“LED ASTRAY,” BY THE WILLMOTT COMBINATION.

Kumara Times, Issue 2063, 10 April 1883, Page 2

“LED ASTRAY,” BY THE WILLMOTT COMBINATION.

♦ When writing this heading a naughty critic suggested that we should have left out the comma, and so made it read that we, or the audience last night at the Theatre Royal, were actually “ led astray by the Willmott Combination.” And, indeed, he would not have been very far from speaking the truth, whether he meant it or not, if we might judge from the bursts of applause which from all parts of the good house, greeted this talented Combination, individually and collectively, as the several acts in the grand emotional drama were produced. It was the first time “ Led Astray ” has ever been put upon a Kumara stage —the piece, we mean; and, as performed by this company, we should have pleasure in hearing it three or four times over. It was well mounted, and the entire performance may be pronounced faultless, and a rare treat to those who heard it. The leading characters were the Count Rudolph (Mr Hesfoi’d) and the Countess Armande Chandoce (Miss Crawford). . The Countess, in jealousy of her husband, detei’mines to visit the Opera alone, to be an eye-witness of his infidelity. The part of the unprincipled lover is taken by Geoi’ge le Desparre (Mr Alexander) and leads up to the reconciliation of the Count and Countess in the closing scene. Placide (Mr Rede) gained a wife in his cousin Mathilde (Miss Lawi'ence) whom he had long loved in secret. Upon these two charactei’s depended much of the amusement of the evening, and admirably they played their parts. Major O’Hai’a (Mr Wilkinson) was humorous, as usual, yet foremost to see fair play in the duel resulting from a game at cards between the Count and George le Desparre (Mr Mack Alexander), the villain of the play. The production of the scene the Forest at Fontaiubleau, where the duel takes place, evoked approbation ; but the falling snow lost its effect by the flakes being irregularly scattered. Major O’Hara has a confedei’ate in Susanore O’Hara (Miss Howard) whom he makes use of (for her beauty and intriguing talent) as a decoy duck, to bring the pigeons to be plucked. The Baroness de Revouriere (Miss Johns) and Dowager Countess de Chandoce (Miss Nelson) are both grandmothers and mothers-in-law at the same time, and in the same house—only fancy that! Mathilde, after gaining her father’s consent to become the affianced of Hectoi’, whom she had so long loved, thinks there will be no difficulty in getting permission from the grandmothers; if only her father gives the word, she “ can manage them both.” The dowagers sustained their parts, difficult as they were, with success. The Baron Gosline (Mr Simmouds) performed with satisfaction. Altogether “ Led Astray ” was a most decidedly successful performance; the di’esses were magnificent, the stage properties carefully managed, and the audience well pleased. Once, and only once, more this fine Combination will perform in Kumara before leaving the Coast, Before the last act Mr Hesford came before the curtain, and announced that Mr Willmott had resolved to-morrow (that is, this) evening to benefit the fund now being raised for the relief of the sufferers by the late fire, by giving a third

of the gross receipts of the entertainment ; and that, by very general request, the favorite comedy of “ The Guv’nor” will be produced. As the production of this piece involves a considerable first outlay on the part of the spirited proprietor, and this is the first occasion on which a public appeal is made for the laudable object mentioned, we hope the Combination will have the pleasure of meeting a wellfilled house tonight. The Kumara public have never been slow to come out and assist in the relief of even individual cases of suffering; and when it is considered that several families have been rendered homeless and lost (some of them) nearly all they possessed, we hope the kind and voluntary offer of a comparative stranger to alleviate their distress will find a corresponding echo of sympathy in the hearts of the general public, and that unpropitious weather and short notice will not prove obstacles to the attendance of those whose presence is necessitated to make up a bumper house.