"TWO LITTLE VAGABONDS."

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 68, 22 March 1898, Page 2

"TWO LITTLE VAGABONDS."

Introduced by Messrs Williamson and Musgrove, the "Two Little Vagabonds" made their bow to an Auckland audience for the first time, and from the start established themselves warm favourites. In truth they are a loveable pair, these two precious waifs, whose mutual affection constitutes them a kind of tattered edition of David and Jonathan, in miniature. Sketched to the life, and impersonated with marvellous fidelity, they exercise a fascination over the audience which each successive scene enhances, until the pathetic tale is told, and feelings overwrought can find relief in a burst of heartiest applause. Shadows darken the picture set before us, for there is pathos in the story of these poor little ragamuffins, but so cleverly are lights and shadows blended that now a laugh, now a sigh, is drawn from the sympathetic auditory.

A wife misunderstood by her husband supplies the keynote of the piece, and the construction is most ingenious. The wife, in her efforts to shield the reputation of her sister-in-law, herself incurs the suspicion of her husband, through compromising tolejjrams and love letters. In a fit of jealous rage he pays a burglar named Mullins to take away their child, whom he refuses to believe is his own, and husband and wife then separate. Seven long years elapse, and then the curtain rises upon the travelling caravan of Mr Mullins, with whom are the two little vagabonds, Dick and Wally. Dick, who is strong and healthy, is the gentleman's son, while Wally, his comrade in misfortune, owns Mullins as his uncle. The former is taught to steal, while poor Wally, wiio owns a hacking cough, learns to heir. Neither of them, however, can help detesting the life lie has to lead, and many are the sighs they expend over vain dreams of " learning a trade." Dick has a taste for carpentering, he nays, while poor weak little Wally ha 3 a pathetic longing to be a " blacksmilf." They agree that Dick shall run away to London, and he gets away safely, but soon after the real parents come upon the scene to claim their child, and in desperation the unscrupulous Mullins palms oil' Wally upon them. The little waif is taken away to London, but very soon the mother finds that Wally cannot he her child. Just then Dick appears on the scene, and turns out to be her long-loat boy. An affecting scene follows, it is a terrible blow to poor little; Wally to find that this gentle lady is not his " muvver" after all, butfor Dick's sake lie chokes down his grief and pretends to believe that they are really brothers. Dick gets hold of certain documents which prove his mother's innocence, and which Mullins and Co. had stolen. At the same time he rescues his father, who had fallen into their clutches, and the two effect an exciting escape. The rullians track the boy, but the now-dying Wally gives the alarm and saves Dick's life at the cost of his own.

The two little vagabonds were ably represented by Miss Lily Titheradge and Miss Florence Terms. The former's pourtrayal of Dick—sturdy, plucky little Dick, with his cheery optimism — fairly took the audience by storm, and she received quite an ovation when called before the curtain. Very cleverly was the part sustained, the high-born lad being never allowed to lose his identity entirely in the thieving young vagabond. The character of Wally, if anything the more difficult of the two, was made the most of by Miss Terriss, while her acting showed no tendency towards exaggeration. The jealous husband was rendeied with good effect by MrR. Stewart, while the suspected wife found an able exponent in Miss Ernilie Hughes, who made a welcome re-appearance. The emotional scenes between the pair were excellently done. The comic touches were imparted by Mr Oily Deering (Dido), Miss Julia Mert'on (Biddy Mullins), Mr J. W. Sweeny (Mullins), and Mr R. E. Watson, known to fame as the " Corf-drop," or the "straight paregoric." The other parts were rendered satisfactorily, and the setting left nothing to be desired. There was a large attendance last evening, and the frequent and hearty applause showed that the new piece found favour. "Two Little Vagabonds" will be staged this evening and on succeeding nights., and should draw crowded houses.