SHAKESPEAREAN SEASON.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 30 September 1927, Page 2

SHAKESPEAREAN SEASON.

“TWELFTH NIGHT” ALLAN WILKIE COMPANY’S FAREWELL. An all-too-brief Shakespearean season came to an end at the Opera House last night, when Mr. Allan Wilkie, Miss Hunter-Watts, and their talented company presented “Twelfth Night” to a large and interested audience. The close attention with which the audience followed the fortunes of the various characters of the play, and the skilful manner in which the requisite atmosphere was woven, spoke volumes for the art of the immortal dramatist and of the players who essayed to portray his romantic comedy.' Many old friends came to life, to the delight of the audience, and many minor characters who had in part, perhaps, been forgotten, were revived. Malvolio (Mr. Allan Wilkie) strutted across the stage with all his accustomed pomp, a figure so full of self-love that he made himself ridiculous. But so good was the characterisation of the part by Mr. Wilkie that before the action of the piece had ended the audience was made to realise that there was something pathetic, and even something noble, in the nature of this servitor of the Countess Olivia. His grand manners, his foolish conceit, and the pomposity which did not leave him even when lie arose from his bed to remonstrate with those hearty x'evellers Sir Toby and Sir Andrew. were forgotten in the last scene when the humbled Malvolio left the service of his lady; and the ' laughter he aroused when he swaggered olf the scene after being reinstated to the good graces of Olivia had something of admiration and understanding in its quality—a line tribute to the interpretation given by the actor. Miss Hunter-Watts gave a finished portrayal of the role of Viola and, in the low comedy scene, in which she was the unwilling participant in a duel with an antagonist who relished the light even less than this page of gentlo manner, she revealed a flexibility ot temperament and a versatility which those who had seen her previously only in more tragic roles would have little suspected. It was a pleasure to renew acquaintance with the art of Miss Loma Forbes, whose charming presence and beautiful diction made her admirably suited to the role of Olivia, while all our love for the robust character of Sir Toby flowered anew when we saw' him brought to life by the line acting of Mr. John Cairns. Mr. Arthur Keane shared with the latter the honours in the comedy work. As the assinine Sir Andrew he was excellent, and the two actors extracted the full measure of comedy from their parts without falling under the temptation to overdo the humorous episodes. Mr. Dennis Barry’s exceedingly tuneful singing voice was again a great aSsefc to the company, and his acting of the part of the Fool could not have been, it seemed, improved upon; he speaks beautifully, and has an artless grace well suited to the part, but one which few male actors could reproduce without becoming effeminate. Of the interpretation of the character of Maria, Miss Dulcie Cherry made a great success, being endowed with a charming presence and a vivacity which enabled, her to make of Olivia’s woman-in-waiting just the type of comelj T wench we would have her. The minor roles were all filled very effectively, and the dressing and production of the play generally again bore the stamp of the master mind. After the last curtain Mr. Wilkie briefly thanked the audience for their interest, and promised that he' would, on his next appearance in Hawera Hawera eighteen months hence, produce two equally contrasting plays as those he had presented this season, in “Macbeth” and “The Merry Wives of Windsor.’ ’