"THE GOLDFISH"

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17185, 8 November 1926, Page 4

"THE GOLDFISH"

A LAUGH ABM-! FAROE THE OAST Jenny Wetherby Muriel Starr Magnolia, :i houseworker Bcbe .Scot I Amelia I.'n-4'sli'v Bertha Ballhiger Jim Wetherby.... L'aymond Lawrence Count Stanislaus Xevshi Harvey Adams Herman Km use Chas. Lawrence Ellon, a maid Clarice Kinsley Cnsimir Felix Bra lit! Hamilton .1. Power. .Augustus Neville Wilton, a butler Kyrle Sylvanuy 'Hie Duke oi Middlesex ' Kenneth Brampton A beautiful woman is like :i diaiitouil—she needs occasionally to be polished and re-set. That epigram succinctly tells the story of ''The Goldfish," a comedy of the •'slick" variey, in which a professor of deportment starts the hoydenish wife of a cafe musician on si career of homewrecking thai eventually lauds her in 1110 anus of a duke. The Gisbornc people saw Miss Muriel Starr on Saturday evening as the central Jigure of this three-act farce, and her Imislied performance, renewed her groat popularity of the previous nights. The story of ''The Goldfish" centres around the career of Jenny Wethuby, a charming New York girl married to a hard-working but hot-headed and jealous young man. Whilst dining- out the j^-iit has ueen noticed by an impoverished Polish count, who, reduced by evil times to the necessity of earning a living, has taken upon himself In teach manners to the unmauncred. He wills upon Jenny and prophesies a glorious career for her if she will only place herself under his tuition. . This she does, and it is with the results of this that the play deals. Many intensely interesting and humorous scenes are enacted before the play ends in a conventional manner with Jenny finally giving undivided love and attention to her husband. Miss Starr gives a brilliant characterisation of the young social climber. The flippant but happy Jenny is seen in an almost continual metamorphosis iha.l only an actress of exceptional merit and emotion could successfully portray. Mr. Adams, as the count, gives a performance that is replete with delicate shading, forceful yet restrained. The part of Amelia is capably portrayed by Miss Ballingcr, while the various husbands of Jenny provide interesting contrasts, each part being m capable hands. This evening Miss Starr will appear in the emotional drama "MadameX," in which the leading role gives her a magnificent opportunity for displaying hor histrionic abilities. To-mor-row evening the company will make their final appearance, when the everpopular "Within the Law" will be staged.