ENTERTAINMENTS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2230, 6 November 1907, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS.

‘CASTE.”

3lrs. Bancroft, the original Polly Eccles, set down “Cbste” as assuredly Tom Robertson’s chef d’ oeuvre, and it is certainly the most popular comedy that fell from his iieu. It was originally produced at ,the old Prince of Wales’ Theatre, London, in April, 1567, and it at once caught on with the public. It had a long run, and was reckoned as financially the third in successes of Tom Robertson’s plays. The comedy affords great scope for character acting, and in this respect should be eminently suited for the Dramatic Students, who will stage it in His Majesty’s Theatre on Saturday. The chief interest centres round the fortunes of the Eccles family. _ The father is a bibulous but amusing rascal, with, a strong disinclination to work, a-l'id relies for support on liis two daughters. Esther marries. the Hon. George D’Alrov, and Polly becomes engaged to Sam Gerridge, an amusing but hard-working plumber. Captain Hawtree, a brother officer of D’Alloy’s, who is a. good-natured “toff,” serves as a foil to the vivacious Tolly Eccles, and the scenes between them are the brightest in the play. The aristocratic mother'of D’Alroy, “tlie Marquissy,” as Sam calls her, who “won’t have the man who smells of putty nor the Ilian who smells of beer?’ remains time to her notions of caste until the arrival of her grandson. As the reconciliation -is effected Eccles arrives in a drunken state, and proposes a toast, and Sam suggests * that they should “above bis head in a bucket.” After an amusing scene the Marchioness relents, and the curtain comes down upon a pretty tableau.