" SO LONG, LETTY"

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2961, 27 December 1916, Page 7

" SO LONG, LETTY"

BY THE WILLIAMSON MUSICAL COMEDY COMPANY "So Long, Lfitty." A musical comedy in two acts. Cast: Letty Robbins Dorothy Brunlon Grace Miller Connie Ediss Ohita Mann Marie Eaton Amelia Cease Ethel Morrison Tommy Bobbins ... Charles H. Workman Harr.v Miller Field Fisher Billy Monday Alfred Frith Phillip Brown William Greene Mabel Cecil Bradley There appear to be morals of sorts to be adduced from "So Long, Lctty"— unusual adjuncts to a musical comedy. If a husband is not satisfied with his wife, let hiiii look around and see hoiv much worse be might have fared if ho had gone further. If a wife does not find her husband as uniformly appreciative of her habits, manners, and appearance as he used to he in the halcyon days of courtship, let her console herself with the reflection that after all he does not know much, and is easily managed if handled in tho right way. Then there is an incidental lesson, for both paWics, that if a bluff is necessary, it should bo carried to tho limit and a bit beyond, because the cautious bluffer has to pay for the drinks or the frocks or whatever else it may be. Grace Miller, domesticated and affectionate, surrounded her husband with all tho comforts of a home and contrived incidentally to look very homely horsolf. Letty liobbins, iu the villa next door, fed her husband on sardinos and tea, and found the decoration of hor own pretty person and the calls of society so engrossing that sho had no time to spare for the sordid dotails of housework. So Harry Miller wore sporty. suits aud stayed out evenings, while Tommy Itobins did chores about the house and yearned for tho joys of domesticity. And when Tommy looked over the fenco\ and saw Grace of the housewifely virtues, ho thought that he had made a bad pick in the marital market; Harry, too, looked over the fence, and sighed to think that bo was being offered more creature comforts when what ho noeaed was gaiety and beauty. So presently tho two husbands put their heads together and decided that an exchango of wives would be mutually pleasant if the ladies could bo provoked into dissolving the existing partnerships. Just how their scheme worked to their own complete undoing and hopeless abasement is the theme ,of "So Long, Letty," though-in.accordance with the conventions and conveniences of musical comedy. the theme is allowed to lose itself as often as may be> necessary for tho introduction of anything charming or amusing that happens to have occurred, to author or producer. There is a lot of music about the play, and much of it is tuneful and "catchy," like the chorus, already familiar, from which tho production takes its name. The plot, it may bo observed, has elements of daring about it;. perhaps that is why a pretty aud important section of the chorus appears in bathing attiro. Tho costumes are exceedingly pleasant to the eye, and they reveal the charms of their fair wearers uncommonly well. Tho "Bathing Ensemble" is especially good, and bright dresses, smart grouping, and dainty dancing are features of tho.. production throughout. The chorus, always an attractive feature of tho Williamson companies, supports a group of capable principals. Miss Connie Ediss, who is making her first appearance in New Zealand, is an experienced comedienne, and hor performance last night was genuinely- humorous. Her solos, including "Here Conie the Married Men" anil "All the Comforts of Home," woro among ..tlio succosses of tho evening. Miss Dorothy Brunton was altogether successful as Lotty, and Messrs, C. H. Workman and l l '. Fisher woro uncommonly amusing as tho two husbands. Miss Marie Eaton was tuneful and graceful' in several sobs, including "The Jelly Roll" and "The Dear Old Fighting Boys." in which sho was supported by a brilliantly spectacular display by tho chorus. The introduced items included a Fox Trot, danced by Miss Daisy Yates apd Mr. Sydney, and an eccentric dance by Miss Madge Elliott and Mr. Jack Hooker. "So Long Lctty" will be presented again this and on following evenings.