"A TRIP TO CHINATOWN."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11239, 7 December 1899, Page 4

"A TRIP TO CHINATOWN."

The box plan for the first three of the 12 nights' season, to be inaugurated by the celebrated American comedian, Mr. Harry Conor, and Messrs. Hoyt and McKee's New York Company of comedians and comediennes, at the Opera House on Monday evening next, will be opened at Wildnmn and Lyell's this morning, at ten o'clock. An unusual degree of interest is being centred in the forthcoming performances of the musical comedy, " A Trip to Chinatown," which will bo the first piece staged, and this will doubtless be shown in the hooking to-day. Messrs. Williamson and Musgrove can invariably rely on a full plan, and as the members of this company, with but one exception, will make, their first appearance in NewZealand, combined with the fact that glowing accounts have been received from the Australian press of their merits as entertainers, there will, in n\\ probability, be a rush of those desiriu<; to be present at these first three performances, Xow that the elections are over, the public will be glad to get a respite from the rather warm and serious arena of political controversy, and indulge in those gaieties of which good hearty laughter is the predominating characteristic. That they will find the necessary material for this, and in abundant measure, in ''A Trip to Chinatown," seems pretty evident, for the author claims that the principal and guiding motive in his construction of the characters, and of the play itself, was to afford the fullest opportunities for creating mirth. .At the same time the players were specially chosen by Messrs. Williamson and Musgrove with the object of fully realising tie author's desires, and the best practical proof of their success in this direction is the undoubted popularity the company has achieved during the Australian tour. " Mr. Conor's Welland Strong, a gentleman of fine physique and robust health/but nevertheless who continually imagines himself on the verge of passing away, and in the attempt to postpone which he is constantly adopting all kinds of remedies, finally falling back upon the horse doctor, is said to be one of the most amusing character sketches ever presented on ihe coionial stage.