"PEG O' MY HEART."

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17343, 3 January 1922, Page 10

"PEG O' MY HEART."

A POPULAR SUCCESS. H.:d Shakespeare lived in those day» of automobiles and popular favourites of the stage he might have felt constrained to B tei Ihunlet's mneh-quoW hncs something i 0 this: "The p'.ay'a the car whereby we'll test the driving of the star," for thcr* ii ' lo ' ,o^; that the material provided makes nil the difference as f»- as the showing of man or Ja-.lv is concerned I L l>nddv-the Next Best 'ilung. ««° £»} the Theatre ltoval somewhat disappointed with the piav. 'with Jliss Iso'ocl Brwnon, and With of her company. Onei could possibility in the cast, but the P'»? was such ns to afford lilt.e opporturutj j-.idpiiiff their truo worth; in tact, A" ducc one to run away with the idea that ho artists themselves wore ol 'f Ilor J" Hapni'v the comnany has in its rcpe>toiro a play- that will alwaya agro with th? popular taste, and it is to bo regret ted that ii. o' M'v lloarf will hold fa* boards for onl one more nsirht, for the s?ison. will with to-night's performance. "Pen" was stngwl for tho Swt timo by tho present company at tho Theatre o>a ni.ht, a.r.l tho lar K . audience plav, and Mtss Brcsnun, to say nothing of Mr Charles Courtneidsc, from begin" 111 !; end. Ono would not say tha* ilws n ßr< made a bigger impression thai, ™ ill the sr.r.io role, but r!ic certamh cxhuiti.t a very clever and very tho part. Sho had a much bot.er p.ut.than in "Paddy," Mit eVen allowing that the opportunities gave her iuoro scope, sll « P r s£"j herself o. much mow s-atisfying- actress than she did last week. She appeared her heart more in the role, though Adair" and "Pes O'Connell might bo sistors, but "Peg"" lms much tho be-tter setting. much more shining foile, and, eviden.ly, the atmosphere generally is > nllcl ) mo ™ to Miss Brcsnan's liking. At any, rate, eho makes a very lovable "l'eg." Bringing out the points of eubtlo comciy is evidently her forte, and last night sho mado many u tut, in accordance with the evident intention of tho "book," which an inferior actress would have missed altogether by a. lack of spontaneous appreciation of tho role. , lnere can bo 110 doubt that Hiss Brosnan is a. spar.:ling little comedienne. 0110 or two trifling defects, combined with an accent that niakee it rather hard, to catch tho actual dialogue at times, are all that can be urged against her, whilo iior bright humour, her conception oi tho true light-hearted Irish epint and her own effervescing personality, tho ecales \lown heavily in her favour. Had 'Tog o' My Heart" not boen a resurrection, ilk- it were, no ono could havo forgiven ths management for not placing it before 'l'uduy" in tho ondor of tho Beason. Ae a supercilious scion ol a would-bo aristocratio family, Mr Charles Courtneidgo is superb. *.vir Courtncidgo is an< ideal light comediun. ne overdoes nothing) and he bring® out all (hat a part entrusted to him provides, not only makes tho most of nia "lines. biu ho introduces quite a lot of inimitable original work besides. Ho and Ms cigsrettoholder will not bo forgotten for many a long day. As the haughty and class-adoring Etlwl, Mis* Mellie McCarthy was unconvincing at first, failing to impart tho languid sarcasm and cynicism associated with the real Ethel, but sho improved as tho play went on. and- h«r wnh "Pog" ttrhon, the latter interrupts the elopement was quite pleasing. Mr Anew Monaster waa rather stiff as "Sir Jerry," though his elocution left nothing to bo dceircd, while Mies Katie Towers was a little overweighted as Mrs Chichester, e part whioh calk for another Mrs Brcugh. Smaller parts were capably filled by Mctisra Q-. K. Souper, Arthur Ownuway, and Frc'-l. Cambourno, und Mia* Lilian 'Nightingale, to soy nothing of tho two intelligent dogo, inaoparablo from tho play. "Peg o' Mfcr Heart" will ba repeated lor tho last tim» to-night.