"DADDY LONG LEGS"

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14567, 1 April 1918, Page 7

" DADDY LONG LEGS"

BRICHT PLAY AT THE OPERA j HOUSE. " Oh Saturday, night the "Daddy Longi Legs" Company, which has secured J. j' C. Williamson's right to this play for the'i provincial centres, opened a short season-! at the Opera House. There was heavy*! booking, and a full house greeted the rise of the curtain on the pretty comedyplay of which so much has been heard. ) The play, as the title indicates, is adapt,; ed for the stage from Jea,n Webster's, delightful book of the same name. It has been described as a play of sim- ; shine and smiles,, with an occasional; poignant touch that serves to set forth ; the merrier moods with more joyful effect. The book itself did not break; new ground ; Dickens had touched, on: somewhat similar abuses with greater force, but , the novel line adopted by Jean Websler struck a new vein m fact and fiction, making the book one that could be greatly enjoyed by young and old. The romauce relies largely on the imaginative, but not more so than any ordinary novel, and it is a closs of play that is wholly enjoyable and attractive wherever presented. The role of Judy Abbott, the orphan girl, who alludes to her unknown benefactor as "Daddy Long Legs," was' taiten very success- j fully by Miss : "Mabel Bargrove. Some ! of the^ spirited dialogue on which the humor, largely depends was not. heard distinctly, bat altogether the character was admirably portrayed. In , the sudden transitions from grave to ..gay Miss Bargrove gave a faithful and Very pleas- \ ing representation of the life of the heroine, frpm, the miserable days at the John Grier Home to the dawn of pros- i perity and the culminating happiness f when her benefactor is. disclosed to be j the man she had deeply fallen m love a with. Mr. J. B. North filled the role j of Jervis Pendleton, ("Daddy Long $ Legs") jna satisfactory manner; he maintained his dual- position finely as the unknown benefactor who was at the same time deeply m love with his ward, but lacked fire .in.the joyful climax, where the astonished Judy falls into his arms, he being the man she had learned to love, hut always under ""the j cloud of having to disclose her previous j ■connection with . the, John Grier Home! I Miss .Kathleen Bishop acted well, nrst ! as the tyrannical matron of the home ] and then as Lizzie Semple, the admiring j nurse of Jervis. Bert Nicholson made i the part of Jimniie Mcßride onV of' j broad comedy, which was greatly to t^he i liking ' of the audience. Miss Beriiice Vert was well suited to the role, of • Sallie Mcßride, into which she .put \ plenty of lifei . Misses . Hilda Boat! as Julia Peridietdn and Mis£ ,. Cliff Palmer ! as Miss Pritchard sustained their char- ' acters well, ana 3Tr. : Bert Deane, as.".; Cyrus AVykoff , was a pompous arid very j! amusing trustee, especially when de- • monstrating his objections to Judy's per. I; petration as an artist m depicting the '■ grim outlines of a trustee. The minor parts, were pleasingly portrayed, Harrie •; Selwyn being especially good among the children as Freddy Perkins. A matinee performance was given this afternoon, and to-night will bo the concluding night of the, season. ., ,-,;.