THE BROUGH COMPANY

New Zealand Mail, 29 January 1902, Page 32

THE BROUGH COMPANY

“LADY HUNTWORTH'S EXPERIAIENT.” An interesting and well-constructed play, with plenty of scope for wholesome, breezy humour— -such is “ Ladv Huntworth’s Experiment,” the three act comedy by R. C. Carton, with which tho Brough Company’s season in Wellington opened at the Opem House on Alonday night. The central figure of the play, Lady Hunt worth, is a society ‘ woman who, having allowed herself to become divorced from her husband because he is a confirmed drunkard, finds that she must earn her own living, and, therefore, obtains, under her maiden name, a situation as cook in the house of a country vicar. It is in the prosaic surroundings of the kitchen that tho story is developed. The household proves to bo highly susceptible to her charms, for she is wooed by three members of it. Tho misanthronical Gandv. the vicar’s

butler, is first, closely followed in the race by the worthy clergyman himself and a cavalry captain, who is already engaged to the vicar’s niece. Meanwhile a fourth suitor appears on the •cene —Lord Huntworth himself, who has determined to re-marry her because he has discovered that a rich uncle in Australia has left her a fortune. Lady Huntworth arranges to meet the whole four of her suitors in the vicarage kitchen, and there she disposes of them with a ready wit and promptitude which proclaim her to be a woman of resource. First of all, Gandy submits his proposal of marriage, much in the same way as an automaton might, and is peremptorily dismissed. Then Lord Huntworth, who has come to the village under the name of Mr Crayll, keeps his appointment, and having endeavoured while in a drunken state to persuade his wife to come back to him, is promptly lifted into the scullery, and thrown down with his head to cool in the sink. Next the vicar enters, and after nis timorous proposal is uttered, is shown into the larder as the next suitor, Captain Dorvaston, appears. The soldier, on his part, is hurried into the broom cupboard just as the footsteps of the imperious Hannah Pillenger, the vicar’s maiden sister, are heard approaching. All this, it may be imagined, is perilously like situations which are often met with in farcical comedy. But in the hands of this clever company it was as unlike farcical comedy as anything could well be. The play is breezy, 'but never boisterous. It rises to emotional heights onc-e or twice in the kitchen scene—in the interview between Lord and Lady Huntwoith, when the woman spurns her worthless husband, and defies iiis upraised fist, and again as she relates to the honest Dorvaston the story of her life. For the rest, it is all fun, of a sound, healthy type. The playwright has. indeed, contrived some exquisitely humorous scenes—for instance, the charming little domestic picture in the first act, where the vicarage household discusses the next day’s breakfast, and ; the cook serenely takes charge of the arrangements for the matutinal meal, amid the angry protests of Hannah and the outspoken approval of both the vicar and Dorvaston ; or the scene when Dorvaston, having ventured to assist i the cook in the stirring cf eggs for the mayonnaise, passes the bowl for a few moments to the vicar, who. with ludicrously solemn face and demeanour, is , industriously stirring the eggs when the terrible Hannah inopportunely walks in; or the laughable incident in the third act, when Dorvaston attempts ito explain to Hannah his presence in | the broom cupboard. In this act Lady Huntworth, now in possession of a for- ; tune, resigns her position as cook, and | leaves the house, and Captain Dorvas- | ton, set free by the marriage of the i clergyman’s niece to another, also : makes his exit to marry her. | The leading members of the company were greated with hearty applause. The audience seemed to realise that Mr and Mrs Brough have 1 now come to New Zealand to say i'arei well, and that the disbandment of this company will deprive the Australasian ! dramatic stage of one of the best organisations of its kind seen in this part of the world. Mrs Brough’s Lady Hunt- ! worth is distinguished for its womanly grace and dignity. It. is one of chose genuine comedy parts which suit her completely, ancl might, indeed, have been written for her. With her fine wit, she makes the most of the smart dialogue, whilst the deftness ancl lightness of touch with which she handles such comedy scenes as are given her in this play have deservedly gained for her a high reputation on the stage, Mr Brough played brilliantly as the vicar, the Rev Audley Pillenger. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine anything more effective than his pourtrayal of the part, and the judgment with which he weighed the relative value of every scene. Mr Cecil Ward acted admirably as Captain Dorvaston. But why’ should a British cavalry officer swagger about as Captain Dorvaston does in the first act, and swear in the presence of ladies? The fault is not Mr Ward’s, , but Mr It. C. Carton’s. Mr Percy . Walshe and Mr Leslie Victor were both | well cast—the former as Gandy, ancl ' the latter as Lord Huntworth. ” Both gave excellent examples of characteri acting. Miss Temple played well, as she 1 invariably docs, as Lucy Pillenger, whilst Miss Susie Vaughan, as Hannah, i was one of the successes of the piece. Miss Gillies Brown acted with remarkable spirit and effect in the small part lof the servant Keziah. Mr Ernest Vere i was a manly curate, the Rev Henry Thoresby.