THE “CALLED BACK” DRAMATIC COMPANY.

Kumara Times, Issue 2925, 15 March 1886, Page 2

THE “CALLED BACK” DRAMATIC COMPANY.

Another large assemblage at the Theatre Royal on Saturday night testified to the high appreciation by the public of the abilities, individually and collectively, of the members of the “ Called Back ” Dramatic and Comedy Comedy. The front seats were well packed, and there was a considerably larger attendance altogether than on the previous evening. The entertainment opened with the charming Scotch comedy “The Bonnie Fishwife.” In this Miss Eloise Juno sustained the double characters of Miss

Thistledown (a lady of fashion) and Maggie M'Farlane (a Newhaven fishwife), and ik Is needless to say that her acting was perfect, pleasing, and satisfactory to the audience, as was evinced by its frequent applause. Her Scotch accent was very good, and difficult to tell from that of a native of “ the land o' cakes.” The other characters were well sustained by—Mr Wilson Forbes as Sir Hickory Heartycheer, Mr J. H. Nunn as Wildcats, and Mr J. J. Kennedy at Gaitors. It was a lively little piece, and highly entertaining. After a short interval the curtain was lifted to Boucicault's beautiful Irish drama “Ai rah-na-Pogne,” the plot of which is laid in the stirring times of 1798. Miss Juno in the character of Fanny Power (the Lish heiress) ably sustained her part. Miss Carrington as Arrah Meelish (Arrah-na-Pogue) acted well, at times full of fun and frolic, at others melting the hearts of her audience by the depth of pathos and feeling she threw into her words and actions. The same may be said of Mr Taylor, who, as Shaun o’ the Post (a Wicklow carman), made the most of the character. In one scene he sang “The Wearing of the Green” with much spirit, and was duly applanded. Michael Feeney (informer, spy, and process-server) was ably pourtrayed by Mr J. H. Nunn, the same gentleman who it will be remembered so ably distinguished himself in the character of Macari in “ Called Back.” He depicted the-mean, revengeful nature of the spy with great aptitude and cleverness. Mr Kennedy as Colonel O’Gradj, Mr Forbes as Major Coffin, and Mr Dunbar as Beamish M‘Cone (a rebel) also acted theii parts well. The songs, dances, and effects were well and pleasingly rendered, and applause was frequent. At the conclusion of the performance Mr Taylor expressed the thanks of the Company for the reception they had received in Kumara, and announced that as the Company would be passing through Kumara again on their way to Hokitika they would give two more entertainments : on Friday they would produce “Jo,” being a dramatisation of one of Dickens’ popular novels, and on Saturday the sensational drama “ Never too Late to Mend.”