"DR BILL"

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2885, 25 September 1916, Page 4

"DR BILL"

AMATEURS IN FARCICAL COMEDY

"Dr. Bill," a farcical comedy in tlireo acts. Oast: — Louisa Brown ... Miss MaTguerite Wilson. Jenny Firman Miss Kate Kufcuor .Mrs. Firman ...... -Miss Ethel J. Griffiths Nellie Fauntleroy Mi6s May Roberta Mrs, Horton Miss Lilian Chapman Ellon Miss May .Koberts Inspector Horton Air. John Larseiv .Firman Mr. Leslie Holmes Baggs Mr, Andrews George Webster Mr. Frank Mason Inspector Jones ......... Mr. G. Burnett Dr. William Brown Mr. Chas. Blake "." Amateur.theatricals are having a. god nih in 'Wellington of late. A» the cycle of recreations slowly revolves, there comes a * time now and again, when the contagion for amateur acting spreads like an epidemic, and the long-suffering public has to endure as much as it enjoys. Fortunately, in •most cases, amateurs are awaro of their, limitations, and do not venture where they might fall. So it was wise o£ the ncwly-fomled New Zealand . Natives' Association's Dramatic Club to select farcical .comedy as a-means of expressing their exuberant histrionic powers, because where everything ia exaggerated, often to a point of.inanity, the shortcomings, Irom a strictly, artistic viewpoint, are not so apparent to the common eye, and much passes for humour that is mere floundering. The now club selected that well-wom comedy-."Dr. Bill," which caused floods of laughter a generation ago, and is still capable of raising guffaws, though! time lias worn holos m its elbows, and it begins to bag a little at the knees. It is hardly necessary to relate ill anything like detail the experiences, of Dr. "Bill" Bruwn," who through the interference of his meddling old lather-in-law, Mr. Firman (who insists on bis son-in-law resuming the ~ ' practice, of medicine, from which' he has retired, and surreptitiously puts up ii brass plate arid distributes circulars to' a select clientele, to the exasperation of the person chiefly concerned), is led into a series of ludicrous complications, in which jealous misunderstandings are piled one upon, the other. These affcot not Brown and but Inspector Horlon and his wite,- and amorous George Webster and his future "bit of trouble. 7 ' Old Finnan, the confirmed mischief-maker, and Ins hysterical wife, are also dragged into the..vortex, and left to struggle there until it is 'tiino lor tho audieneo to catch its tram home. .That scene in which the several, couples get mixed' up. in dark rooms owing to tho';' eccentricities of Mrs. Horton -went- with a scream. Another lively incident is where Dr. Bill is visited by one of his lively acquaintances from the ballet, Nellie. Fauntleroy,. who recalls a -dance sho made famous, and induces'the medico to dance- it with her. As they prance round after tlio manner of kangaroos, enter the wife and .her parents, who, . after gazing with horror at the couple, are instructed by the puffing doctor to dance, in order to humour his lunatic patient, and so .onr-the curtain descends on everyone dancing hysterically to avoid trouble'with tho < scarlet woman. - ■ As aai amateur entertainment tha comedy, was not at all badly played. Indeed, somo of the characterisations, though .rough-hewn, were quit© good, and when it is-eonsidcred that the performance' was a new oue, and that everyone was cramped by the restriction's of the little stage,, there was rnoro to' commend than blame. Mr. Charles Blake, who has had many years of professional experience, held.the.show together! in good style as! Dr! Bill, -which he played in an easy, breezy, hearty manner, not only playing his own part, but filling in many a! littlo blank with ready "gags," that gave the cuo to the person shy of her lines. Mr. Blake was particularly amusing at the beginning of tho last act, when ho is suffering from a sovero cold in the nose due to the ducking he got-under the shower, when locked in the dark bathroom with his own mother-in-law'. Miss May Boberts doubled the parts of Nellie Fauntleroy and the servant Ellen most successfully, giving two distinct characters, and investing eaoh with humour and intelligence. Mrs. Firman was excellently played by Miss Ethel Griffiths, who has a special facility m characterising' elderly ladies. Miss Lilian Chapman had plenty of aplomb and an casv, intimate stylo that stamped lier as nn amateur of somo experience. As Jennie Firman she was pert and vivaoious, perhaps a- little too much so on occasions, but Miss Margaret Wilson, as Mrs.. Brown, was a listless, inanimate, and rather person . With a' little more .decisiveness, Mr John Larsen would have been quite good as Inspector Horton; Mr. Leslie fiolnies gave a delightful character sketch as old Firman, and Mr.Frank Mason was genuinely funny as tho amorous noodle, George Webster. Cab horses would shy at tho wig worn , by Mr Andrews as Baggs, which part he olaved with some idea of eccentric character work.' Before "Dr. Bill" was played, Mr. Blako recited the speech of Henry V before Harfleur from Shakespeare's historical play. He declaimed tie lines at dramatic-high'.pressure from first to last, little .light and shade, or reflective- espressmn, - being conveyed by the actor. "Dr. Bill" will be played to-night and to-morrow evening. .