"MASKS AND FACES."

Auckland Star, Issue 311, 31 December 1900, Page 3

"MASKS AND FACES."

■ja&kNCE O'NEITi. AS PEG WOFFINGTOX.

"It was ten years ago almost to the rery day on Saturday since the curtain fell at the Auckland Opera House on 8 memorable performance of Tom Jfcylor's and Chas. Read's exquisite comedy "Masks and Faces." Looking round the theatre on Saturday one noticed the faces of many veteran ; theatre g-oers who had been present on that occasion, and imagined the same thought in every mind, "Is this performance of the comedy (which for some inscrutable reason the man- _ agement have re-christened 'Peg Woffin«*t6n") going to efface the mem)ry of "that other?" It will be remem- ] bered that then Janet Achurch took is all by storm as the immortal Peg, while Mr Herbert ■ Flemming—'hand- . of Australian actors—excelled ; iims^lf as Ernest Vane. It seemed . impossible to some of us that a finer . -endering would be given than we then , mioyed, but it-must, we think, be universally admitted that Miss Nance ■ O'Neil has changed this opinion. On Due or two points her beautiful and talented predecessor scored honours ; ivhich were not to be eclipsed, but on the whole. Miss O'Neil's Woffingtou must take the higher rank. It was a performance of the highest order, and one which at once solidified the conviction that in Miss O'Neil we have perhaps the finest and most natural actress who has visited us. In "Mag3a" it was not quite possible to gauge the full powers of the new-comer. The music was, so to say, too much on one string; nor could Woffing-ton alone have revealed the entire scope and strength of her abilities; but looking i at both, seeing the force, the passion, and the capacity for tragedy displayed in the first, and the tenderness, the brightness, the gaiety, and the lightness of the last, one at once realised that the reputation so rapidly acquired has been worthily earned indeed. In "Magfla" we were shown the actress' could thrill us in her passion. In "Masks and Faces" Miss O'Neil showed us she could conjure up laughter or tears, pain or pity, joy or sorrow, at her will. Therefore, whether we are now biciden to tragedy or comedy, we shall go in full assurance of a fine and a thoughtful performance. We shall, moreover, go with another assurance—that of freshness and originality. So far as one has yet seen, it is not the least of Miss O'Niel's attractions that she is absolutely devoid of stage mannerisms. With the greatest of other actresses who visit us, each has had one or more, and so-marked and absolutely unmistakable as to seriously handicap them in attempting utter loss of individuality in the part being played. Our old favourite Mrs Brough—than whom there are feAV better actresses living—has a fashion of perpetually interjecting an interrogative or significant and long-drawn-out "Oh," beginning very low, and with a rising inflection of about an octave. That VOh" is in every play, and brings one perpetually back from the. character to Mrs Brough. Mrs Brown Potter was compact of irritating mannerisms and others could be mentioned. As yet Miss O'Neil has betrayed none, and to this unique and fortunate lack of poor possessions must be due much of her success. A more beautiful Peg Woffington it would be impossible to Imagine; a more gracious, a more tender, a gayer, we cannot remember, nor can we recall one who so naturally touched 'our hearts and dimmed cur "eyes in sympathy for the suffering under that brave assumption of nonchalance. In one scene alone did Miss O'Neil fail to thrill us as did Janet Achureh; that was where the jig was danced. The exquisite skill and grace of the dancing, the manner in which she worked herself into a fever ot .excitement, and finally. sank . down exhausted in a passion of hysterical sobs was one of the finest things the writer has seen done on any stage, iand electrified; the house. In it were .concentrated the whole gamut ot Peo-'s passion, disillusionment, and brave" conquest of .personal feeling. It was Miss Achurch's triumph. In every other instance and scene Miss O'Neil "excelled. The admirable manner in which the other principals supported the talented principal lady was the theme of universal admiration and comment, and came somewhat as a surprise after "Magda," when a certain mediocrity was observable m several instances. Miss Alice Crawford as Mabel Vane created an impression only second to that of Miss O'Neil' herself. The part has never Ibeen played here one-tenth as well, and it would be a captious critic indeed who should require one move perfect. Gentle, natural, restrained, Mabel was endowed with a charm which will linger long in the memory. admirable, too, was the Triplet fit Mr J. T3. Atholwood, while that reliable and finished actor Mr Plimmer -was capital as Ernest Vane. Mr Thomas Kingston, as Sir Chas. Pommaiider, had a capital opportunity of showing us he is as versatile as he /j s a ble, the change from the pastor tfo the profligate being- a fine test. The xninor parts, with which the comedy js somewhat overloaded, were capably filled The comedy will be repeated this fl^ening, and is entirely worthy of a fcuw-per house. Nothing so wholePV delightful has been seen on Auckland boards for a considerable £ime.. . . • ■ ■