"OUR MISS GIBBS."

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1257, 12 October 1911, Page 6

"OUR MISS GIBBS."

AND lIKlt YORKSHIRE COUSIN. "Our Miss Gibbs," by "Cryptcs," constructed by James Tanner. Juries by Adrinn Ho-ss and Percy Groenbank. Music jjy ivan Caryll and Lionel Monckton. Cast: Hon. llughie Picrrcpoint licslio Holland liord Eynsford AJidrew ilißginson Kli thors I'rt-ti .lieslic The Earl of m. Jves 0. 1?. Itantock 11 r. lteavis Arthur liiesajit Mr. 'J'oplad.v Frank Stirßnir A Taxi-Cabby C-olin Campbell Mr. Ainnlfy lon Slsixwcll Timothy (iibbs Mortic Wright I/udy Elizabeth Thanet Connie Miino lladame je:inni; iNellie Wilson Duchess oC llini.tcM' Fitzmaurii-e fiil'l Ill's. Farnuhar Nellie Calvin Mary Gibbs lilauche IJrowno "Our Mis; Gibbs"-Jlary Gibbs, of Gsirrod's store —lias arrived, and it may fairly bo mid sh<> has conquered. She made he.r Wellington debut at the Opera ilousn last "owning in company with other clever people of Mr. .1. C. Williamson's Woyal Comic Opera. Company, mid for over three hours—the overture commenced at 7.1") p.m., and tho curtain fell at 11.20 p.m.—slio kept her audience in high good humour. "Miss Gibbs" is rather difficult to classify. Is she comic opera ? H—m. Musical comedy? Maybe. Frankly "Miss Gibbs" comprises in her charming tout ensemblo the barest suggestion of a plot, quite a number of catchy airs, a pinch of excellent vaudeville, attractive dances, and hero and there some fair comedy, the whole elaborately mounted. Miss Gibbs is a Yorkshire lassin who has got on in london, and by her charming personality earned for herself quick promotion and high appreciation at Garrod's Department Store. Into her life enters Lord Eynsford, the son of n self-made man who Ins discovered that "it is very easy to pick up a title nowadays." But' there is a pending alliance de convennnco. in the background of tho situation, a very unwilling Lady Hetty, a Gorgon mamma, the Duchess of Minster, and Mary Gibbs, "only a shop-girl," discovers that tho young gentleman who hns been masquerading as a bank clerk is a "somebody," and alas! about S'o nyirry another "somebody." She weeps, for she c.ires very much. But it all ends well, for a felicitous encounter with the "In ill; cJerk's" severe and determined papa dissolves tho latter's objections. Quite casually, there stroll into the piece. Cousin Timothy Gibbs, from Yorkshire, a guileless perron doing the metropolis, the Honourable Hughie Pierrepoiiit, an amateur "crook," and "Slithers," a professional "crook," who is coaching th« Honourable Ilugliio. Mr. Toplady, manager at Garrod's, and .Madame Jeanne, the modiste at Garrod's. The play opens in tho interior of a great department store—Garrod's—and concludes at the White City, in the Court of Honour at tho Franco-British Exhibition—two scenes only. Speaking generally, the show is a very gocjd one, but rather long drawn out. With almost any other comedian than Mr. Bertie Wright, tho audience might lave tired—visibly. The merits of thopi'eco lie in tho individual work o£ the principals, tho music, and the dances. It is left very largely to tlie comedians ]f the company to connect together the various situations and so give to "Our Miss Gibbs" a semblance of colicrenco 111 structure, and their work is good— excellent, often. .Mr. Bertio Wright is a comedian of rnre parts. As Cousin Timitliy, from tho country, ho is tho most lmusing rustic that ever was with his 'Yorkshire" twang and his quite ordinal business. Ho works hard all the jvening, unnecessarily hard, one is apt jo think, but Miss Marv would bo very lull without him. Mr. Wright was very lappy in tho duets, "Country Cousins" ind "Our Farm," in which he was assol. ' cd with Miss Blanche Browns ("Our diss Uibbs"). "Our Farm" was a reallv food item—one of tho liits of the cveiiAs Lord Eynsford. Mr. Andrew Iligsijion is not very heavily burdened. But .Higginson's froo and natural deportnent on the stage is always a pleasure to ■ ntness, and assures ! him a welcome, wiarewT lie may l>o for the nonc<?. i Mr. Leslie Holland, as tho Honourable I iughie Pierrepoiiit (an amateur crook) s , consistent to his ideal of the part, i i Inch is that of a "chappie" who turns ] o burglary as an osejpo from eivnui. i n company with Mr. Fml. Leslie (Slithrs, the professional crook), some divert- . ng by-play is introduced, and a sidoilot established upon (he exploit of the lon. Huglno in stealing the Ascot Gold '"IV, ®! r - Holland has his golden opporumty in the well-known song "Yip-I-uldy-I-Ay," in which, supported by 1 lie chorus, he scores a great success. Ho Iso sings "Hughie." and, with Mies irowne, the duet, ".Not That Sort of 'erson. Miss Blanche Browne. "Our Mary," 1 s really good. She has a eharmng personality, is quite unaffected, has a sweet voice, and is at It times attractive and pleasing-. Her included "Mary," sung witficharmng naivete, an<l "Moonstruck," introuood in an attractive Follies Dance. Miss Nellie Wilson makes an admirable loncli modiste (who has occasional ipsas into tho Scotch vernacular) at 1 mrrod s, and licr song, "Hats," was a ood number. As for the rest, there is much to comiend, .and little to condemn. Mr. Beavis family solicitor with an aristocratic lientole, was clercrly impersonated by > Ir Arthur Lissont; Mr. CoUn Campel makes a bnei hut entirely succeiit appearance as a taxi-cabby in the rst act; Mr. I'rank Stirling's reading of ie not very onerous part of Mr. 'l'onR-' p:f 11,gC1, - of S?.™ l ' 3 . was sound; F ' tzn l aur "» GiJl made an appro- i . V, Duchess of Minster; Miss Nellie ' J alvin s interpretation of tho part of I Lre. I'.irquhar (an impecunious lady of t ish.on), was clcver, while Miss Connie 'ii Betty, w:ls siiib?U to tlio art. Mention should be made of an Imirable sextet, "Aji English GentlS ian, and also of. the general merit of On Saturday Best at the Dresden at ! iffhKf Ii 8 !>lans for tho Jast seven ignts of the 3G(isou will bo opened.