"TURN TO THE RIGHT"

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 42, 13 November 1917, Page 7

"TURN TO THE RIGHT"

MIRTH, MORALS, AND MOONSHINE

"Turn to the Eight," a comedy in three acts and a prologue, by Winchell Smith and John Hazzard. Cast— Isadoro Mr. Jlaurico Dudley Joe Bascom Jir. Walter lUohMdsuu Mugss p Mr. John Junior Gilly Mr, Stapleton Kenl Mobss Mr. b. Goldberg Betty Bascom Miss liizotto l'arkea Jessie Strong Jlisa Fi-anccc Anderson Mrs. Bascom Miss Margaret Calvert Sam Martin Mr. Ylnccnt J. Dennis Deacon Tillingci- Mr. George Chalmers Lester Morgan Mr. Gaaton Monale Elsie Tillinger llisa Gwcn Doi-lso Callahan Mr. Carleton Stuart Katie Miss Marie Collier "Turn to the Eight" introduced Meters. J. and N. Tait's new comedy company to the notice of tho Wellington public at the Grand Opera Hoysc last evening, and tho reception given io both play and players should ensure tho company a successful season here. Tho comedy is the quaintest and most amusing mixture of mirth and morals possible to imagine, mid to attempt to mix such ingredients in the bold, unafraid manner that Messrs. Wincholl Smith and John , Hazzard have dono at once proclaims tno comtfdy to be racy of America—something that, only Americans could "got across" without a 6ense of embarrassment at the vory aggressiveness of Hie eentiment and unveiled intimacy between thoso of tho dramatis porsonae so freely expressed in good round terms which is to our more reserved natures something un-English. Yet through it ail thero runs a strong vein of Hie healthiest comedy, which gives a sense of relief just at tho point where sentiment is about to run riot, whilst thero are delicate human touches that caused a flutter of handkerchiefs in tho auditorium. The comedy gained by tho general tone of tho performance, which was ! high-grado throughout, each character being clearly and distinctly limned by players of conspicuous ability. "Turn to the Eight" is essentially a comedy of character and sentiment. It opens with Joo Bascom, a well-meaning lad, bargaining for a change of clothes in a pawnbroker's 6hop, after being liberated from a twelve months' sojourn in Sing Sing Prison. There ho meets ei.ee more with his gaol mates, Gilly ami Muggs, two fly "crooks" well on tno wrong road. Joe, whilst liking them, forswears them and theiitways, and t" n j 6 to tramp homeward to his mother s littlo farm, whilst Gilly and Muggs seek froo travel in a position on the railway not recorded in tho timetable. Joe is given a great, welcome home by his mothor, but the meeting is dampened by his sister Bett/s story that old Deacon Tillinger was about to foreclose on tho peach orchard for a debt of a mere 125 dollars. This is miserably unfortunate, for Joo has conveyed that he has made plenty of money during his long absence from home. Ho is in despair at.not being able to prevent the Deacon's littlo game, when who should enter but Gilly and "Muggs,' whose train had bucked into a dead-end and left them stranded, they knew not whore. Being hungry, they had sniffed that Bascom peach preserve from alar, ana it had restorod them .to their old pal. Joe'is scared lest they should give him away to his mother and sister, but tno crooks, having met Mrs. Bascom, becomo hypnotised with her sweetness end Christian faith. Then Joo tells the boys his money troubles, and they both realiso that 125 dollars has to be produced. With a little questioning, Gilly'' ascertains from the girls where old Tillinger keeps his money, and whilst Joo is telling the Deacon what he thinks about him, Grilly returns and palms into Joe 8 hand the money to. pay the debt, lhen, as Muggs "rough-houses'' the Deacon ou the premises, he picks his pocket of tho wad, and restores it to Gilly to replace in the safe. The next morning the Deacon misses the money from his pocket, and after a hunt comes to the conclusion that ho has been robbed of it. In the meantime, however, the Deacon has also been deceived' into believing that • Gilly and "Muggs" have bought the peach crop. They are pretending all they know, when Sammy Martin (lately Tillinger's assistant), who has been on a visit to New York, returns with a proposal to sell all the jam Mrs. Bascom can make, and is prepared to pay cash down for tho selling rights. So that when Deacon Tillinger is about to "cut up rough," Joo pays him again with Sammy's deposit. Muggs plants 125 dollars in his pocket, and to make the situation complete Elsie Tillinger, who is in love with Joe, rushes in to present her father' with tho samo amount of her own money. The final scene sees everyone almost absurdly,rich and happy. There are three love-sick couples doing and saying all those dear, delightful, but utterly silly things they are always supposed to do and say; Sammy gives a great dinner in the "Henry Parker" style, and Joo and his bride are motored to their nest on the hill by the jam syndicater, and all is peace, perfoct peace, peach blossoms, and moonlight. Mr. Walter P. Richardson makes a likeable and alert Joo Bascom. Ho has a clean-cut, winning personality, and makes Joe a very natural and well-in-tentioned young fellow. The Gilly of Mr. Stapleton Kent is a distinctive bit of character acting. Gilly is dirty and illkempt, with angles everywhere, and big capable claws that make him look the expert safe-breaker. His hard bass cackle is gripping, and his conversion to the right is tho most complete change that could bo wrought—so complete that he fears that he 13 going to die, but proposes to Jessie Strong .instead and bocomes a bloated plutocrat with the rest of the pflach-preserving bandits. Mr. John Junior nas delightfully amusing as Mugigs, a typical East-sider with an abnormal sense of humour. Ho was at his beat when taking rises out of honest Sammy Martin, a "rube" role, played with a lot of real humour by Mr. Vincent Dennis. One of the chief characters is that of Mrs. Bascom, which Miss Margaret Calvert invested with a great deal of delicate charm. Miss Lizette Parkos was admirably suited as Bessie Bascom, and in the scene nhere slio resents leaving tho old home showed that she has lost none of her emotional powors. Miss Gwen Doriso acted with bright intelligence as Elsie Tillinger, and Miss Francee Anderson was deliciously in sympathy with tho role of Jessie Strong. Mr. Maurice Dudley gave a vivid little character' sketch as Isadore, the pawnbroker. Mr: Carleton Stuart was an cxcollent Callahan (tho detective), and Mr. Gaston Mervale figured as a rather too elderly Lester Morgan (for whoso crime .Toe had originally suffered). Tho comedy is prettily produced. Tho sceno with tho peaches hanging thick on tho trees, and in tho last act, where the orchard iB in bloom, were particularly attractivo sets. "Turn to tho Right" should attract large audiences throughout tho week.