THE WILLMOTT COMPANY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1005, 21 November 1883, Page 2

THE WILLMOTT COMPANY.

There was another excellent attendance at the Town Hall last evening, when “Imprudence,” a comedy new to Ashburton playgoers, was given. The piece is an amusing one, being well constructed, and the dialogue at times brilliant, but the plot is wildly improbable, and the tone not very healthy. The scone of this farcical comedy is laid in a boarding house, where we find living together an AngloIndian named Ooxe Dalrymple and his daughter, an old sea officer, Oaptain Rattlefish, an idiotic personage called Parminter Blake with his silly wife, who is ready to accept attention from anybody except her husband, George Castleton, who must according to his uncle’s will marry by a certain date, and Baines Durant, an adventurer. The last-men-tioned is a sort of private matrimonial agent, and he contracts with Castleton to get him a wife, the lady who is to take this position being Miss Dalrymple. Blake, however,- by the advice of Durant, spreads abroad a story to the effect that there is some flaw in his marriage, and Castleton, who fancies himself in love with Mrs Blake, sees in this a chance of marrying the lady in question, and when Durant introduces him to Miss Dalrymple as a possible spouse she is re f used. Further misunderstandings ensue, but everything is disentangled before the curtain falls, Blake receiving back his wife with promises of reform, Castleton discovering that the lady whom he thought had jilted him is still true to her troth, and Durant marrying Miss Dalrymple. The main fault of the piece is that none of the characters are of a sort to find much sympathy with an audience, but it must be confessed that the author has done his best with the very inferior materials he has provided himself with. A continual bustle is kept up during the three acta, and if some of the jests are a little broad and others not over new, they at any rate called forth the laughter of the audience. The acting throughout was fairly good. Miss Crawford’s style is perhaps a little heavy for a part like that of Mrs Blake, and she was scarcely seen at her best, but she acted intelligently, and judging by the applause that greeted her, gave general satisfaction. Miss Lawrence had an ungrateful character to perform as the unwomanly Miss Dalrymple, but she made as much as possible out of it, and the same may be said of Miss Johns in the minor part of Mrs Lazeriby, the lodginghouse keeper, Mr Rede was amusing as the idiotic Blake, and created roars of laughter by his amusing acting throughout, and Mr Wilkinson was successful in the rather conventional character of the sea officer, Oaptain Rattlefish.' Mr Alexander had an arduous part as Durant, and acquitted himself satisfactorily so far as acting was concerned, although it was evident that longer study would have made the impersonation better, as the voice of the prompter was heard more often than it should have been. It is only fair to say that Mr Alexander’s task was undertaken at very short notice, and under such circumstances shortcomings are easily forgiven. Mr Teeoe as Castle ton, a snpb of the first water, deserves praise for his careful acting, and Mr Herman was passable as the selfish Ooxe Dalrymple, 0.8. Taken as a whole the farce (for it is nothing else) was played briskly, and the humorous situations were faithfully realised, although the piece is not to be compared to “ Crutch and Toothpick,” which belongs to the same school. Tonight the Company will appear for the last time, circumstances having compelled Mr Willmott to forego his intended visit to Rakaia. “ Rip van Winkle” will be given, with Mr Wilkinson in the title role, a part in which he is said to especially excel.