LITTLE LORD FAUNTLTRROY."

Otago Witness, Issue 2320, 18 August 1898, Page 39

LITTLE LORD FAUNTLTRROY."

The postponement from Saturday night of the first production by the Lncas-Ifardie Company of the touching and pretty play " Little Lord Kauntlerny " was justified on Monday night by a very meritorious artistic success. The performance fell a trifle short of being faultlessly successful, but a repetition of the piece will in all probability see an absence of any occasional lack of smoothness which, when it was noticeable, was merely one of those fir3t-night accidents that in larger centres than ours are of quite common occurrence. r !he performance was, as a matter of fact, very enjoyable, and it was with tha keenest appreciation that it was witnessed. Little" Gladys Hughes is the youngest Cedric Erroll who has appeared on the local stage— pi obably the youngest who has appeared in the Austialaiian colonies,— and from whatever point of view one rrgards her representation of the character one must accord her very hieh praise. When it is considered, as is the fact, that the part, which is an exceedingly long and trying one, was placed in her hands for the first time less than a week ago, and that the longist part she had previously plived was that of Oissy Tenver in "The Silver King," it was nothing less than surprising that (-he acquitted herself so obly. As a mere feat in memorising ber accomplishment wai no mean one. She bad, howe- er. not merely learnt the part almost thoroughly hut she had got inside it, to us>e the French expre«sion, and beraine for the time beirg a fiVh and blood Lord Fanntleroy. Sh« was fieely and deservedly applauded, nnd a call was bestowed ou her at the close of each set. Tho majority of the other partg were more than satisfactorily filled. Mi^g Constauoe Hardie has done nothing better here than her impeisonation of "Dearest," which was sympathetic and womanly, while the foil of that character in the part of the adventuress we-s capitally presented by Miss Carlyon. Mr Hill's it presentation of llobbs, the grocer, with an ave)*ion fcr eail°, revived old memories and was effective a? of yore, and Mr Harpur, who is evidently a versatile vouiik actor, made a good show ai the shoeblack. Mr Mai shall gave an excellent account of himself as the Karl of Dorincouit, whose testinesa was illustrated with admirable force. Mr Manville doubled the minor parts of Higgins and Wilkins very creditably, and Mr Bruce contributed an amusing and well-finished study of glorified flunkeydom. Mr Gilbert was not so satisfactory a3 the solicitor as he might have been, The play was well staged, but special mention should be mide of the \ery effective set prepared by Mr Whiite for the scene at Dorincourt Castle