"A MESSAGE FROM MARS."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 5, 18 January 1902, Page 2

"A MESSAGE FROM MARS."

It is rarely that the duty of recording impressions of a first night's performance of a theatrical company is of such a pleasant nature as that in connection with the advent of the Hawtrey Comedy Company, who, on Friday evening, opened their season at the Tiuatre Royal with the famous play " A Message from Mars." The house was packed with an audience the majority of whom were attracted by the high reputation which bo'h the play and the company had earned in othi r centres, and it is only fair to say that the general verdict was that if anything anticipations were exceeded, and it may safely be said that never has a better, brighter, or more wholesome play been staged here. Excellent in tone, it is brim ul of bright sparkling wi*, which "not only causes hearty laughter but sccen'ua'es the more setious and pi' he tic incidents of the story. Thus light and shade, comedy and drama, are so skilfully blended, that all the best fe lings of human nature ara aroused and stimulated by a process that affords exquisite pleasure, while at the samn time by a process so, .insidious as to be untraceable tbe healthy ruling doc-trite of the inhabitants of Mars, charity, in its widest and best msanin®, cannot help beinji, inculcated into many of the audience. It is a simple, touching story that is worked out in a nnos* artistic fashion. Horace Parker (Mr. Herbert Ross) a wealthy, good humoured, but bitterly selfish mat), with a craze for science, is cured of his■ besetting drawback by means of a dream it* which a me-senger from the planet Mars (Mr 0. P. Heggie)puts him through much the sime ordeal as Scrooge underwent through the visitation of Marley'a ghost. There is a vast difference, however, in the dramatis personae, Horace Parker's keen sense of the humorous and his witty repartees being the life and soul of the play. Tbe first scene is laid within Parkei's house, and here the full trend of his selfishnefs is fully apparent, leading up to the sudden appearance of the Martian Messenger, a very clover and effective piece of stage work, which is followed by some extraordinary exhibitions of the effect of dynamics on furniture, as well as on the human frame. The next scene is a street on a winter's night. Thick clouds of bleak fog enshroud tbe passers-by, but gradually roll away, and disc'ose a very effective representation of the exterior of a house. It is here that the chief stirring interest of the play is centred. A succession of cleverly arranged object, la-sons are presented to the notice of Parker, who with unswerving but good-humouied pertinacity rtfiuea to pirt with bis unfeeling selfishness until the climax is reached when mined, homeless, and reductd to the condition and existence of a tramp the messenger's object is accomplished, and he vanishes in a flash of light, presumably to his former abode ip Mars, Thunders of applause greeted the close of this act, which throughout was a perfect revelation to the audience. In the concluding act Parker awi kes from his dream, and gives practical evidence of bis changed temperament. The acting of Messrs Ross,. Hawtrey, and Heggie was throughout most finished and artistic, as also was that of Misses Mortyne (Aunt Martha) and Winnifred Aus'in (Minnie Templar). In-j deei eyery piarpber qf the company, no mattpp how smi)l thp part was, showed more than ayorage ability. Pressure of space dots not permit doing justice to many of the details, nor does it allow men'ion cf each of the numerous characters, although a word of praise could fittingly be ascribed to everyone. When the curtain finally fell ( there was tremendous applause, and the comments made during the exit proved bnyond all question that the play, ss well as the way in which it was steged and acted, was most thoroughly appreciated and enjoyed by the large and critical audienc. TO-NIGHT the same piece will again be performed, #nd it is expected there will b l , if a larger attendance than on Friday,