"WHEN KNIGHTS WERE BOLD."

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13160, 6 July 1908, Page 8

"WHEN KNIGHTS WERE BOLD."

The description of the new comedy in which Mr Frank Thornton and his company appeared on Saturday night at the Theatre Royal as one of the most amusing plays seen for years, is by no means exaggerated. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine anything so intensely humorous as the second act of "When Knights Were Bold." The utter incongruities which arise from a twentieth century man with all his ideas of modern civilisation, being suddenly retrograded some seven hundred years, are worked out with such humour as to cause roars of laughter. But whilst this is so. the dramatic construction of the play is also excellent. The idea of representing the characters seen in the first act in the present day as the reincarnation under the differing circumstances of thoso appearing in the second act, is not only exceedingly clever but unique. It is so admirably worked out that one witnessing the play naturally accepts the happenings of the second act as real, instead of being a dream. This was due not alone to the genius of the author, but also to the clever and artistic maimer in which the various members of the company interpreted the various characters. In this they all displayed wonderful versatility, which contributed very largely indeed to the yreat artistic success achieved in the piece. Tho company, it may be sftid, is an extremely wellbalanced one, all the characters, from those of tho principals to the most subordinate being admirably played. Indeed, in no organisation which has visited us has this characteristic been s.o strongly marked.

In tiio part of Sir Guy de Vere Mr Thornton has plenty of srope for the display of that inimitable comedy acting which Christchureh playgoers have so fully recognised in the parts played by him on his former visits.. But humorous as these undoubtedly aro, that of Sir Guy De Vere, especially in the second act, is even more so. Mr Thornton fairly revels in the humour of the .character, and his interpretation, particularly in the second act, was funny in tho extreme, esoeeially in the tight with Sir Bryon. * The great charm about Mr Thornton's comedy acting is its spontaneity; the fun is never laboured, it is crisp and sparkling, and it was this quality which made his performance on Saturday night so tborouidiably enjoyable, and distinctly tho funniest ever seen on our stage. Miss Belle Donaldson as Lady Rowena, the ardently romantic young lady who so loves the good old times, was excellent. In addition to a good stage presence, Mis*s Donaldson is an actress of considerable ability, and her conception of the character was very artistically and successfully worked out. She was specially good as the Lady Abbess in the second act, as well as giving a capital performance of the part as a whole. Miss Clare Mainfield mado an excellent Miss Lsaacson, and Misses Lily Willis, Elizabeth Hawthorn and Harriett Novel filled their respective parte with much artistic success. The latter deserves special praise for the versatility evinced in her excellent performance of two such widely differing characters as the Hon. Mrs "\Valdoin the comedy and the voluble and uneducated Mrs Simmons in the clever little curtain raiser. Though the male characters, except that of Mr Thornton, are somewhat subsidiary, they are nevertheless well drawn. Mr Ashford was good as the Dean, and equally with Mi6s French deserves praise for versatility. Two excollently played characters, notably in the second act, were those of Vittlo, by Mr Templar Powell, and Barker by Mr Windermere, the blank verse in the second act being finely declaimed by the former. Mr Hamilton was good as Isaac Isaacson, and Mr Charles Stone deserves high praise for his Charles "YS iudicombe. particularly for his song and dance as the jester in tho second act. \rhe niece was finely put ou, tho tablcaux*'and tie scene in the second act being splendid. The curtain raiser, "That Bruto Simmons," in which Miss French and Messrs Hamilton and Ashford appeared most successfully, was exceedingly funny. ■ Tho Mrs Simmons of Miss French was an excellent piece of character acting, and tho same may bo said of the interpretation of tho other two parts. To-night tho two pieces will bo repeated. *