"ARE YOU A MASON?"

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2939, 27 November 1916, Page 3

"ARE YOU A MASON?"

GOOD LAUGHING MEDIUM REVIVED

"Are You a llason?" a farcical comedy. Cast:— Frank Perry Mr. Eonald Riley Lottie Miss Ruby Guy Ernest Morrison Mr. George Hewlett Cieorgo Fisher Mr. Gerald Hai-court Hamilton Travel's Mr. Colville Dunn Eva Perry Miss Margaret Linden .Mrs. Bloodgood'... Miss Beatrico Esmond Annie Miss Madge Surtees Lulu Miss Mildred Carlton ■Amos Bloodgood Mr. Fred Co-^Tm John Halton Mr. C. W. Jl'hrosoy Fanchon Armitage ... Miss May Brooke Policeman XL Mr. Harcourt Hare Mrs. Haiton Miss Mabel Gower Time has not diminished the powers of that merry old farcical comedy . "Are You a Mason?'.' to evoke and sustain the very heartiest laughter/end its performance by the Royal Dramatic and Comedy Company at the Grand O.pera House on Saturday evening was of a character to inspire much greater confidence in the company's average ability to entertain than was demonstrated in the opening bill. The Masonic joke that tickled the big audience on Saturday helped to discover tho true metier, of the / newlyformed stock company,' whose successes, I venture to say, will lie rather in the demesne of comedy rather than serious drama.' Indeed, 60 evenly meritorious was the work of the company in. the comedy, for a first performance, that there is little doubt as to which piece will be selected for openings in other centres. ' "Are You a Mason?" was played here about thirteen years ago by an English company after it had run. very successfully in England, and much joy was gained from Mr. George Giddens's portrayal of Amos Bloodgood, a role he played in IJbndon and . elsewhere with fjreat success, Since then tho joke has become rather frayed through tho central theme being used for sketches in vaudeville, but cood jokes die hard, and the one involved in "Are You a Mason?" is good for another century. It is quite needless to go into details about the tangle that comes of Amos Bloodgood and his son-in-law, unknown to eaoh other, pretending to be Masons in order to account for time spent in frivolity that would not be approved of by their respective wives. Add to this 1 a gorgonesque Mrs. Bloodgood, whose belief in Freemasonry is as.strong and abiding as that of the Hindu to Buddhism, but who, at the same time, enter- | tains an 80 horse-power suspicion of her husband's fidelity, and makes his life a burden over a certain Angelina, long since deceased, ■ a lot of lively young people who help to fire tlie laughter furnace: and intervals of suspense as to the stability of the fraud to hold together in the face of cold facts, and you have a capital entertainment that is _ clean, smart, and refreshingly English in tone and texture. . The comedy was marked by a performance of even merit. ■ JJr. Fred»Coape, as Amos Bloodgood, was a joyous circumstance, though he_ was inclined to be almost too subdued in places. He was easy, natural, and distinctly funny in his abject humility. Ho was very comic in the 6cene where both his son-in-law, Frank Perry and himself resolve to confess to one another that they are not Masons. Just as the old man is about to blurt out the truth, Frank gets in first, and Amos, seeing his chance, at once assumes airs of an outraged Worshipful Master, and rags the youn? man on the infamous duplicity he has practiced on the family. Later on the old man strikes a prospective 6_on-in-law. who is really , a Mason, and, in turn Amos has to "confess the imposition he has practiced on his wife for twenty years. Mr. Ronald Rilev was dependable as Frank Perry, and Geo. Hewlett was the real Mason. Mr. Gerald Harcourt played George Fisher, and showed some clever touches •'when' posing as Fanchon. The part of Hamilton Travers, ex-tragedian, was comically and skilfully travestied by Mr. Colville Dnnn. who has.an acute and forceful personality, and is -very 6uto of himself. Mr. C. Throsby was, the farmer who wishes to be a Mason._ and undergoes ridiculous tests at tho whim of Amos. Mrs. Bloodgood was acted with admirable firmness and conscious strength of character by Miss Beatrice ■Esmond, and was easily the outstanding nerformance_ amonrej the ladies. Miss Margaret Linden. looked very sweet as Mrs. Perry, and Misses Surtees and Carlton appeared as her two flnnper sisters. both very much in love. The comedy is played in one scene, a verv elaborate morninp room set, furnished very tastefully, without stint or superfluity.