HAWTREY COMEDY COMPANY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XII, Issue 1059, 28 November 1903, Page 3

HAWTREY COMEDY COMPANY.

The following in a clipping from the London Stage iu “ The Two Air Wetherbys,” tho picco which Mr llawtroy will open his season with on Wednesday next : “ Let it be remarked that ‘ The Two Mr Wotherbys ’ is as much a lesson to wives as 1 A Message to Mura ’ wa3 and is to

husbands. Ic is only a seven-purs play—but all these parts are good, and here und there tho student of Shakespoaro may have pleasant reminiscences of eomo of ilia piays, notably ‘ Tho Taming of the Shrew,’ whilst again it is lit times of tho geuus, ‘ The Tyranny of Tears.’ It certainly holies tho mediocre qualification bestowed, for it is not a middle-class but a high-clnss play- It is, morcovor, ‘ clean,’ in a purest acceptation of that term ; perhaps too cloini for those whoso predilections for veiled innuendo, for immoral suggostivoness, have been pandered to for the purpose of raking in the shekels, but to tho detriment of tho stage as an educator of the people. As tho plot gradually develops—und there is not the semblance of forcing any seeno or situation— thero is unfolded all those different traits in human nature—good, bad, and indifferent—which dominate our being, and the portraitures are absolutely true to life, whilst the epigrammatic dialogue—lights and shades of pungent wit, raillery, sarcasm, home truths, and sentontiousnoss—are judiciously blended with thoso hotter sentiments that at times tug so lightly at tho heartstrings—pathos without bathos.”

On tho socond night tho world’s great laughing success, “ The Other Man’s Business,” a piece now running to enormous business in Loudon and America, will be produced. With rather more scquonco.in its plot than the every-day farcical comedy of the type now so popular, “ Tho other Alan’s Business " is a pure fun-maker. Its dialogue is exceptionally crisp and brilliant, stamping it as class above the avewge, whilst the tangle of confusion into which tho principal characters aro cast is as mirth-provoking as that of any comody yot staged iu New Zealand. The comedy is one in which ovory member of tho company has a congeniul part. Tho fun is not allowed to flag for one moment, the dialoguo and tho action of tho piece being extremely brisk. That pretty and fascinating ploy by Mrs Hodson Burnett, “ Little Lord Pauntieroy,” will bo the third attraction during the season. Tho New Zealand Herald says:—“The Hawcrey Company give so admirable an interpretation of tho play that thoir art is lost sight of in tho illusive belief that one is living in tho midst of real personages, and not in stageland at all.” Tho revival of “ A Alessage from Mars ” on tho fourth night should fill the house in every part. Everbody will remember tho last performance of this remarkable play in Gisborne, the piece being the talk of tho town for weeks after.

Tho company aro now issuing season tickets at reduced prices, obtainable at Mr Good’s jewellery shop.