THEATRE ROYAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume CV, Issue 16126, 22 November 1916, Page 2

THEATRE ROYAL.

"TWIN BlffiDS." A JOLLY EVENING. Not all man-ied couples .would care to havo the same experience. ioLlow tho institution of twin beds in their homes as was depicted by the Ha-le-Hauiilton Company at ..tho. Theatre Royal last night in tho ploy ofthis fantastic narao. It is described officia.ly, as a novelty in three acts, but it.might bo bettor described as a shi'.ekin one elongated act witli intervals for recovery from the side shaking laughter. Hilariously funny, it would almost) make tho 6phinx laug'h; and if twin beds are a practical success anywhere they were the reverse in last night's depiction. When a man makes the mistake, under tho influence of "scotch," of going to bed in the same room as, that in which a lady whom he only just knows, is already asleep, something is bound to happen ■ especially when ono oil tho happening? ; is the home coming of the lady's hus"band who has been out at h'a club..And what followed ■between--the lady andhcr.husband, and theintruder, who, by tho way is an oxcitablo ItaJian artist , . and. his strong-willed .and Vengeful wife, with a smart little maid 'anil a burglar thrown in, • Would talic so much • tolling on paper that it would .bo futile to begin, as no black and white description could do the ' happenings justice. Off course the usurpation of the empty bed by the excitable foreigner was not premeditated, but it so hap-: pen.ed'.that he bad beeir previously "living in an adjoining flat to tliat occupied by the owners of the twin beds, and the latter had deliberately aMoved. .to. new lodgings in. order-to '"lose" him, the husbahrl having _an idea that he paid-too much attsntfoii to his wife. His feelings then, on djs'covering the self same man in his bed can be better imagined than described'. The unwelcome visitor takes a lot of running to earth from his hiding places all over tho room, the lady finding it necessary for her own protectin to assist hiin in keeping out of her hus-

bands sight. But' murder will out, and his awful offence is sheeted home to him, the climax being reached at what amounted to a pyjatna parade of those who had got ready for bed, those who had been awakened by ■ tho wild goings-on, and those who hud lost their clothes in tho general mix-up. The play is a novel conception by Donald Bowles who produced it and who showed himself a born comedian in tho pait lie played in it. Celia Ghllohi a» the strong woman of the piece who knows how to "manage" a husband (she is tho wJfe of the Italian s whom sho keeps ,w«01 drilled) was responsible f6r some excellent work; Miss Myrtile Tanncliil] as Blanch Hawkins, the lady who instituted twin beds in her home but did not succeed in getting her husband to occupy one, was delightful ;and it is unnecessary to say that as'the husband in question Hale Hamilton complettly filled the bill of Maurice Dudley, the Italian intruder! Much, whs' expect•ed and it was aill forthcoming, -while Marion Clarke was very happily placed as Norah, tho maid,