THE WILLMOTT COMPANY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1003, 19 November 1883, Page 2

THE WILLMOTT COMPANY.

Nothing could better prove the good opinion of the Willinott Company held by Ashburton playgoers than the fact of the Town Hall being fairly filled on a night like that of Saturday. Iu spite of the unpropitious weather the public attended in goodly numbers, and the lower priced portions of he house were crowded, while the front seats were also well patronised. Those who prefer the strong meat of melodrama to the more refined diet of comedy had fare to their taste provided for them in the “Golden Plough,’’ the piece chosen for Saturday. The play is an excellent example of its kind, the situations being striking, the plot well worked out, and what is perhaps the most important element of success, the secret of the mystery surrounding the main incident is carefully concealed till the last. The action opens at the . inn known as the Golden Plough, which is kept by a Mrs Royal and her daughter May. Here are assembled a detective .'named Middleton, a doctor, Tom Carroll, the successful suitor of May, and an eccentric gentleman called Jerry Drake, who is afflicted with an overpowering inclination to laugh in season and out of season. The late squire has lately been murdered, and the detective has been entirely at fault in discovering the perpetrator of ths crime. This and the expected arrival of Sir Francis Claud are the .principal topics of conversation, and it is seen by the agitation of Mrs Royal, whenever the baronet’s came is mentioned, that they have been acquainted in the past. There is also some mystery attaching to the hero of the piece, a parson named Preston, who is at present the village schoolmaster. Preston is in love with the ward of Sir Francis, and on learning this Mrs Reyal says she will obtain the baronet’s consent. In the second act we are let into the secret of the landlady’s influence over the aristocratic visitor, and we learn that she is his cast-off mistress of former year?, and that the parson is the result of that connection. Stung with remorse, he agrees to the marriage of his ward with Preston, but on being left alone a mysterious hand is thrust through the window and Sir Francis is stabbed. Mrs Royal rushes in and sees a figure retreat, which she recognises as: that of her son, but she determines to keep the secret to herself. From this to the end the audience are kept in doubt as to who is the murderer. The police suspect Carroll, who is found to be in possession of notes formerly belonging to Sit Francis, but which were really a gift of the latter; Mrs Royal is certain that Preston committed the deed, but lacks courage to expose him; while the parson is himself in blissful ignorance that he is suspected. Some complicated action naturally arises from this, but the real culprit is disclosed ip Jerry Drake, who turns out to be a wholesale murderer in disguise. Many of the scenes are admirably constructed, and if the dialogue is not particularly brilliant it is at any rate good enough for the purpose of melodrama, where incident is the chief element. Miss Crawford, as Mrs Royal, had an arduous part, and with the exception that at times her utterance was slightly jerky, and now and then she descended to rant, her performance was an excellent one. Miss Amy Johns, as May Royal, invested a rather commonplace character with not a little individuality and succeeded in enlisting the sympathies of the audience, and Miss Lawrence was satisfactory in the small part of Helen Claud, the parson’s betrothed. As the clerical hero, Mr R. W. Rede was not so well suited as in some other parts he has played here, and although he acted with care he was scarcely successful in arousing much interest. Iu the scene where he discovers that Mrs Rjyal is his mother, only to realise that she thinks him guilty of his father’s murder, was perhaps his beat effort. Mr Wilkinson was amusing as Jerry Drake, but hia laugh was certainly not natural, and its constant repetition became wearying. Of the rest we need only say that they filled the parts allotted to them with tolerable success, but the action of some of the most telling scenes was considerably hampered by the smallness of the stage. During the evening it was announced that Struck Oil would be played to-night, and from the applause with which the announcement was greeted there should be a crowded house to witness this populal.'diama. . On Wednesday next the company will appear at the Town Hall, Bakaia, “ Withered Leaves ” and “ Larline ” being the 'pieces chosen foe ihat occasion