"THE AMAZONS."

Otago Witness, Issue 2179, 28 November 1895, Page 43

" THE AMAZONS."

Notwithstanding the wretched weather on Friday evening, the production by the BroughBoucieftiilfc Company of Mr Pinero's farcical comedy "The Amazons" attracted a large audience to the Princess Theatro. About two years ago, when this company was making its first visit to the colony, one of the most successful pieces staged by it wa^ this comedy, of which many pleasant recollections have been retained by playgoers to this day. The caet of charac' ers in the piece is not altogether the same now as it was on the occasion of the formor production, but fortuuately we have Mrs Brough still in the part of Lady Nceline Balturbet, that " strapping young fellow," the eldfst of the children of the Marchioness of C&sfclfjordan who, having disappointed their j parent* by being born girls, are brought up as ! boys ; and we have Mr Boucicault still in the part of the Count de Grival — bis representation of which ia surely inimitable ; and though we miss Mr Ward from the characber of the Earl of Twef nwayes, with which Hit name will be long associated, we find Mr Brough in his place, so thab he is worthily succeeded. Ah the artistic strength of the company is tborouglby well maintained, moreover, the effectiveness of the production of Mr Pinero's very clever and exceedingly amusing play is in no sense impa : red, and the public may be as heartily recommended to patronise the performance of "The Amazons" now as they were recommended in the beginning of 1894-. It is unnecessary at this time to repeat the story of the play, or to enter into any detailed explanation of how Lady Castlejordan's curious whim was in the end sadly overthrown, .the simple truth being that though she might call her daughters " bays," though she might dres3 them up in men's clothes — and they look so well in their shooting suits that one might become more reconciled to tho%' reform dress " if it was not, at present, such a weak compromise between women's and men's drees — and though she might have them t&ught all the manly accomplishments, she could not alter tbeir girls' natures, and so they fell in love— and, like any ordinary girls, they fell in love with men ! It was a sad shock no doubt to their mother, but she accepted ib sensibly and with equanimity, and ordered them into skirts with the injunction that they should remain in them for the rest of their lives. Mrs B:ough, who has already appeared this wesk bs Paula Tsnqueray and »B Lady Susan Hsrabiu, afforded renewed evidence of her versatility by giving a finished impersonation of the part of Lady Noeline. The fact that she is able with signal success to play such a wide range of characters as the undertakes is the convincing proof of Mrs Brough's great histrionic ability. Her impersonation of this particular character was full of delicate touches that showed that beneath Lady Noeline's masculine costume there beat a woman's heart, and that the woman's feelings were alive, however muoh it might be attempted to disguise them* trad »fc the Bwue time Mcs BrovsU qs«

celled in the presentation of the more " manly " aspect of the part. She kuows how to handle a gun, aud she wields the Indian clubs perfectly, her exercise with these appliances eliciting as on previous occasions a spontaneous and general tribute of applause. Miss Hardy, who mad© her fkst appearance of the season as Lady Wilhelmina — the leaat mannish of the "Amazons," the one who owned to a fear that she wrs becoming " effeminate " — played her part very charmingly, conveying prettily just thab suggestion of sbatnefactduess which ise-sential to the correc"; repnsentatton of the character. Mis 3 Hardy ha"< made progress as an actress since her last appearance hero, and her vocal powor3, with which many of the public ought to be familiar (for she was one of the soloists at the exhibition concerts) hnvc also been developed. She was a pleading soprano singer before ; she is now an artiste, and her very sweet and indeed exquisita singing of a couple of solos gained for her glowing pratee. Misa Temple's assumption of the part of Lady Thomasin, the "raffish" one of the three "bojs," was admirably effective. Miss Watt- Tanner's impersonation of the "eccentric" Marchioness, who had made such a " melancholy matarnal muddle," and Miss Hill's performance as "Sergeant" Shuter, ths gymnastic instructor to the "young fellows," were quifco a-ceptable. Mr Brough, who was warmly welcomed on his flrsb appearance of the season, brought inbo strong relief the ludicrousne^s of the character of tbe Earl Tweenwayes, the physically fragile and mentally weak representative ot a family which prided itself on making history, but Mr Boucicault's representation of the French count — the voluhle, etcitable, hysterical Gaul who repudiated his country and claimed to be an E iglishmau on various ridiculm* grounds — wag the artis'io gem of the 'evening, aud provoked great merriment. Mr Dornngton appeared as L n rd Litterly, Mr Carey as the Rev. Rog^r Mmchin, and Messrs Bindloas, M'lntyre, aurt Hards in other characters. The grotesque and effective danoe iv the third act wbs loudly applauded, and the performance all through was receivtd with th» liveliest manifestations of approval. The playing of the orchestra also deserves to be warmly commended. "The Amazons" was repeated on Saturday eveuiDg.