“GRUMPY’

Evening Star, Issue 16629, 11 January 1918, Page 6

“GRUMPY’

Dunedin theatregoers are indeed, fortunate in being given the opportunity of seeing such a world-famed actor as Air Cyril Maude in such a wonderfully line character study as that of the "quickwitted, irascible, lovable old Grumpy. The big audience in His Majesty’s Theatre last night enjoyed and appreciated every moment of the play, and expressed their appreciation in an unmistakable manner. Aliss Dorothy Gumming, as the granddaughter; Miss Betty Murray, as the servant maid; Air Ernest Ranson, as the nephew ; Air Edward Lester, as the valet; Mr Frank Elliot, as the diamond thief; and the rest of the company tilled admirably' the parts allotted to them. ‘ Grumpy ’ will be played for the last time to-night. CYRIL MAUDE IN ‘CASTE.’ Henry Arthur Jones pleads for Eccles as a “ great and vital tragi-comic figure.” Shaw says that “ the fond plea cannot be allowed. Eccles is caricatured in the main, and by the methods which Dickens had made obvious; and the implied moral view of bis caso is the common pharisaic one of his day.” _ Eccles and Gerridge together epitomise mid-century Victorian shabby-genteel ignorance of the workina classes. As the old toper Cyril Alaude is wonderfully convincing. Mr Alaude is eliminated and Eccles alone lives. He brings to bear on the part the great force of a great actor. He sounds the one deep note of human sympathy, that raises the lump in the throat and brings the mist before the eyes. To see Air Maude’s Eccles is, it is said, to see the finest character study yet preserved to a New Zealand audience. His Eccles differs from his predecessors in this respect; be makes him of finer timbre, and naturally so. Esther Eccles is a lady, and, if heredity counts for anything, drunken Espies must have had at least some decent qualities. A feature of tho performance is that tho costumes of tire period will be worn.