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Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1545, 29 August 1905, Page 4

The Observer ,in a criticism of Miss Tittell Brune as Juliet, states :—lf there is any weakness in her presentment of the character it is in the earlier part of the play, where she runs some danger of making light comedy of the part, but for any shortcomings here she quickly makes reparation, and in both the balcony and potion scenes she is at her highest. It seems to be a tradition, but is there any sufficient reason why the characters of Shakespeare should converse in a tone that can honestly be only described as •'stilted ” ? The chances are that the people of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries spoke much as the people of to-day do, but on the stage they don’t. There are only three persons in the current ver-r sion of Borneo and; Juliet that talk as though they were everyday people, and these are Mercutio (Boy Bedgrave), Capulet (Albert Gran) and the Nurse (Miss. Clara Stevenson). The rest (Miss Brune herself amongst the number) drawl in the most thoroughly approved manner. The Friar, played by that otherwise excellent actor, J. B. Athol wood, does more—he actually drones. In point of fact, the one actor, beyond the three mentioned, who converses humanly is Peter. Miss Brune, it may be repeated, saves the situation by her superb acting, apart, that -is to say, from her enunciation altogether. The play is adequately, but not lavishly staged, and suffers injjthis respect by comparison with what has been done by the Musgrove Company.