"THE GIRL FROM RECTORS."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 884, 2 August 1910, Page 6

"THE GIRL FROM RECTORS."

/ THE HUGH WARD COMPANY, "Tho Girl From Doctor's," a farcical comedy by Paul Potter. Cast— Ijouto Scdane Miss Grace Palotta liichard O'Shaughnessy Mr. Aubrey Mallalieu Dudillo Mr. William White Colonel Andrew Tandy . . . llr. Beginald Wykeham Professor Aubrey Maboon Mr; Hugh J. Ward Mrs. Withersppon Copley Miss CeLia Ghiloni Marcia Singleton Mjes Euby Baxter Angelica Miss Maud (Jhctwynd Judge Caperton Mr. Robert Greig Kuickbein Mr. Lawrence llardinse Deacon Wiggleford Mr. U. H. AVailace Mrs. Wiggleford ... Miss Florence Kedfern Admiral 'I'arbox Mr. James Hastic Mrs. Tarbox Miss May Hignett. Florist's Assistant ... Mr. HI Lister Gilbert Expectation, born of' curiosity, excited by references to "The Girl i'rom Hector's," accounted in, a measure for the crowded house that greeted the; reappearance at the Opera House of Mr. Hugh Word .and his capable compauy of comedians. "The Girl I'rom Hector's" is a farce by Paul Potter (the author of "Trilby"), and, truth to say, is. amusing enough to keep; everyone laughing, without trenching on; forbidden, ground. Indeed, as Air. Ward said at the conclusion of the play, some apology seemed necessary for keeping the large audie'nee in. suspense for a sensation which never came, but it got its return in something infinitely better, that of laughter uu'eoniined. Tho license allowed' tho writer of farcical comedy does permit of his imaginini! an attractive young woman whoso ' husband is absent iii Shanghai for ten months of the year, haying a rather, rollicking timo 'with a lot.of agreeable people, and surely permits him to suppose that a 'man who loves gaiety may deceive his wife into believing ho is in Martinique when in reality he is 'haying a jolly time in New York. Thcsr; are tho points, expanded perhaps, in the "The Girl Erom Hector's" offending. Anything actually immoral or indecent cannot bo read into the play by ordinary people. Further*, in his laughter-making, , the author does not stress tho relations existing between the characters, but keeps, to tho innocently funny complications which;-.ensne upon tho people concerned being other tnau 'those otners suppose them to be; and being in places whero others do not expect them,t» be. Hundreds of comedies havn been Jjuilt on such a plan, hundreds moro will be written on the same lines, and tho world will go on laughing because thi! joko is an intensely human one, and in the hands of capable players can. as in tiiu prtsont cusc, be niado a source of much merriniout. .. Louto Sedane is. the.' very . charaiins wifo of Judge . Caperton. Between themthere is liot a great deal of sympathy, and when lie goes off to Shanghai, his wifo leaves Buffalo for New. York, and joining a merry set-who .figure- as members of. tho Night Owls' Club, mako the pace .warm with their. supper and. tbeatro parties. One of the. mi: i« Richard-. O'Shaunghnessy, a sninrt young cn:i]j who is tired of the rnckut, and of whom Louto becomes very fond. But Dick is not so keen,, as in the first ten minutes, or so of the .piny ho allies himself tii Marcia Singleton, who has just had ' a iff and broken her engagement with Dick's eccentric , -cousin, Professor Aubrey Maboon. Another of the Night Owls is Col; Tandy, who iu reality is Uio husband of. Mrs. Witherspoon Copley, the. twice-manicd. mother of - Marcia Singleton. Dick has not told Loute of "his intended marriage, and complications of the most hilarious description tumble 'over-one another when on his wedding day Dick is introduced to Louto. aa Mrs. Judge Caperton, and'to Tandy, the companion ot his gay nights—as his father-in-law. Professor Maboon, who was so enraged at being "cut out" ( by Dick that he was confined in an asylum, also turns up, arid.really begins to bolieve that he is "balmy' on tho' crumpet" when hu finds everyone presumably masquerading as somoouo else. Finally, wilh ihoaid of a glass or.two of champagne, he gels Mrs. Caperton to admit that she is identical with Loute, and the air clears with explanations, as, far ..as ho , is concerned. In the meantime Dieic is afraid" lest Loute should "give him away," but she promises to refrain from doing so on the condition that he will' sup with her that night. The plot is robbed of- all innuendo by the fact that 'all are in the game except Dick; indeed, each onu assumes ucliiiraotersniiviitnihu restaurant, and' humorously \ deny their.identity to his face. Dick's admission that "the joke is on him"- is the one which practically ends the play. • There is a comical complication as to the rooms to be slept in by all concerned, but It ends In the'husband's getting their wives, and the Professor .losing his hat. One great charm about "The. Girl from Hector's" . is the skilfully-drawn characters. There is not a bad part in tho. comedy, and as the personnel of the company--embraces-as capable a body of artists as there is in existence in Australasia, there are no weaknesses, and tho play moves merrily from beginning to end. Mr. Hugh Ward, whose work is always as finished as it appears to bo unstudied, presented another delightful character sketch as Professor Maboon, a lugubrious man of science, at odds with love and all tho world. lie 1 is particularly funny when attempting to convince: people that he is snne, and is almost crushed into believing that he is an imbecile by tho intriguing of those he mefcts. His pose, gestures, and. facial' play wero" all of the character, with just enough of Hugh . Ward permeating tho part to give it that piquant humour associated with, the personality of the actor. Miss Grace Palotta, as Loute, has never shown to better advantage as an actress; ' Her Loute am! Mi's. Caperton were two distinct individualities, and she was quite charming as both, acting, the bon vivapt with bewitching- abandon, and the judge's wifb vith graceful decorum and hauteur. Miss Palotta has a-fine eye for style, and her frocks and millinery are quite up to the minute. Miss , Celia Ghiloni had a congenial role as Mrs. Copley, a port she invested with the warmth of her most pleasing personality. Mr. Aubrey Malialicu was all that Richard O'Shaunghliessy should be—a smart, dapper,, cleancut man-about-town, and Mi , . Reginald'. Wykeham gave a capital sketch as the gay full-blooded Colonel Tandy. Mr. R. Greig blustered bravely as Judge Caperton, and Mr. H. H. Wallace voiced fomo "smart , Americanisms as Deacon Wiggleford, a doleful person, referred to as Litllo 'Sunshine. Miss. Ruby Bsixter made Marcia a. very attractive young person. Miss Maud Chetwynd appeared as Angelica, a smart housemaid, and led a sprightly trio in a n<rat pas de trois (arranged by Mr. Ward), llr. L. Hardinge, Mr.. James Ha.-itie, and Miss May Hignctt also appeared in minor roles. The scenery—all interiors—was in tho best of good taste, and the music of Mr. Hennirigham's orchestra lent raluablo aid to the ensemble.