"BUNTY PULLS THE STRINGS"

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2290, 26 October 1914, Page 7

"BUNTY PULLS THE STRINGS"

CAPTIVATING SCOTCH COMEDY

"Bunty Pulls the Strings," a comcdy in three acts, by Graham Moffat. Cast: Bunty Biggar Ella Young Rab Biggar Abio Barker Susie Simpson Nan lUylor Wcelum Sprunt David Urquliort Toenifc Dunlop Winifred Jtoflat Jcems Gibb A. I'. Boiburgli Uaggia Jl&rccl- Joanie Douglas-Hicks )an t Bur ell Bob Anderson

,®heplierd fx)wo MflcKenzio lhe Oldest Inhabitant Alec. G. Bannerman A loung Farmer John Campbell Men Dunlop Mrs. Graham Moffat lammas Biggar Graham Moffat

To-the many Caledonian worthies who ( were attracted to "the Grand Opera House on Saturday evening, Graham Aioffats captivating comedy "Bunty i ulls the ■ Strings" would appeal to their memories as a 6prig of pressed heather in a volume of Burns, and to the rest of the discriminating section or the audience as a very faithful representation of Scottish life and character of early Victorian days, replete with a notable gallery of quaint and distinct character types, more than a leaven of dry humour, and a wee touch of sentiment to add a sweetening to the story. It has been said that the comedy is based on the life of the Moffats, long before the stage had claimed them for its own, and that the author's mother was the model on which Bunty was moulded. One can cjuito imagine that being the case after hearing the many curiously convincing domestio passages between Tammas Biggar and his spirited son Rab, noting Bunty 1 s irresistible' persistence and obtrusive tact, and witnessing tlie acidulated encounters between the two worthy dames' who seek, to enlarge Tammas's matrimonial experience. The strings tbat I Bunty pulls are' not perhaps so delicate nor'so subtly arranged as . those manipulated by 'her contemporary in Barne's prototype play, ''What Every Woman Knows." Bunty's strings are often as obvious as ropes, which maybo, from : a'broadly popular standpoint, an advantage ratlier' than otherwise. Mr. Moffat has'scored'chiefly in the characters he 1 has drawn—drawn with a strong 6ure hand that gives virile individuality to ■ every person 'on the stage, from Bunty right down to the neird creature in the Turkey-red crinoline who only has two giggles in her jpart. The story is definite and feasible ./enough to keep the ■ interest well sustained. throughout, and is written with such an abundance of dry pawky humour and peculiarly Caledonian satiro, that one strains to catch every word. Tammas Biggar, a substantial storekeeper, a Magistrate, and a pillar of the church, has had the handling of Susie Simpson's monoy, and lias been forced to oorrow some of it to get an erring son out of his troubles in Glasgow. Susie becomes aware of this, but desiring marriago with Tammas more than anything, holds a pistol to his head—marriage or the monoy. Tammas even thinks of sacrificing himself, but is restrained from doing so by the appearance on the 6ccne of an old sweetheart, Eelen Dunlop, whom he had deserted on the wedding day. Tammas gives pause, and Bunty. does the rest. Driven wild by tho preference Tammas shows to Eelen, Susie shows him up before tha whole congregation on the green outside the little kirk at Lintiehaugh, and has actually ordered his arrest for robbery when Bunty assures everyone that Susie has made a huge mistake, that the money was even then in tha Louse, and she could have the same on the "morn's morn." This is Bunty's great sacrifice. The money she referred to is the nest-egg she and Weelum Sprunt have saved against their wedding. Tammas's clever daughter thon takes everyone in hand, shows her father that he is a very silly old man in curbing his son Rab's liberty and ambitions, quietens tho. perturbed spirit of the exasperated "Weelum (who finds his marriage indefinitely post.poned), arranges a marriage between the Bhr.ewd placid Eelen and Tammas,' gets Rab a situation'in Glasgow, and his delicate sweetheart Teenie iresli air in Lintiehaugh, and finally completely bowls Susie Simpson out middle stump by accusing her of having stolen all the money she possesses from Bunty's own Weelum. So all the strings are finally pulled taut in their right place, and are tied fast in eaqh case with a firm love-knot, thanks to the ingenuity and clear-headedness of the incomparable Bunty. It. goes almost without saying that the acting was almost perfect. Each character waß sharply outlined: There was. no blurring of tho edges. Each player had a Sootch accent that was Scotch, and not a good or bad attempt at that most difficult of all dialects. In-, tonation and inflection are all important factors in getting just the right moaning into a Scotch word or sentence, and here there were few faults. Bunty was very sweetly and capably played by Miss Ella Young. If one dnose to bo ultra-critical, it would be in pointing out that her excellent voice is pitched too much in the one key. In her acting slio admirably suggested the rather ■terrifying practicability of tho character, and one could almost bo forgiven for not altogether envying the futuro lot of Weelum. Mr. Graliam Moffat (the author of the play) was Tammas Biggar to the life. Very completely did he sense the worthy Tammas, who is not so conscience-clear as his family and the congregation believe. As Rab says, the knowledge of his father's weakness in the past made him "more like an 'ordinary man." The comedy is chockfull of good character parts. Weelum, smug, unctuously aggressive (he becomes an elder at 29), and without a sense of humour, is a classic in Scottish characterisation. Mr. David TJrquhart in the part was artistically sound to the core. The contumacious Rab was admirably characterised by Mr. Abie Barker. His merry laughter and savage assaults ou the Catechism (that he does not, and is not expected to, understand) in the shaded "best room" on a bright Sabbath afternoon, were properly improper, and his lively love-making was a bright spot in t'ho comedy. Mrs. Mof--1 fat was a comely homely Eelen Dunlop, and Susie Simpson was made extraordinarily vinegary and repellant by 1 Miss Nan Taylor- Miss Winifred Mof--1 fat was well suited as Teeny. Mr. A. P. Roxburgh presented a finished character sketch as Jeems Gibb, tho church .bell-ringer, and Dan Birrell, a® the village constable, was also in the picture. The curious costumes, and old-time lingerie of the quaint folk who attended kirk, in the middle act, caused a great deal of amusement. The times ware also well sustained in tho mounting—the horsehair furniture, the faded prints, and the row 'of. flower pots across the window. The leading lady characters managed the billowing crinolines wonderfully, and the fashions in hairdressing, footwear, and millinery are sustained in all their quaiutness. Mr. Slater's orchestra was an enjoyable adjunct to one of tho most satisfactory performances seen here for a long timo. "Bunty Pulls the Strings" will be played up till (and including) Thursday evening.