'THE PATSY'

Evening Star, Issue 20149, 13 April 1929, Page 11

'THE PATSY'

On Wednesday, 'April 24, at His Majesty’s, the J. C. Williamson, Ltd., management will present for the first time to playgoers of Dunedin Barry Conner-.’ world-famed comedy-drama, ‘The .Patsy,’ which is without any doubt the most popular and most successful play staged during the past twenty years, ft owes its success to the fact that it is a simple, clean play, which makes an appeal to both young and old. Artfulness, with a. pretence to innocence and ingenuousness, is said to be the feature of the character played by Irene Homer in ‘ The Patsy.’ “ But never for a moment,” wrote :r Sydney critic. “ docs she lose the interest and sympathy of the audience by suggesting that she is conscious of any smartness in the deception she so successfully practises. Briefly, the triumph of her performance lies first and foremost in the fact that throughout the play she lives the character, with the others on the stage the only people in the world who exist for her.” An outstanding characterisation in ‘The Patsy’ is Mr A. S. Byron’s interpretation of Mr Harrington. Mr Byron has a brilliant record on the American stage. He has been associated with such stars as William Favorsham, Donald Brian. George Behan, and others. Some of the plays in which lie lias appeared include ‘ Lilac ’rime,’ 1 Our Betters,* ‘Within the Law,’ ‘Smilin’ Through,* and ‘Potash and Perlmutter.’ Mr Brandon Peters, the juvenile hero of ‘ The Patsy,’ comes with a big reputation, won in a number of important New York productions. Mr Sam 'Wren, who will make his first appearance hero in file role of Billy Caldwell, is another well-known American artist. Miss Mi loon Sparks is a. favourite with Mew Zealand playgoers, a popularity she Ims won in a number of notable productions. .Miss Vera Gerald was brought from London to appear in ‘ The Cuckoo in the Nest,’ in which she was the outstanding success in Sydney and Melbourne. She was transferred to ‘ The Patsy,’ and as Airs Harrington she has achieved one of her best triumphs. The stage manager is Sir Wardo Morgan, who, it will be remembered, was badly injured in a railway accident, when lie was touring with Miss Marie Burke in ‘Tvatja.’ The box plans for the five performances of the company here open on Monday, April 22.