"THE MAN FROM TORONTO"

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 71, 17 December 1920, Page 9

"THE MAN FROM TORONTO"

COMEDY • Man from. Toronto," a comody in threfc aots by Douglas STivrray. . Fernus TOmbußh Mr.-George' Tully ftiith •'Wirflbusli'.... Mibb ITario.'RJg'nold Ada- Wimbuah..... Miss Rosalind Courtheidgo Mrs.. Oalthprne\... Miss Margaret SwaVlow Mr. Priestley .'.'. Mr. Joseph, IV Graham Bobbie Gijmo're Mr. Ronald Ward Martha. , : Miss Blanche Jfagsey JW-HubbaTd ■.•,. i : .„:i -Miss Leslie Lester Minnio. Bubbard Miea Leslio Graham If; success can be deduced,from the fact that a largo audienco'.was kept in a state of rippling laughter from 8.5 p.m. until 10.46-p.ni.,."Tho Man from. Toronto" produced at the Grand .Opera Hdnse last evening may be'written .down as having achieved that-desideratum in. a marked decree. Not only .has (Douglas- Murray written an 'bxtremely.'simple comedy of mariners in t a very- charming style, hut wo,are.extfemely'"for't\ifmte, in having it interpreted • by. a.cast "without creases," This virtue is ever so rare arid whoever was responsible for .the .selection'of the personnel' of Robert Courtneidge's company is. to bo'-dbvoutly. thanked. True only, nine,'.people: nro concerned' in the performance;, but all. are just as we would We.themi -from-Mr. George. Tully (who played the load -in London) down to the least important: role.. Perhaps that is scarcely, the way to put it, for the author has'oxerciSed his.ingoriuity so subtly that each and .every part is worth whilo.fi'om , linactinj;-point of'view,- making! one's gratification -in the 'enseihblo as keen as-' in % tho individual. And .yet the-basic- ; ideii.-is old. .Here is a young and, charming "'widow'in. a Mrs. Calthorpe, eating Jier\henrt'out with ennui in Teignmoth, dyirig" for something, no matter, what, to happen., the Good-.Fairy in. the. ' person of her-lawyer, Mr. Priestley, calls to :, inform heT of the provisions of an extraordpiary'will. A few- months be-, fore; Mrs. Calthorpe- had been -proposed, to,, and had- refused n.nice old gentleman of. means from Canada. Returning to, his home- he died, leaving a huge fortune to bis son Fergus Winibush', conditionally; oil his marrying the win«>me. widow. Wimh'ush is brought along by the lawyer- : guardian,' but not until Mrs. Calthorpe ias devised a plan of "looking over" hei bequeathed suitor. This plan, is to plav the .part of Perkins* the- parlourmaid, . Wlmbusli, a vigorous young; rancher, from Alberta Cbiinty, is duly'ushered into tho. Calthorno liom'e'; and just as duly is'waited on- bv Perkins 1 ) the- sprightly parlourmaid'. Her deft: answew.ro Ms 'many questions catch his shrewd ear,; and from the outset Polly Perkins becomes of ' greater interest to the Canadian than' all. the Mrs. CalthofDOS that: ever lived;- This ' feeling is intensified when Polly' if forced ' into producing a'photograph of the real Mrs, Calthorpo (who is supposed to 'lie' visiting a sick friend), and shows him : the picture of an ancient eccentric of tho village. Wimbush freezes at once on the: : Calthorpe enterprise; and sinks'-deener ; and deep»r,in love with the puzzling ■ Polly. Not even' • the acid ■ tongue-' i of his mercenary-minded sister., can'shift his .allegiance. In her despair at losing, the share of tho fortune her' \ brother--has promised Wim- i bush even. stonr* to bribe Polly not to marry the.mnn'from Toronto, and Polly. ; declares' flint no- Perkins would, sink so') j low ns to do such a thing. When mat-' ■■ tew tire' becoming, complicated Polly ar . '■ ranges to appear as her real' self, and ■ n. scene.of mingled .joy. and constema-' ; tion- ensues. Wimbuflh pretends .to be highly indiennnt at the way "he has.; i been imribsod on" and Icayes the room irate., with, his .sisters yelling after'Mm,, : only i» enter another■door to hold tho : Polly 'of his heart dose' to. that excus- -, ably . perturbed organ. \ The simplicity, and springlike cleanness and whole- . Bomeness-of the comedy, its dry humour, pad almost taultfess construction make . it a most delectable entertainment. Mr. .Grorge,Tully,' as Wimbush; is a sheer, delight; Ho is easy, : quiet, purposeful, and oozes just that quality ofdrv humour that thoroughly satisfies. Moreover,, ho, is good to look at. and is on artist, in tones. Another delightful performer is Miss Margaret Swallow whose Mrs.'Calthorpe is a study in.all the- whimful ways that men, object to in theory arid adore in practice, bho is bright and natural, and personal charm illumines her technique as an actress. Mr. -Ronald Ward figures attractively as , Bobbie Gilmoro, • an- Oxonian go-fllower; - and Mr. Joseph Graham enacts the role, ofMr. Priestlv with a dignity and urban- : itv altogether delightful. Miss _ Marie B'iirno'd-makes Ruth Wimbush just as objcctionnblo as the author intended her to be- and Miss Rosalind . Courtnoidgo, eg.'Wa Wimbush, a Canadian flapper; is a* distinctly''clever, in characterisation m she is charming in person. Two broad character studies, .purposely overdrawn. w«. submitted' by Mies Leslie Lester and, Miw Leslie Graham, as Mr?: and Jfi«H Hubbard rMMetively. Miss Blanche Maesey was well placed M Martha. Ino r lJan From Toronto"' Bhonld amuse, l«R« audiences in. WelHafrtbn,