“GRASP ; OR A MOTHER’S LOVE.”

New Zealand Mail, Issue 746, 18 June 1886, Page 19

“GRASP ; OR A MOTHER’S LOVE.”

On Wednesday at the Theatre this drama was produced by Mr Grattan Riggs and Mr Charles McMahon’s Dramatic Company to a good house. “Grasp,” which i 3 written by Mr Harry Emmett, an Australian playwright, is a play that requires good acting to make it successful. The plot is sensational, the dialogue fair, and the situations of the piece generally call for rather extensive scenic display. With a larg6 amount of sentiment and pathos, humor is nicely blended, and the piece as a whole may fairly be Btyled a good one. As played last night by Mr McMahon’s company, justice was done to it in every respect. In fact the performance may be regarded as the most even and creditable the company have given in Wellington. Mr Grattan Riggs as Mickey Mullings, the fisherman, was good, as he always is. In_ the delineation of Irish characters of the “Mickey Free” or “Conn the Shaughraun” type Mr Riggs is unexcelled, and his acting, quiet and easy as it is, is irresistibly funny. Last night he was at his best, and he kept the audience well amused throughout the piece with his clever comedy acting. Mr Fenton, as Daniel Duggan, was seen to better advantage than in any other character he has represented in Wellington. Kendal Bushe was played in a gentlemanly and natural manner by Mr Robert Inman, who infused a great deal of power into his acting in the dual scene. Mr Joyce’s Zedekiah Gwynne must rank as a very meritorious performance of the hypocritical scoundrel. The other male characters were well sustained by Messrs Seagrave, Thompson, Poulton, and Grantleigh. Clara Rossmore was played by Miss Emma Bronton in that lady’s usual natural and painstaking manner Miss Addie Capper acquitted herself very creditably as Kina Dargan, and Miss Jessie Grey’s Mrs Slimmage is also deserving of a word of praise. The scenery and effects were appropriate. The railway swinging bridge, with its novel mechanical effects was especially good. Taken as a whole, “ Grasp ” bears favorable comparison with any drama of its class that has been performed on the stage of the Theatre Royal for some time.