“THE SCHOOLMISTRESS.”

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 816, 26 October 1905, Page 18

“THE SCHOOLMISTRESS.”

Although the three nights’ season of “ The Schoolmistress” may not have turned out a financial success, yet the Auckland Dramatic Society can justly soothe themselves with the reflection that dramatically there was but little to cavil at. The plot of Pinero’s farcical comedy is so well known as to make the telling unnecessary. Suflice to say it is full of amusing situations from end to end, while the dialogue is very bright. After the manner of plays of the kind, everybody is called upon to try to deceive everyone else with wildly improbable tarradiddles, and the least-wished-for people have the usual knack of turning up at moments when their absence is essential. The raising of many a hearty laugh is the sole object aimed at by the dramatist, and the members of the Auckland Dramatic Society worked very hard to extract all the humour with which the piece bristles. The cast was as follows:—The Hon. Vere Queckett, Mr. H. J. Herbert; Rear-Admiral Ar-

chibald Rankling, C.B. (H.M.s. Pandora), Mr. Randolph Eagleton; Lieutenant John Mallory, Mr. G. E. Bagnall; Mr. Saunders (Mr. Mallory’s nephew of the training ship Dexterous), Mr. Hector McQuarrie; Mr. Reginald Paulover, Mr. J. W. Saunders; Herr Otto Bernstein (a popular composer) and Goff, Mr. Thos. Gresham; Tylor (a servant), Mr. A. Saunders; Jaffray, Mr. A. Featherstone; Mrs. Rankling, Miss Hettie Basten; Miss Dyott (principal of Volumni College for daughters of gentlemen), Miss Pauline Dempsey; Dinah, Miss Victoria von Meyern; Gwendoline Hawkins, Miss Blanche von Meyern; Ermyntrude Johnson, Miss May Templeton ; Peggy Hesslerigge (an articled pupil), Miss Winifred Smith; Jane Chipman, Miss Ella Basten. Miss Pauline Dempsey made a decided success in the title role, her acting all through being consistently good. The parts of the four “ vexing girls” were most capably filled, although there was too much clinging to each other. Miss Winifred Smith per-

haps carried off the honours, although she rather spoilt what would otherwise have been a capital piece of work, by speaking far too loudly. Miss Hettie Basten made too much of a burlesque of the part of Mrs. Rankling, and this remark also applies to the Jane Chipman of Miss Basten. As Admiral Rankling Mr. R. Eagleton was really excellent, and to him was due in no small measure the fun of the evening. Mr. Herbert had a good deal to do as the Hon. Vere Queckett, and as a dude of the impossible school got through with very considerable credit. Mr. Bagnall was somewhat colourless as Lieut. Mallory. Mr. McQuarrie took every advantage of a small part, and Mr. Gresham had but little to do as Herr Bernstein. Mr. Saunders was fairly effective as Reginald Paulover, and the other characters were capably filled, although oije could have wished that the make-up of Mr. A. Saunders as Tylor did not so irresistibly suggest the near approach of the sth of November. The piece was exceedingly well mounted, all three sets be’ng nicely arranged, while the stage management of Mr. Thomas Humphreys left nothing to be desired. A special word of-praise is also due to the orchestra, which, .under the baton of Mr. S. Jackson, provided some remarkably well-rendered selections from some of the most popular operas.