HOSE DRAMATIC COMPANY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10289, 21 February 1895, Page 5

HOSE DRAMATIC COMPANY.

The selection of " The Flying Scud" by tho Rose Dramatic Company for their performance at the Princess Theatre last evening was an appropriate one. The piece hag been produced hers macy years ago, and old playgoers will recollect that it is pervaded by the racing cpirit. The olimax, in fact, depends upon a eceno at Epsom, where tha horse Flyiug Scud, despite the m»chin»tions of men technically dencribed as "lags," wins the Derby. Tho plot is meagre and somewhat intricate, and, ad in almost all racing dramas, the principal characters are " sports," ranging from lords and other titled persons to the very lowest specimens oi fciie class. The villains of the piece comprise 3n Irish colonel, a Jew, and two other shady individuals whose chief occupation seams to bo the fleecing of foolish young men possessed of more money than brains. Of course the victims have been seized with the gambling mania, which blindß all their faculties of reasoning, and which enables tho villains, who are expert cheats, to win largs turns of money. However, the quartet find themselves in an awkward corner, to get out of which they must raise a considerable amount. To do this they plot to tamper with the favourite for the Derby, in order that an outsider might come off victorions. Tha fidelity of the stablemen and trainers, however, frustrates these nefarious designs, and the ourtain rings down afc the point when Flying Scud, amidst universal acclamation, is hailed the winner. What eventually becomes of the evildoers is left to the imagination of the spectators. The piece contains many episodes and situations whibh serve to enchain the attention of the audience. The mountings are likewise satißfaotery, and a» a whole the play was well staged, the Bcene depicting the Epsom racecourse bsing characteristic of a race meeting. The parts of the. four shady characters were impersonated by Messrs Reg. Rede, Eustace Cecil, Mario Majeroni, and J. Martin, and were all well sustained. Mr George Leitch was a typical horse trainer in the person of Nat Gosling, and his efforts were frequently rewarded with the warmest applause. The actingofMrA. W.BoothmanasTom Meredith, and Mr L. Preston as Lord Woodbie, was uniformly good, while the minor male parts were also taken with more or Jess success. Miss Ida Greshum and Miss Rosalie Carlton impsrsoa&ted the principal fonrile characters, and each deserves credit for the representation of her respective part, while Miss Mildred Bolton and Miss Minnie Goldie acquitted themselves Eaticfactorily in a leaser capacity. The audience was a large one, all parts of tho house being well patronised. To-night the piecs will be repeated.