OSWALD DRAMATIC COMPANY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12600, 2 March 1903, Page 5

OSWALD DRAMATIC COMPANY.

Tho cheap theatrical entertainment that Mr John Fuller is placing before the public at the Alhanibrn Theatro appears to be growing in popularity, to judge from the nudiouee of Saturday eveuing, The prices charged by Mr Fuller will, no doubt, be a boon to many, more particularly to those who are in the habit of being pretty constant visitors to the theatre. Measured ■. by the very reasonable prices charged for admission, the performances at the Alhainbra Theatre have been good, end " The Ticket-of-leave llan," which was staged on Saturday evening, shows an improvementhoth in staging and acting With the limited room at Ihcir command the management do remarkably well in their staging, a drama rc- 1 quiring, in a good many parts, even elaborate ] scenery and somo mechanical effects; and in tho matter of wardrobe tho company is by no'means badly supplied. "The Ticket-of-leave Man" was performed well in places, indifferently in some parls, and badly in otkera; but, taken altogether, the representation was sufficiently good to keep nlivo the interest of all in the misfortunes of Bob Brieriy (Ihe Lancashire- lad) nnd the faithful girl, who stands to him in all his adversity, Miss Constance Warren can scarcely be considered a success as May Edwards. She is unemotional even to apathy in parts, and seemed unable to throw the vigour required into the charac- ( ter. Miss Warren usually speaks her lines . intelligently enough, but hor want of animation is a serious drawback to her acting. Tho Bob Brieriy of Mr J. E, Stevens was very fairly well played, probably his best piece of ( acting being in tho 6cene in thq Bridgewater ' Arms Hotel—indeed, pretty well all those en- 1 gaged in tho production rose io their highest 1 pcint of excellence here. Mr E. J. Oswald I assumed the part of Hmvkshaw, end made by J no means a bad stage defective, and Mr Edward ] Eolfe appeared as Jim Da'.ton, the Tiger, ail i unscrupulous ruffian, who, after doing incalcu- ] tabic mischief, is at last brought tc bay and i ceptured, but not before he has had an excit- ( ing struggle, first with Brieriy and then with Hawkshaw. The Jew money-lender, fence, | and everything else that is undesirable was . taken by Mr 'i. Fawcett Howe, who managed to extract a good deal of fun out of tho part, and the smaller characlor of Gibson, the merchant, was played by Mr P. Lytton. Tho part of Mrs Willoughby was not handled with particular success by Miss Freda Schultzo, the ' talkative and irrepressible old landlady, not being quite as voluble as the should owing to Miss Schultze not being too familiar with tho part. As a matter of fact, this remark applies in a greater or less d»gree all round, " but is an objection which will probably have 1 disappeared by this evening, when " The t TiokeUof-leave llan" is to be produced again. I Miss Ethel Gibson took the part of Sam Wil- i loughby, a decidedly precocious youth, very < full of mischief, and a very great trial to f his grandmother, Mrs AVilioughby,'and played i it with a very fair measure' of success. Such € roughnesses as were observable on Salurday evening will, no doubt, have worn oif by to- J night. S ■ ■ ■ — — c