“ELIZA COMES TO STAY”

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12611, 23 November 1926, Page 8

“ELIZA COMES TO STAY”

FUN AND PHILOSOPHY NEW PLAY AT OPERA HOUSE. “Eliza Comes to Stay.” Eliza came to the Opera House last evening, and stayed in the hearts of the big audience which witnessed the first presentation by Joseph Cunningham’s new comedy company of this three act farce. Miss Zillah Bateman, who scored such a triumph in “The Unfair Sex,” was Eliza, and her characterisation of the part will stay in the memory. When Sandy Verrall promised his lifelong friend that he would cherish and care for his daughter, he pictured a golden haired child with blue eyes and a trusting soul. But with Eliza arrived also disillusionment. She wasn’t a child ;and besides, her aunt had taught her that if she wore the worst of clothes she would be perfectly.safe, but if she wore fine clothes then danger. “I’m safe now, but 1 think it would be nice to be dangerous just once,” was her theory. Fine clothes and careful tuition effected nn inconceivable transformation, and Eliza (or Dorothy as she was then called) blossomed out into the most heautiful of women. Just how dangerous she was could be realised only by Verrall himself —the man who had •promised to cherish the little golden haired child, to whom he had brought a teddy bear and a rocking horse. “Eliza Comes to Stay” is a plav' revealing in a most striking manner the nebulous and unconsciously subtle outlook of man to woman. Eliza, in her old clothes, straw endie, big specks, and “bunned” hair, was a fright; but Dorothy, dainty, neat, prettily dressed, and with her flaxen hair coiled artistically about her ears was the most desirable creature on earth. Montague Jordan, who had taken an interest in her tuition, wished to marry Dorothy, lmt when she changed back to Eliza, he declared the engagement off. “He said he wanted to marry me, and not Uncle] Sandy’s clothes,” was Dorothy’s stinging comment, as she stared at him through her big bone-rimmed spectacles. Miss Bateman increases her popularity as the season extends. In the role of Eliza she was cast as an entirely new character, and she filled it with groat credit—first as the neglected, uneducated and delifghtfull.v candid waif, and later as the spirited, graceful and extremely desirable young lady. Her seng in the second act enhanced the nuality of her performance. Frank Bradley could not have been better placed than in the part of Montague Jordan, the best friend of Ycrrall, and upon whom fell the initial tribulations caused by the unceremonious entrance cf the fair Eliza. His embarrassed proposal of marriage, and his admission that he was “not used to this scud of thing,” was among the funniest. Campbell Cnpelin, as Verrall. carried tho responsibility of Eliza on his shoulders —even to procuring, a special license at the final curtain. T.ndv Pennybrook—prim, and early Victorian, .but a matchmaker for all that —was portrayed Vv Miss Henrietta Cavendish in a very pleasing manner, and her discourse to Verrall: “You men really do what wo woman want. 1 hut you don’t know it.” was typical Miss Sylvia Clifton had the part of Vera Lawrence, an actress, whose sole ambition is embraced by the two words, “clothes” and “money.” Nori man Carter played .Alexander Stoop i Verrall, and a fine unst.*vding member | of tho old school he made. Other parts were: Herbert the valet, played by . Moncrieff McCnlhim. and Mrs AUaway | the nurse, by Miss Beryl Bnrrnclough. I “F.liza Comes to Stay” is chock full j of philosophy? is replete with laughs, I and is not without its moral. Tt, will he | played for the remainder of the week.