A REPLY TO CRITICS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 884, 2 August 1910, Page 4

A REPLY TO CRITICS.

ME.'HUGH WARD HAKES A SPEECH. At the conclusion of the performance of "The Girl from Rector's" at the' Optra House last evening, which served to keep an audience of over 1500 bubbling with laughter for two ami a hall hours, there were loud calls for a speech. After the curtain bad been raited lour limes, the calls becMiie so insistent that Mr. Hugh Ward, the head of the company, came forward and said i"Ladies and gentlemen,—l feel thai. I owe you au apology. ■ I am sure yon came hero with a very different impression, to the one you go away with. (Applause.) I can assure you that neither my company nor myself have iuiy desire .to yivo tho sort of entertainment imputed to us; we are—l say it with conviction—tco eminently respectable Vo do anything of the sort, and I am quite satisfied that those who have come and have witnessed the performance will agree with me when I say that, there is not one phrase in. tho play that can compare with the language I read this morning in the newspapers.' (Applause.) Tho idea of me coming with such a show, as wasdesoribed —it's absurd! (Applause.) I am quite certain if an actor wero to get into a white h«at over anything he would use better languagu thaii the. gentleman in question.' I know this business—it is the only one I do know—having been in fit from' when I was a child, ■ and the one thing about it. is the spirit of oharity among actors, who are always ready to help in any good cause." (Hear, hear.). .

So great was the rush to see this niuchdiscu«sfd comedy that there was un enormous demund for sejits. The early.doors were opened at 0.45 p.m., and by 7 p.m. the gallery was practical!} full, and at 7.20 p.m. the order was given to stop th* sale of .tickets giving admittance to that part of the house. All parts of tlie housb weiG crowded beforo the curtain •iscended. ' ■ '■ . ,