HAWTREY COMEDY COMPANY.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11043, 4 September 1903, Page 6

HAWTREY COMEDY COMPANY.

"LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROT.'*, It is some time since the dramatised version of Mrs Hodgson Burnett's pretty story- has been seen' on a Wanganui stage, and 1 Mj Hawtrey deserves the best thanks , for last night" "furnishing 1 ' a performance which Weil interpreted the spirit of the work — that is to say, its mingled pathos and quaintness. The audience, though t . large, was not so numerous as the merite ' of the play deserved, yet it proved very responsive to the delicate sentiment iand ' humour of the . piece, , and the success scored was empliatjc. It ma- at once be said that last night's presentation of 'Little Lord J F&ttKtiefcjy'* has not • been ' vurpasßed,in •Wanganiii-'-if indeed; it has been • equalled. ' -Mr • Halwtrey - has ' been 1 very successful in casting the. piece so that the- characters fit the parts,' and consequently the performance went off in a .-nanner ,-wMeh:* -lef t' little to be desired. The principal part — that of Cedric Brrol ("Little .Lord F-auntleroy' V— was charmingly- and artistically played- by. Miss Addie Lorking, whose interpretation was free from staginess, and' who gat through hex • acting in a purely natural boyish manner, free, and loving as Cedric is pictured by the authoress. Throughout it 1 , was- a very - clever performance indeed; -Miss Elaie Aus- : tin who took the character of Mrs Enrol, ; quite realised the strong emotions which 1 nave to be -pourtrayed, and her imperson-: • ation. was aai able one. •' She played in her 1 more important scenes with- a sympathy , and unaffectedness which quite realised 1 the character. , Miss Mary Bancroft made ' l * a good deal of the somewhat thankless , part of Minna, and Miss E. Bronton was excellent as the -warm-hearted Irish ser- ' vant girl. Mr'fHawtrey's impersonation of the Earl of • Dorincourt, was- a really fine • piece of character acting. The irascibility and. occasionally explosive violence of the sound old nobleman were duly delineated, but tliere was no derogation from dignity when ' the character- gradually softened. More important still • the man was in all his, moods a gentleman — ari aristocrat to the finger, tips, and it is without exception one of the most artistically conceived s performances that lie has given ns. The c capital comedy element was introduced by 8 Mr Oily Deenng's,pourtrayal of- Mr Hobbs . — the, strong republican grocer. 'His fierce t denunciation of "them" earls" and titles y generally evoked roars of laughter, ara ticularly in the third "act. Mr Havisham b (a solicitor) was capitally played b-v Mr G. •- MacMahon, who gave a careful, wellf studied performance. Others who lent useful • assistance ' were Miss W. Austin, as Dick, Mr He'ggie (Hip*ins)- and Mr E. I Elton (Wilkins). ' The . piece 'was cxcele lently staged, and altogether it was a g most creditable production in every way. l- "A MESSAGE FEOM MAES", •t To-night this clever company produce % "A Message from Mars," with which they j scored such a- big success in Wanganui" b&9 fore. iThe piece has proved -a great at- | ' traction whenever ."it has been produced, I and we ha>e~ ho doubt tliat the Op'ero I House will be well filled to-night to wit- | ness its presgjr|atioii again hfefe. ■: V For Children's Hacking Cough at nignv | take Woods' ' Great Peppermint Cure. 1/6 $ '.^ThQ niintber;Of people in town and. c.ounJ fry 'wSaifnt'end purchasing' Bicycles should call and inspect our large stock of RUDGEWHITWORTHS before going elsewhere.— k Reynolds, Guyton .Street. a - , L 1 —