OPERA HOUSE.

NZ Truth, Issue 170, 19 September 1908, Page 6

OPERA HOUSE.

x "The Old Folks At Home."

The last of} a series of .'refined melodrama productions was given by Messrs Meynell and, Gunn's "Little Breadwinner" Company on Thursday evening last. There "was an excellent audience, who " were not sjjlpw m appreciating the many good -features which this new drama possesses. "The Old Folks at Home" is by the pen of J. A. Campbell, who has written, many other successful plays. This play is ol strong human interest, and deals with the lives of those living m a quiet and serene atmosphere on an old ' English farm, whereon the tragedy of lives ■ which are m. evidence m the play commence their careers, leading on to - their destinies which make for good or evil m their future lives. Dorothy, the daughter, is beloved by a young farm hamd m the employ of her old parents. A young Lord, Kennilworfch, by name, a man of dissolute, habits, finds m her and her adoration a possibility through marriage of still leading the double life which has laeen part and parcel of his existence up to the present. By marrying he succeeds , to an inheritance of some £10,000 a year, and m the' belief that her innocence of the world will not interfere wltli his riotous mode of Hying, he decides to marry her. Dazzled by his lordship's position Dorothy imagines she Uwes him, and gives over the man Ross, who then leaves the farm and goes oiut to America. London finds Kennilworth's wife a poor, deluded woman alive to the enormity of the man she has to call husband, and realising she

is a poor dupe, returns to her old parents at the farm-house.- Ross, out m America, where he has settled doirn, hears of Kennilworfh's conduct ,and decides to return and seek an explanation Irom him m. something more than words. He is spared this meeting, howe-ver,. for Kfcanilworth meets his death, at the hands ol an old dumb servant on the farm. Dorothy realises the gooi man she once cast away from her and gives her life to him, and the usual bright and pleasant ending is the result. Dorothy, as portrayed by Miss Beatrice Hoiloway, was,. a life-like study, and her actan-g throughout was artistic and convincing. Tbe part of Ross, played by Mr Ernest Leicester, adds another success to his many triumphs, although his acting was of the ; subdued order, he never faßed to hold ■ his audience- The caste is a long one, .and amongst the other characters Mr C. R. Stanford m the part of the dumb servant Jack, gave an excellent .study of a small but most important, part. Miss. Ida Graham as the villainess ("Patricia, Bathurst," mistress of Kennilworth;) dressed and played her part, effectively ,and left little to be desired. MissAlic&. and Mr l Geo>. Carey, as the OH" [ farm folk are to.be both /complimented '; far their conception m the parts of tha old: .broken-hearted parents. Mr H. S. Lewis as Lord Kennilworfeh was very weak, though, . Mr F. Coape, Mr Keon, and, Miss Marion . Norman as the old negress are all worthy of mention. In Act 111. the children of the! | 'Company, who have made themselves so> popular with the Wellington audience^ through • their "Tin Can Band," changed their appearance, and appeared as little black niggers oa a cotton plantation. Their antics and mode oi dress was most novel. Little Queenie Williams and Miss - ..Maggie IHckensoci sang well and the dance-' ! , Assisted by Miss, Gladys . 'Bancroft displayed the talents, of these cbdldron m;- -; the Terpsichorean art. "Way Dqhoi Upon jthc iSwanee River" was plaintively sung. i by Sidney Benson, who w,as admirably .as- ■■ sisted in 'the chorus by the children. The piece went smoothlyvfrom start, to linish^ land there is no doub.t that the play v '"Old . ! Folks at Home," wUI catch, on.' The present * season ends next Tuesday ' TOfaen • "Old Folks at Home" will.be pro^ : dnced for the last, time. "