HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19952, 20 November 1926, Page 15

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE.

“HIS TEMPORARY WIFE.” Tho largo audience that assembled in His Majesty’s Theatre last night was treated to amateur comedy that was very considerably in advance of what is usually witnessed on a Dunedin stage. It is correct to go even further than that and describe tho performance as being nearly equal to what would bo expected from a professional 'company. The comedy presented was “His Temporary Wife,” or “Jane," and was produced by tho “Repertory Players” with remarkable success. Out oi the nine ladies and gentlemen who sustained tho characters there was not one that fell very far short of requirements, and most of them reached a very high standard. “His Temporary Wife’’ is a whimsical comedy written by Nicholls ana Lestog, and consists of three acts of genuine humour, if properly handled, as it undoubtedly was last evening. There is an impecunious young gentleman who in order to extricate himself from his financial ditliculties, is required to appear in the guise of a married man, when the trustee in an estate pays a visit, though ho has not yet entered the married state. Ho makes violent efforts to induce his fiancee to play tho part for 24 hours, but she indignantly declines. Pier aunt shows no such reluctance in the matter, but as she is neither young nor charming, Charles declines her overtures, and fixes upon his bright, pretty serving maid Jane, who is surreptitiuosly married to William the butler. Jane consents, of course for a monetary consideration, but William is horrified when he finds how matters stand. Not only has a temporary wife to be found, but eventually a temporary child also and matters become very tangled. Everything is going well and the trustee is thoroughly deceived until William becomes exasperated and discloses tho deception that has been practised upon the old gentleman. However, all comes right in the end.

The possibilities for comedy under such conditions are enormous, and they were exploited to the fullest extent by those taking part in tho play. Too much praise cannot be given to Mr F. H. Dampen for the way he played Charles Shackleton. A great deal of tho success of “His Temporary Wife” depends upon whoever takes the part of Charles, and Mr Dampen rarely, if ever, missed an opportunity of extracting all the humour obtainable from the character. He was intensely amusing all through, a moment’s hesitation through his memory failing him at the beginning being completely effaced by the admirable work he did afterwards. Another very prominent part is that of Jane. This was entrusted to Miss Bessie Thomson, who was quite as successful as Mr .Dampen in her efforts to amuse. Miss Thomson played with brightness and vivacity all through, and presented the pert, saucy housemaid to perfection. Her “business” was always good, but especially so in the dinner scene, which might easily have been made grotesqiu by one less clever. William, the butlr , is also a leading part, and was made much of by Mr A. R. Gard’ner. William is in a rather dazed and hopeless frame of mind during the greater portion of the play. At first he is very jubilant over his secret marriage to Jane that morning, then comically despondent, ana finally amusingly ferocious, so that Mr Gard’ner had to vary his moods and methods, which he did very cleverly. Of course, William is at all times amusing, and Mr Gard’ner missed no opportunity of being humorous. He also was particularly effective in the dinner scene. Mr H. W. Hunter was cast as Mr Kershaw, the trustee, and played an old-man part very creditably, but he did not seem to be so much at home on the stage as the others. He was not altogether at his ease. Mrs A. R. Gard’ner had not a great .deal to do as Mrs Chadwick, but w_s quite satisfactory in the part. Master Dester Moller made a remarkably good “buttons,! 1 and introduced a lot o! fun into the boy’s part. The other characters were sustained by Miss Winnie Beck, Miss Elsie M'Peak, and Mr A. C. M'Laren. ■

“alls Temporary Wife” will be repeated this evening.