WILLMOTT'S COMBINATION COMPANY.

Colonist, Volume XXVII, Issue 3881, 31 March 1884, Page 3

WILLMOTT'S COMBINATION COMPANY.

The performance by this Company at the Theatre on Saturday night, was deserving of a crowded house, but we regret to say that the patronage accorded was not at all commensurate with the merits of the actors. The curtain rose to an amusing little Com edietta " Delicate Grounds," in which the characters were undertaken with much ability by Miss Lizzie Lawrence, Mr E. W. Eede, and Mr J. Wilkinson; and this was followed by W. S. Gilbert's admirable mythological comedy " Pygmalion and Galatea" The Pygmalion of Mr H. Teece was in every respect a finished piece of acting, whilst the Galatea of Miss Louise Crawford was one of her best performances. She is occasionally a little too declamatory, but in this character, without offending in this respect she left nothing to be desired, and this lady always enters heart and soul into her characters. Miss L. Lawrence made an excellent Cynisca, and these two ladies, with Mr Teece. whose equal in his particular line has not been seen in Nelson, for at all events a very long time, were each honored with a recall. Mr Eede, as Chrysos the Art Patron, and Mr J. Wilkinson, as Daphne, the former's wife, are entitled to much praise for their excellent acting. Miss Amy Johns, whoappeared in a minor part, and other members of the company, including Mr Mack Alexander, all did well. We must also compliment the stage managor, Mr Eede, on the satisfactory manner in which the stage arrangements were attended to. The audience gave unmistakable signs of approval of this, which was really one of the best performances we have had in Nelson, and the laughter and applause was almost incessant for some two and a half hours. This company will appear to-night in Mr G. E. Sime's very successful comedy of " Crutch and Toothpick," which had a tremendous run in London, and will now be produced here for the first time. We hope that the performance will be patronised as it deserves.