Arnold's Comedy Company.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 11667, 30 January 1901, Page 2

Arnold's Comedy Company.

•'WHAT HAPPENED TO JONES.', Laughter, bright and infectious— gentle ripples of mirth culminating in hearty, spontaneous waves of cacchination flowed merrily from the large number of people who attended the Theatre Royal la-t night to find out what happened to Jones. For days, weeks even, interest in that mysterious gentleman with the unassuming name had been vaguely but cleverly worked up, causing curiosity to reach a tension so acute that a full'and complete solution of the mystery alone -would ' satiate it. And the explanation was ; rresistibly funny. It produced such hilarity among the audience— in point of numbers almost a record for New Plymouth—that the intervals were seized upon as a welcome respite The whole humour of the piece centres around the impersonation by Jones of a brother — a learned doctor from Ballarat — of an antiquated Professor of Anatomy, who in order to save himself from the consequences of a mild indiscretion is forced to aid and abet the crime. The impersonation is earned oub at the house of the Professor, and the marvellous facility with which Jones, a vendor of hymn books with playing cards as a side lines adapts himself to the role ho assume^, and the manner iv which he pluys up to the hilt the privileges his f alleged kinship entitle him with the Professor's wife and daughters, lead to same delightful complications, which follow each other in such rapid succession that the audience is in a continual state of excitement. The height of the fun is reached when the real doctor appears on the scene. But Jones, who is attired in the costume of a high, dignitary of the Churcb, is equal to the occasion. .Just before the doctor's arrival word had been received that an inmate of an adjoining, sanatorium had escaped and was wandering round under the delusion that he is a mighty Indian chief. Jones seizes upon the brilliant idea of locking the doctor up in a bedroom, confiscating his wardrobe,' and giving out that the learned brother from Ballarat is the escaped lunatic. Colour is lent to the joke by the doctor ambling promiscuously into the drawing room garbed in a large blanket plaintively enquiring for his clofchet. and his brother. The real lunatic also turns up and makes confusion worse' confounded. The ready tact of Jones, however, enables him to avoid all difficulties, and the curtain finally falls on that gentleman exposed but not discomforted. The dialogue of the comedy scintillates with some lively ■witticisms; but it is the ludicrous complications and broad fun which flow throughout that make the piece mirth provoking. As Jones, Mr Charles Arnold was inimitablo. His conception of humour 18 very fine, and the naturalness of his acting enhances bis performance. He soon established-him-self in puWic favour, and the hearty rounds of applause were a tribute to his undoubted abilities. The character of Ebenezer Goodly, the meek professor, was not by any "means an easy part to sustain but Mr" George Willoughby was not wanting. His appearance on the stage with his head in ice bandages, prescribed for him by the alleged doctor, was too funny for words, while his exasperation when he observes Jones's affectionate attention to Mrs Goodly would almost have galvanised an Egyptian mummy into life and laughter. Another character that was capitally impersonated was Cissy, taken by Miss Dot Frederic. Cissy, to use a colloquialism, had not, arrived in the last shower of lain, and her intuitive knowledge that the masquerading doctor was not what he seemed added to tho humour of the comedy. Miss Agnes Knight made a very good Mrs Goodly, j and tho daughters were well represented j by Miss Inez Bonsusan and Miss Hope May no. Tho inevitable maiden aunt found a capital exponent in Miss S. Booth, whose amorous simperings were not without their effect on the audience. Mis Ada Lee, and Messrs Frank' Den ton, E. W. Thomas, and A. H. Tasman also helped in their respective parts to make the comedy run with the necessary sjcioothress. TO-NIGHT. -WHY SMITH LEFT HOME. Many people who saw " Why Smith Left Home " in Wellington recently say that it is funnier than " What Happened to Jones." At any rate, it deals with domestic questions that will cause no end of fun. John Smith marries and "settles down," and juafc when he fancies he is in for a nice quiet honeymoon, his own relatives and his wife's relatives pay long visits, and he is at his wits' ends to get rid of them. Then he has trouble with his servants, and they go out on Birike. His Irish "cook-lady" makes things very lively, nntil in tho end Smith loaves home. Mr Arnold will appear as an eccentric Gorman Count, nnd a variety of characters will be introduced — French, ,rri&h, and Italian.