FRED GRAHAM'S COMEDY COMPANY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2949, 21 September 1910, Page 67

FRED GRAHAM'S COMEDY COMPANY.

“ The Brixton Burglary.” Saturday nights seem to have become quite the popular time for the opening performances of theatrical companies, probably for good .and sufficient reasons, and Mr Fred Graham and his company followed tho lead which has lately set by making their first appearance on Saturday evening in BLis Majesty’s Theatre, to a house which should have gladdened rho hearts of the management and considerably swelled the treasury department. It is by no means the first time Mr Graham has formed the central figure in a band' of merrymakers in Dunedin, and with; a previous knowledge of his powers as a humourist and mirth maker the audience was no doubt quite 'Satisfied as to results, so far as he was concerned. Its curiosity would lie focussed upon the other member? of the company; some with a reputatioln! at Home or abroad, and some yet unknown to) fame. The test of the ability of the company was the production of the musical farce “The Brixton Burglary,” a creation by Fred W, Sidney, which has met with great success in London. Material such as “ The Brixton Burglary” is manufactured from is of too flimsy a texture to admit of tlie severe strain of close scrutiny and actual criticism being applied. The material is almoist of necessity nonsense in its most nonsensical form, and irrational methods are pretty well compulsory in order to bring about the; amusing predicaments, embarassing situations, tight fixes, and grotesquely absurd positions in which many of the dramatis persontc find themselves. “The Brixton Burglary” may nolt bo very substantial in its composition, but there is no gainsaying tho fact that it is brimful of humour which is irresistible, and must carry an audience along with it. The play depends for its success upon the fact that a married man, while the partner of his joys and sorrows is away, falls a victim to the temptations of a male friend to have “a night out.” To give an idea of the development of the farce from this circumstance would occupy too much space. It is sufficient to say that as a resell t of the master, his father-in-law, and a -servant being out all night an extraordinary set of complications spring up and multiply in an alarming manner. Of course, the trouble is to keep everything secret from the ladies, and not disturb their trusting faith—no easy matter, as at their head is tho master’s discerning mother-in-law, a lady who seems to understand male weaknesses and tho disposition of the male sex to wander from the truth when their peccadillos render it necessary, and who regards male lapsca more leniently than mother-in-laws are usually supposed to do. Then, a burglary having I>een committed at Brixton, the polioo take a hand, and confusion becomes worse confounded. Singing of the musichall order is freely introduced into “The Brixton Burglary,” and some of it is exceedingly good'. That the farce was very well presented all present on Saturday evening would readily agree. Mr Graham’s Reginald Pontifex, the man who is inveighed into havintg “a night out” by his friend, Richard Diggle, was a fine instance of broad humour. All through the three acts Mr Graham kept the audience bubbling over with laughter by the intensely humorous depiction he gave, and was always successful in his songs, all of which were well sung, and most of which were good of their kind. His cleverest piece of work was, however, unqustionably the rc hearsal scene, where, with tho aid of an imaginary company, he, as manager, directed th© operations of an inattentive, indifferent, and independent set of actors and actresses at a rehearsal. The Reginald Diggle of Mr Gerald Kay Hooper was an. admirable representation of the eye-glassad drawling type frequently found in comedy. Mr Souper was not very frequently nor very long on the stage, but ‘he lazy humour with which he invested th© character was strikingly effective, and his act ing generally made tho part appear more iiiominAni; than it really was. It was not

until tc wards the end of tho faroe that Mr Alfred' Harford really exhibited his capabilities as an exponent of light comedyl Here he was particularly amusing in his misguided efforts to support the stories accounting for the whereabouts of himself, Pontifex (his son-in-law), and Diggle. Mtf Jack de Laoey may have been considered somewhat stiff as James Martin (Pontifex's servant), but even if a few light touohtee would have improved his conception, there was very much about his impereonatiou calling for commendation. His one song. " Mother hasn't spoke to father since," was a success of the evening, and he had to sing two or three additional verses before the audience was satisfied. Mr Alfred Scarlett as the dletectivc, with his " leavs this to me," was amusing; and Mr J. Hi Brennan, who played the part of a police* man, received quite as hearty a welooma on his' first appearance as Mr Graham him: self did. Mrs George Lauri had a good part in Petunia Perkins, the housemaid, and filled it very well indeed. She infused lots of fun into it, and matters never flagged while, she was on the- stage. Her final entry in the "rationals," which Petrniia had surreptitiously worn when she met with a bicycle accident, brought down the house. Miss Nellie Dent played' th« mother-in-law with some degree of success, and Misses Florence Gretton and Glady* Hartwell filled minor parts in the cast.