"CASTE."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 896, 16 August 1910, Page 8

"CASTE."

■■■■■■''■ ~^ —*.. ■■■■'■ ■■■'■'■■'. '.'. MISS HABDINGE MALTBY'S PEODUC- '! '■':'.. ':. ;'.■ Tito. .'.'■ Pleasant memories of other days were 'revived by last, evening's production of Tom Bobertson's sweet old comedy, "Caste," by Miss Hardinge-Maltby; and her The comedies of Robertson have an intrinsic merit, in narrative and structure that will always ensure revivals from -time to time. ' Even at' the present time one London management has been inspired to revive the Hobertsonian repertoire, for ever associated with the name .of Miss Marie Wilton ' (Mrs. Bancroft), and is.meeting with a fair measure of success. 'In the original cast at the Eoyal Theatre in 1867 the 'Bancrofts' played Captain Hawtree and Polly Eccles respectively; that great old comedian,' George Honey, was: Eccles, John Hare (now Sir John) played Sam • Gerridge, Lydia Footewas Esther, Mr. Fred.Youhge was D'Alroy, and Miss' Larkin was the Marquise. Since then the comedy has been interpreted in London by some of the finest casts ever seen together on one stage, -for the simpin -reason that ono part is as good as another, and all are star parts. Few comedies have' that virtue nowadays—modern writers might study, Eobertson's technique in such comedies, as the ono under notice, "School," and "Ours," with '■ advantage. The most notable production: of'"Caste" in this.part of , the world was that. given by the Brough-Boucicault combination from fifteen to.twenty years ago, when Eccles was played by George.Anson, Gefridge by Robert Brough, Hawtree by Geo. Titlieradge, Esther by Mrs.- Brough, and Polly by Miss Emma Temple. When last the samo company.appeared in tho play in Wellington, Mr.' Dion Boucicault was the Eccles, but the rest of the cast was unchanged. Charles Holloway was ■ also a. very good Eccles, in which performance Mr. -Richard Stewart (now on J. 0. Williamson's managerial staff) was a notably effective Hawtree. . ." .

Though there were the usual imperfections, and, on occasions incongruities, inseparable from an amateur first night, the performance of last evening was not hy any nieanti ■ uninteresting.'' .What was wanted moro than anything was a general loning up of everybody. The pitch' set and was. altogether too low, the occasions being very rare indeed whon the players - were in tune" with one another. Mr. Vivian Ehiml, who looked the part of George D'Alroy, and who has done good character work, was quite a depressing'person without any just cause or.impediment. He should brisk up u bit, and speak out. One had to strain last evening to catch hie lines. Mr. Ellice Mills ,was excellently suited as Captain Hawtree— a delightful character—and with . a triflo more repose, and slightly less flippancy in pose in the first act will give an even better performance. Mr. W. P. Bastin had in Ecoles a part after his own heart, and gave, on the whole, il' very finished, if rather exaggerated, portrait of the old gin-loving reprobate. His business was good, and .provoked- hearty laughter, particularly .m tli«-sceuo with the Mai. quise, and Inter when , , he fills his pipe from the tobacco-dust of his waistcoat pockets. Miss Hardinge Maltby, whoso stage raiierienco stood her in good stead, was. casl, for .Esther Eccles, and played it on sound traditional lines, except for the acid hardness,'almost amounting to vindictiveness, of her tones in, the scene with the Marquise in the middlo act. Even in her assumption of tho dignity of outraged motherhood, Esther should be all that is the sweetest, best, awl most refined in woman. The effectiveness of the part absolutely depends on such qualities, as they'are the foil to the'more bourgeois characters of .the Eccles household. Mr. D.--N. Isaacs , was adequate as. Gerridge, and Miss Stella Putnam was fairly successful as. Polly. The Marquise de St. Maitr was played by Miss Bertha Miles with commendable-dignity, sweetness, and repose.

' Prior to the comedy Hiss Eileen Ward sang Mrs.' Bainbridgo's new song, "The Coming of Queen Mary." Miss , : Ward is gifted with a nicely-rounded musical mezzo-soprano voice, and acquitted hersolf -with credit. Miss Mary Butler recited 'Tor the Children's Snko" (written by Mr. Jennings Carmichaol) with nice expression. This evening "Caste" will bo preceded by the curtain-raiser "The Laughter Bureau," in which the j>arts will bo as-aum-ed by Misses Amy Kane, Muriel Wy-. He, Alice ftawton, and Gladys Meadoworoft-