing room only during the whole of the performance. Nob<: for a number of years has there been a theatrical event in Christchurch of equal importance. The coming of Brandon Thomas' celebrated farcical comedy bail been eagerly anticipated for some time,,, and the advance booking is phenomenal, all the seats being booked for the season, thus the hilarious comedy has becottnj happily domesticated in Chriatchurch, and has fully justified all the prognostications! made in its favour, as there was not a dull! moment in it, for, as the gentleman who ie responsible for "Search Lights" in the " Press " remarks: " You can'b go to 1 Charley's Aunt' in the evening, and laugh with impunity the morning after. Tired'; nature sets limits to our risibility. I never;; realised it tilt I saw the successful comedy.., I was ill with laughter. Every now and' then I wanted to rise in my scab and implore the prompter to ring down and give us a rest. Is is far and away the funniest comedy ever Been, nob excepting • Thag Magistrate.' Even the dress circle laughs ab'Charley's Aunt,' and forgets it's wellbred, high-toned languor. If proof were needed that it is absolutely the funniest play extant, it is found in the fact—w^iich no actor, still less, a manager, will credit, bub a facb nevertheless — for the fireti, time in my life I saw the critics laugh!" The Company, which is almost^ entirely new to local playgoers, are all late arrivals from the London theatres, and were specially engaged and selected for a complete presentation of the comedy, and is generally acknowledged to be the mosb unique organisation that has ever visited New Zealand. Upon the termination of their Christchurch season, the company! play a short season in Wellington and Napier, and finish their New Zealand tour in Auckland, opening at the Opera Houso on July 23rd. I can only say that if any- '.i one requires a good healthy laugh, they should nob miss witnessing this elevecj company when they visit Auckland, and-, see ' Charley's Aunt' when she perpetrateß;| her exaggerated comedy in your midst. Mr Frank Thornton must be careful, oi| there will be sonic repairing bills to pay,? for the laughter reaches dangerous limits! at times, and the man who can sit oub thai performance unmoved may claim relation^ ship with the Sphinx or swop compliments! with an Egyptian mummy." ' il