The Dobson-Kennedy Company

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 141, 21 May 1891, Page 2

The Dobson-Kennedy Company

" NECK OR NOTHING. •» - The Assembly Rooms were well filled on Tuesday night fco witness, fche military spectacular-drama of '* Neck or Nothing. '* From .beginning to end the piece went* smoothly, and the interest of the audience was never, allowed to flag for a moment. Mr Frank Norton, as Colonel Egerton, played better than on any other occasion we have had the pleasure of seeing him. • He was soldierly and afc the same time perfectly natural and' unaffected. Mr Harry Saville, as. Mr John Davenant, had a pait which enabled him to display his abilities fco the best advantage. The hit of the evening was, however, made by Mr W. H. Cowan, who represented . to the life Monsieur Alphonse Grenouille. Hit accent, 'gestures, in fact" every movement was indicative of the typical Frenchman.He was frequently applauded .and every bit of it was well deserved. Of course Mr Kennedy, as Mr Jonathan Bull, was good, and excited roars of laughter. Mr_ Collet Dobson, as Paul Davenant, made . the most of hia part aud was very power-*., ful. in the tragic scenes. ,Mr Jerinyn, aaf ' Ivan Orloff, Mr Paul Creyton, as Private Murphy, were very good. Mrs Jermyn, as the Countess Worbnzoff, - played hei;-;, i part, admirably. Idreue, Thornton, asS Madiue, was very charming, "while, as Mrs * Cleopatra Bull, Miss Lily HUT, was excellent. Mrs May Vernon, as Mona,. 1 . tit a small part, of whicii she made the'most. The concludmgjarce of •* O'Callaghau on His Last Legs" enabled Mr Kennedy tof displays his. remarkable " talents" as a comedian. We have never" seen the character so well played before, and nobonly did he keep the audience in roars of laughter all through the piece, but the obher actors on the stage found difficulty in restaining their risible muscles. The minor parts require no special notice, except perhaps Mr Frank Norton, who* played his part naturally and without effort, and Mr Harry Saville, who, .as the good old man of the play, excelled himself. We cannot * conclude this notice without giving a word of praise fco Mr Alf. Engleson, the scenicjartist, Mr Fred Rad' clyffe, the stage dresser, and Mr Robert Campbell, mechanist, to whose exertions so 'much of fche success, of fche plays was owing. The company will return in about ten weeks, when " Struck Oil " and the " Two Orphans " will, Jbe staged. „