Theatre Royal.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2954, 28 November 1900, Page 3

Theatre Royal.

“WHAT HAPPENED TO JONES.”

This farce-comedy, whose fame had been well spread beforehand, attracted a large audience to the Theatre Royal last, evening, and the performance fully bore out all that had been said of it. The audience laughed consumedly, and we heard some say° that they had* too much laughter for one evening. The play has already been sufficiently described in our columns, Ihe greater part of “ What Happened to Jones is splendid fooling, but some portions aie too much like pantomine business to be as satisfactory as they might be. The treatment of the poor old "professor” is too

lor.gli. The author meant him to be scuivily treated, but it detracts from the real amusement of the piece to see a respectable old gentleman so badly treated in his own house. The title must be meant as part of the topsy-turveyness of the whole thing, for it is not what happened to Jones, so much as what happened to other through Jones. The plot is a very clever one, every character introduced being used to emphasise the grotesque position of Jones as an impostor theologian in the professor’s house, even the smart girl who discovers the secret doing so. The company is a strong one, and every part was well played. Ihe smart and boisterously-alivc Jones is the most prominent, but for fine acting Mr Sharp as the Professor deserves to be bracketed with him, his miserable part being excellently played. Mr Charles Arnold was really captivating in his lightning changes of conduct in the face of ever-vary - ing and crowding dilemmas. Miss Frederic s Cissy and Mr Denton’s Richard were also capitally done, while Miss Booths Alvina’s love scene will long be remembered ; nor will the stolid Swedish girl be soon forgotten. The real Doctor whom Jones tries to impersonate has not very much to do, but it was well done. The whole is so crammed full of laughter-moving incident and clever phrases, that it is no wonder that “ What Happened to Jones” has everywhere had a great i un. Description is beggared; it must be seen to be appreciated. To-night we are promised another of Broadhurst’s plays, “ Why Smith Left Home.” This piece is held by some to be even more mirth-provoking than “What Happened to Jones.” The situations are equally amusing, though of an entirely different nature, and the fun is well spread over the three acts, and is contributed to by all of the characters. Mr Charles Arnold gives a most amusing portrait of an eccentric German Count, and Miss Sallie Booth’s representation of an Irish “ CookLady” is intensely funny, while Mr Willoughby has a splendid part in John Smith. Some very charming frocks are worn in this play. To-morrow evening, the last of the season, “ What Happened to Jones ” will be repeated.