OPERA HOUSE.

NZ Truth, Issue 168, 5 September 1908, Page 6

OPERA HOUSE.

"Little Breadwinner" Company.

The Meynell and Gunn Dramatic Company staged J. A. Campbell's child's play *"The Little Breadwinner," at the Opera House during the ■ week and have drawn crowded audiences. The play is mainly woven round the doings of a little child, daughter of Richard Lawrance, the adopted /son of Lord William Dorrington, who has been banished from his Lordship's house through the machinations of J oseph Prior, his Lordship's private secretary, who seeks Lawrance's ruination m "order to enrich himself and if possible supplant Lawrance as his Lordship's heir. Meg, the Little- Breadwinner, when her father and mother are reduced to poverty m London, goes out into the streets singing and earns money sufficient to keep the family from actual starvation. In the end the usual reconciliation takes place, virtue triiumphs over evil, and the villain gets his iusfr deserts. Miss Queenie Williams as Meg, the Little Breadwinner, is a win' some little actress, and her interprets,

tion of the part is lull of pathos and emotion. She is the light and soul of the play, and the audience were not slow to show their appreciation of Miss Williams's abilities. Mr G. P. Carey, who filled the role of Lord William Dorrington, a quaker philanthr.op&st, gave a faithful rendition of the author's creation. Mr F. Coape as Richard Lawrance had a difficult task to accomplish, but he ably sustained the . part and made the most of his lines. Mass Beatrice Holloway's interpretation of the pact of Margaret Day.en.try was excellent. As an emih tional actress Miss Holloway is m the front rank, and m the more declamatory passages she appears to great advantage. Mr R. C. Stanford, who was cast as Jos- 5 eph Prior, gives a faithful delineation of a smug hypocrite, his mannerisms and. general portrayal of a scoundrelly sellseeker being true to life. The comedy element was m the hands of Mr i£. U-. Cougixlan, who creates a ! lo;t of amusement with his character of a. bookmaker, Who is later on reduced to penury, and Miss Mabel Kussell, who makes the most of her limited chances m the role of Ruth Cherry. Miss Maggie Dickenson ably fills the role of Bobby Trott, and Ida Gresham as Kate Cherry and Alice Ueorwin as May Rbrke also displayed marked ability. The play will be staged again tonight and on Monday night. On Tuesday Arthur Shirley's "The ; Step-Mother" will be produced, m which Mr,.*. Ernest Leicester, the English actbff-'-wM make his re-appearance before a Wellington audience.