“The Naughty Wife”

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6627, 14 August 1931, Page 8

“The Naughty Wife”

MERITORIOUS INITIAL PERFORMANCE

If anyone who visited tho Opera House last evening went there with anticipations that tho Palmerston North Operatic Society's presentation of “Tlio Naughty Wife" comedy would be something in tho nature of a passable entertainment only, that person must surely have left agreeably surprised at tho splendid performance that was staged. It must bo admitted frankly that the active members of the Society engaged in the piece have acquitted themselves wonderfully well, leaving little room for criticism except' perhaps in minor details, and many of the small faults to be found, wero no doubt due to first-night nervousness.

Briefly, the story of tho play is as follows:

Hilary Farrington, a novelist, is married to a pretty woman (Eloise), who is unwittingly left by her husband to her own sweet devices. Farrington, however, is brought to his senses when he is warned by Mrs. Nora Gail that his wife is about to elope with Darrell McKnight, she having herself been engaged to McKnight. Farrington’s sole interest then becomes his wife and Nora Ghil’s is McKnight. They conspire with a view to devising a scheme for preventing the elopement and restoring tho various characters in order to provide for the conventional happy ending. The first act introduces the characters and indicates the elopement and the plot to frustrate it. The remaining two acts then deal with the putting into practice of the plan of Hilary and Nora and its ultimate success in achieving the desired object for both of them.

It will be observed that there are four principal characters in the piece and these parts were taken by Miss Ulu Hancock (Eloise Farrington, the naughty wife), Mr. Amos McKegg (Hilary Farrington, the husband), Miss Betty McEae (Nora Gail) a widow in love with Darrell McKnight which part is interpreted by Mr. M. H. Oram. All four principals are introduced to the audience in the first act which is set in the living room, in the Farrington’s apartment in New York. The second and third acts have their locale in the Farrington bungalow, Long Island. At this stage it would be appropriate to mention tho care that has obviously been taken in staging the piece. All happens indoors, consequently the producers have had to concentrate on interior ensembles, probably easier to achieve than an outdoor presentation from the point of view of an amateur production, yet harder to make distinctive because of limited scope in the matter of colour and decorations. Nevertheless, patrons last evening were more than complimentary on the brilliance of the stage “make-up" wMch more than holds its own with the equipment of professional companies that have visited the city. In other words, Palmerston North has seen much that has not been so good. The same comment may be made concerning the acting of the players. Miss Ulu Hancock puts all the vivacity for which she is notable into her part of the naughty wife. She is called upon to express many emotions and was found an equally loving lifepartner and admirer of her husband’s virtues in the final scene as she was impetuous and unforgiving in the opening act. Miss Betty McEae also excelled _ herself, putting an exact interpretation on her part and presenting it convincingly. She made a sweet conspirator and entered into the story with a swing that appealed. Mr. Amos McKegg boro the burden on the male side of the comedy and without doubt ho did it well . The scene where he packs his wife's bag for her prior t‘> sending her off with her new-found lover and with his blessing, will not be forgotten for a long time by last night’s audience. The whole house rocked as Amo3 intended it shmld <io. Ho, too, was called upon to be versatile and found no difficulty in being gay, anxious, surprised and determined whenever his part called for expression of these moods. Mr. M. H Oram had a difficult part to play. There were few occasions for movement, and although not perhaps as ardent a lover as the part demanded an the opening scene, he warmed up to his responsibilities and acquitted himself with great credit when situations wore more tense.

Minor parts were taken by Miss Edna Boon '(Annette, a maid), Mr. A E. Eising (Carter, a man servant), Mr W. Fitzherbert (Thompson, (a chauffeur), and Mr. Neil Forbes (Bishop Eennelly.)

Introductory music was supplied by an orchestra under the leadership of Mr A. J. Graham, while the furnishings used in the performance were supplied by Messrs C. M. Boss Co Ltd. and Cowlings Ltd. The wardrobe, "quite a feature of the comedy, also came from the C. M. Boss Company’s store. A most attractive adjunct to the enjoyment of the comedy is the provision of a sweets stall where patrons may take in supplies of the choicest home-made delicacis.