MR HARDY RECEIVES GREAT OVATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17999, 9 November 1926, Page 6

MR HARDY RECEIVES GREAT OVATION.

REMARKABLE SCENES AT THEATRE MATINEE. (Special to the "Star.') LONDON’, August 21 As a compliment to Mr Thomas Hardy. “ The Mayor of Casterbridge." adapted from the famous novel by Mr John Drinkwater, was played yesterday by the Barnes Theatre Company at a special matinee at the Pavilion Theatre, Weymouth. Mr and Mrs Hardy saw the performance from one of the boxes, and were accompanied by Mr and Mrs Drinkwater and Mr and Mrs Philip Ridge* way. Mr Hardy and Lyn Harding, who played “ The Mayor ” with superb dramatic power, were the dominating figures in remarkable scenes. The great author, who is extraordinarily alert and active at eighty-five, had to be smuggled into the theatre, but when he reached his box the whole audience rose and cheered him wildly. Shyest of men. he shrank back into the shadows and afterwards sat with the box curtains partly obsourirg him. He signified his approval by c.apping aftea every scene, and watched Lyn Harding particularly in the dramatic At the end he left his box, but at once to be photographed with the entire company outside the stage door. Behind the scenes in Mr liar-ling's dressing rooms, he spoke words of warm approbation for his masterly acting. Before this there had been calls tor the author, and the audience refused to leave the theatre until Mr Hardy had leaned over his box and bowed. That was the only time he unbent to all his worshippers. They stampeded him afterwards to different exits, but Mr Hardy eventually escaped out of the front entrance when the crowd were surging round the stage di>or. Wessex, which Mr Hardy has immortalised in his was represented in the theatre by 1200 people, but the seats could have been sold out three tim<°«- over.