"FACING THE MUSIC."

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10716, 15 March 1911, Page 6

"FACING THE MUSIC."

It is considerably over a decade since this delightful comedy was before an Oamaru audience, and on the last occasion the play was produced under MiFrank Thornton's direction in the old Theatre Royal. Mr Thornton himself played a leading role, and Mr Chas. Berkely, at present advance manager for Williamson's Opera Company, took tho part of Sorgt. Duffell, The repertoire on that tour .included "The Private Secretary," "My Friend from India," "Charlie's Aunt,'* and "Facing the Music," the latter being generally voted as the most laughable and enterj taining of the pieces produced. It has i been played with enormous success all over the world, including an eighteenmonths' season at. the Gairick Theatre, London, twenty months in New York, and six weeks in each of the Australian capitals. The immense success 'of ;the comedy is wholly due to its brightness and cleverness, for although screamingly funny the story is not too' nonsensical nor altogether impossible. "Facing the Music" is a piece well adapted to the local Society, which has several comedians of no mean ability in its ranks, and with such a cast as that advertised elsewhere in this issue nothing short of n highly pleasurable performance can be looked forward to with confidence. The director of the Society has been fortunate in securing for his national programme items from the best talent in Otago. Miss Mary Woods, L.R.A.M., of Lawrence, who created such a favorable impression at the last performance of "Arrah-na-Poguo," will sing and play. Mrs T. Lynch, of Timaru, oiie of Oamaru's most popular vocalists, in the _past, -will--sing-V solo,'as'-also will Mr Frank Jones, and Mr de Spong will give his charming monologue "The, Game of Life." Graham's Orchestra will play selected Irish airs, after, which brief. curtain-raiser the comedy, conies on shortly after 8 o'clock. The box'plan and day sales are at the Dresden, and; seats should'be reserved there at once.