WARD-WILLOUGHBY COMPANY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11116, 2 November 1907, Page 6

WARD-WILLOUGHBY COMPANY.

"THE MAN FROM MEXICO."

The Willoughby-Ward season concluded last night m a manner portending a very hearty welcome on some future visit to Gisborne. Last night everyone was ' delighted. The farcical comedy is founded on most improbable situations, but everything tends to gain the chief object, to cause laughter, and does it m such a way as to keep the mirth rippling for the whole t time. , The "Man from Mexico" was Acknowledged to 'be " the niost enjoyable of the repertoire ; and the players all seemed to revel m their .parts •and enjoy it as much as the audience. The. costumes were beautif jil, ' and were 'specially admired by the ladies ; the staging;: was splendid, the music bright, and the acting clever throughout. The beauty actress, Miss Grace Palotta, was seen at her best m Clementina, and danced, sang and acted m a charming ' manner, the effect being greatly enhanced 'by the splendid manner m which Mr Hugh J. Ward, as Benjamin Fitzhugh, took his part. They were the central figures all through with the old, favorite, Mr George WiUougiiby, doing his share as Roderick Majors m a way that made the best of that amiable character, who was always falling into comical pitfalls through trying his friends (or himself, according to the circumstances), and fix things up all light. "Off to Mexico" was sung m ■capital style by Messrs Willoughby and Ward. The former later on sang "The Simple Life," the wording and expression of which was intensely amusing, picturing how things would be if famous actors and actresses and managers, too, deserted the footlights for other occupations, such as the wielding of the scrubbing brush by a dainty star actress, who some time ago fascinated Gisborne audiences. Mr Ward's song, "Nobody,'' end his eccentricities m the zebra stripes of No. 77, was ai great success, and besides being admired for the skill, -caused great merriment. The chief success of the evening was the Spanish dance by Miss Grace Palotta and Mr Ward, who were several times recalled, and aroused great enthusiasm. The trio, "Tamance," with dance, by Miss Palotta and Messrs Ward and Willoughby, was another great success that, was encored with enthusiasm. An Indian dance at the conclusion aroused tho audience to an intense pitch of enthusiasm. Miss Olive Wilton, as "Sallie Gracie," and Miss Gillian Scaife as "Nettie Majors," took subsidiary parts m a graceful manner; Mr, Reginald Wykeham was a. capable detective of the fierce and humorous order. ;. Mr Clias. Knight, as the rampant German, helped greatly to increase the fun.; Mr. Cornell, as the attorney; Mr Gamble, as the architect; and Mr Bonfield, as the gaol warder, played their parts m an excellent manner, and the minor parts were m hands. Mr A. Brahms, as musical director, rendered capital service. The company left 'for Auckland this morning.