BAILEY DRAMATIC CO.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1624, 16 December 1912, Page 8

BAILEY DRAMATIC CO.

"ON OUR SELECTION." "On Our, Selection," a comedy melodrama, in four acts, adapted from Steele Eudd's book by "Albert Edmunds" and Beaumont Smith. Cast:— Joseph Murtagh Itudd Bert Bailey Joe Kudd ;'.... Fred HacDonalci Davo Kudd a Arthur Bertram Sandy .•: Guy Hastings Maloney Edmund Duggan Her. Mr. Mocpherson Alfred 1 Harford Uncle ltudd Willie Driscoll John Carey George Kensington Jim Carey George Treloar Cranky Jack Jack i\ Lennou Billy- Bearup Alfred Harford Bailiff ....: ; Arthur Joyce Trooper Sam Ellertori ill's. Kudd Mies Alfrcda Bevau Sarah Kudd Ittes Laura. Roberts Mrs. White ;.. Miss Queenie Sefton Lily 'Whit© ' Mles Lilias Adeson Kate Kmdd Miss Mary Marlowe "On Our Selection," the comedy drama staged by the Bert. Bailey Dramatio Company at the Opera House on Saturday evening is, when considered in its class, a remarkably-entertaining play, and as faithful an example of adaptation work as has yet been done in Australia. Without doubt, Mr. "Steele Rudd" created in his yarns of the Australian out-back a set of characteristic types, who, to those who know Australia (by which is not meant Sydney and Melbourne), are not overdrawn. The work of adaptation has fortunately been undertaken by those who know the types, and that same fidelity to the real thing which occurs in the book is most adequately convej-ed in the play. The average city dweller, whose knowledge of the world and its people does not the children, down to those evidences of his own town, may. imagine that there is a good deal of exaggeration in character and incident, but to those who have "humped .the bluey" from Brisbane to Norman ton, or from Bourke to White Cliffs, in drought days will hardly agree with him. The atmosphere of the play, aided by capital acting, is.redolent of the soil, and in the fine fighting spirit of Dad, the cheerful courage of Mum, the entire absence, of sophistry and the genial disregard for theoommoncstrulesof gianimerof the children, down to these evidences of madness born of the loneliness of the bush, and the rich, red soil which impregnates everything, there is a real tang of wayJack (whose young wife Jim Carey has mirable sense of simple, direct humour is capitally sustained in the play, and it is a long while since the walls of the Opera House have listened to such hearty and continuous laughter as on Saturday evening., Nearly every character is a comedy part, and that they each receive full consideration from the author is one of the virtues of the play. As the play is really one of comedy types what happens is not of great consequence. .'Suffice that Dad' and Mum Rudd and their brood are depicted fighting the draught and the mortgageo (John Carey) on their impoverished selection five hundred miles from anywhere, that the mortgagee's son attempts to play the cad with Kate Rudd, and is struck down by honest Sandy, after which Cranky Jack" (whose young wife Jim Carey has ruined) strangles him. Sandy, believing himself the,murderer, clears out, but the jury, who aro his friends to a man, acquit him, and'subsequently, when the good rains have come and Dad is prosperous and an M.P., Cranky Jack: m a sane interval, relates how he killed Carey, a revelation which leaves Sandy free to marry Kate, and work out their salvation on their own selection. It is, however, in the minor incidents, apart from the main plot, that the play interests. Dad's rugged speeches about the grim struggles of the man on the land,„ his defiance of old : Carey, when the latter distrains his cattle for a paltry debt, the "looney" ramblings of Cranky Jack, - and Uncle Rudd, the hearty, goodnatured, loveable traits of Mum, the amusing love-making scene between Dave and "his bit o' petticoat," the "bulls" of Maloney (which are never rounded up), the awful Australian accent of Sarah, and her wooing of the timid Billy Bearup . made up a series of pictures racy of people who are pioneering Australia to nationhood. The standard of acting throughout is really excellent. It would be difficulty to cast such a play w'itk some companies, but Mr. Bailey has evidently made a careful selection of the--material at his disposal, and each and everyono-act3 with understanding and a deep appreciation of the particular type he 'or she is ropreseritiug.' There is no one outside the frame of the- picture. Mr. Bert Bailey is Dad to the life. To his-rough, blunt, gritty manner 'he adds that shrewd sense of humour and directness of repartee,'which makes, him' individual and gripfuliy characteristic. His sudden explosions of temper, his never-say-die spirit, his vigorous language, more forcible than polite, and the underlying affection for each of his children, are all carefully preserved by the actor. Nothing could bo more hilariously funny than the 6udden interruption of the argument by Dad (who is laid up with raging toothache in the adjoining room), in his nightgown,- and the subsequent extraction of the grinder with a length of kangoroo sinew by Maloney. Dad was mightily amusing, too, when he brings home the news that Dave is down the road '.'with a petticoat," and how he clears the room to give his son a chance to propose. Another notably well-acted part is that of Dave by Mr. Arthur Bertram, who was graphically typical of'the Australian country lout. His walk, hand action, "make-up," and the many other fine touches he added, made hi's broadly comical sketch one 01 the most faithful portraits in the "Rudd" gallery. Kate Rudd was played very sweetly and naturally by Miss Mary Marlow, and Miss Laura Roberts was particularly good as Sarah Rudd. She spoke the "Rudd ' diction as to the manner born. Mr. Edmund Duggan, possessed of a lovely brogue, made an amusing Maloney. Mr. Guy Hastings, who looked and acted Sandy well, was inclined to be weak vocally. Mr. George Treloar acted with force and made Jim Carey a sturdy, clean-cut villain, whom one regTetted to see die 60 early in the piece. In the lunatic section, the eccentricities of Uncle Rudd were pictured with skilful resource by Mr. W. Driscoll; Mr. J. R. Lennon was convincingly weird as Cranky Jack; and Joe Rudd was neatly sketched by Mr. Fred MDonald. Mrs. White was played with all the necessary asperity by Miss Queenie Sefton, and Miss Lilias Adeson created'roars- of laughter by her clever presentment-of the raw hoyden wench of the "Never-never." Mr, A. Harford was Billy Bearup. "On Out Selection is capitally mounted, and all attention is paid to stage dotail. The play will be produced throughout the week.