FRANCES ROSS DRAMATIC COY.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 96, 12 August 1895, Page 2

FRANCES ROSS DRAMATIC COY.

The above company staged Robertson’s pretty three act comedy “Caste” on Saturday evening to a medium house. The opening dialogue between the “ Hon G. D’Alroy (Mi Grseuway) and “ Capt. Hawtree” (Mr Berresford) was exceed ingly well taken, as also was that between “Sam Gerridge,’ (Mr Phillips), and “ Polly Eccles ” (Miss I. Lawrence). The low comedy part of “ Eccles ” was taken only too naturally by Mr G. Melville, and was irresistible, notwithstanding the shocking lesson it illustrated. The second and third acts brought “Esther Eccles” (Miss Frances Ross) powers of emotional acting into full play. Miss Medway, as the “ Marq’se d’St. JMaur,” has an unsympathetic part, which she acted with care, never for a moment descending from her exalted rank until the d:>se of the play. “ Dixon,” (Mr W. Power) has a light part, but ha did bis part well; and the company as a whole are, in this play, far above the average. We feel, however, called on to make spscial mention of the realistic and truthful interpretation of the characters of “Sam Gerridge ” and “ Polly Eccles,” by ‘ Mr Phillips and Miss Ina Laurence.

These plays, unfortunately, lose half their zest for want of proper mounting; no stretah of imagination, for instance, could lead the most contented mind to mistake the stage for the Hon G, D Alroy’s lodging in May fair. The place was wretched, cold and bare. There was nothing to carry the imagination away and nothing by which it could be deceived. Wo think some improvement in this direction is necessary. Not only does this remark apply to the Frances Ross Company, but to many other visiting h«r«; more might be made of the conveniences available. This is evident from the efforts of amateurs who appear on the same stage from to time to time.

We have to apologise to our readers for having inserted a paragraph relative to the Frances Boss Dramatic Company’s sacred concert for Sunday evening, which was wholly misleading. The particular paragraph ran, “The items to be given are sacred, the management being most particular in this respect,” and was pub lished by us on the word of one who said he knew what we might expect. If our remarks took anyone to the concert (which we have no doubt they did) in the hope of hearing a sacred concert, fre much regret the circumstance, and can assure them it will not occur again. The con cert, notified as a sacred concert, was simply a disgrace, and should never have been at tempted by a respect able company, as such a bare faced piece of deception is far below anything approaching respectability.