TIVOLI THEATRE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVIII, Issue 1046, 24 March 1910, Page 17

TIVOLI THEATRE.

THE PHIL WALSH DRAMATIC COMPANY. There is enough humour in the version of “The Kangaroo Girl,” produced by the Phil Walsh Dramatic Company at the Tivoli Theatre, on Friday and Saturday last, to make it, under similar conditions, a successful rival to Hugh J. Ward’s side-splitting comedy “The Bachelor’s Honeymoon.” The story is that of a giddy Benedict, known as “Hummingtop” (Mr. Phil Walsh), who, reading the “Arabian Nights,” starts out to emulate the example of that Caliph of Bagdad, who was in the habit of disguising himself by night and penetrating into all sorts of places in search of adventures, and who setting out to do so falls in with an equally giddy variety artiste, known as Rosa Columbier, the Kangaroo girl (Miss Fanny M. Paigne), around whose neck he places a handkerchief, which his careful mother-in-law has marked with his full name and address. “The Kangaroo Girl” decides to improve the acquaintance and calls upon Mr.Hummingtop next morning, coolly informing him that she has come to stay. Then the fun begins. Mrs. Hummingtop is away, but is expected home at any time; so, too, is Mr. Hummingtop’s niece, an American heiress to whom “ma-in-law” (Mrs. Gillibrand) is determined to marry her son Joshua (Mr. George Gardner), with Hummingtop’s consent or without it. The Kangaroo Girl flatly declines to take herself off, and is introduced to Mrs. Gillibrand (Miss Eva Marius-Paigne) as the anxiously looked for niece. When the real niece, Daisy Maitland (Miss Claire Desmond) arrives she is packed off to a private hotel by the now desperate Hummingtop, who finds the house of lies he has built for himself anything but pleasant. Then Mrs. Hummingtop (Miss Eleanor Wade) returns, and finds herself followed by Ralph Omeroyd (Mr. Stuart Mcßae), who is in love with Daisy Maitland. Ma-in-law, husband, wife, niece and lover, brother-in-law, and the Kangaroo Girl all get tangled up

in the most extraordinary fashion, but order evolves out of chaos when Joshua elopes with the Kangaroo Girl, leaving the heiress to Ralph Omeroyd and the explanations to Hummingtop, the straightening out process being nearly as laughable as the entanglements. The company acquitted themselves admirably all through the spirited little play. To-night the new American version of “Ten Nights in a Bar-room” is to be presented, with Mr. Phil Walsh as the unfortunate inebriate, Joe Morgan, a character made famous by the late Charles Warner, Samuel Phelps and other of the world’s great actors. Miss Marius-Paigne will appear as Fanny Morgan, and the numerous other parts will be played by the remaining members of Mr. Walsh’s company. The celebrated character Carrie Nation, the American saloon smasher, is introduced, and with her following destroys an entire barroom set, which should in itself prove a highly diverting scene. On Wednesday the 30th Mr. Walsh will present his own version of “East Lynne, as produced by him throughout the United States of America, and on Saturday., 2nd of April, will close his season with a special production of the late Grattan Riggs world famous comedy drama “The Irish Detective.”