THE TITTELL BRUNE SEASON.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10063, 3 February 1909, Page 1

THE TITTELL BRUNE SEASON.

'THE GIRL OF THE GOLDEN WEST." When Mi' David Belasco conceived "The Girl of the Golden West," he did not give to the world a classic. Anything but that; no doubt he has depicted with much accuracy the life in the camp oj "Fortyniners.' but his subject presented to him very little scope for artistry. His main t'heme surrounds the influence exerted by a good woman over the rough and uncouth miners. "The Girl," as depicted by Miss T'ittell Brune, was unsophisticated, perhaps unschooled in the ways of the big world, but capable of looking after herself under all circumstances. She was a quaint little lady, full of queer conceits and given to much philosophising, apt to precipitate one back to earth by the use of coarse language picked up inevitably in such surroundings. There was little in the part that gave scope for dramatic force and little'call was mad',' on Miss Bruno's histrionic powers, for "'The Girl" was a child of nature, and the role was filled with almost startling naturalness. Yet the character was a difficult one. one that might easily have been overdone and inexnr ssiblv vulgar. Miss Bruno escaped this'pitfall."and after she got through with the first scene, that in the Polka Saloon, she showed remarkably good taste throughout under strange circumstances. In her quieter moods she was always real and living, though her inflections were strange, almost foreign, but this, we suppose, must lie viewed as good American of that date. In the more impassioned scenes -Miss Brune was always good, and sometimes fine, never becoming too dramatic —never overplaying her part. _ Indeed there were times when we thought she risked monotony by not instilling more tire into her work. The best of the male parts, that of the Sheriff, was entrusted to Mr George Bryant, who made up in Machiavelian style, and was truly a most fearsome person—a villian of deepest dye. He was absurdly vile, but that was not his fault ; that- must be placed to Mr Belasco's account. Mr Bryant was as cruel as the author intended'him to be, and, playing a part in which he alienated all the sympathy of the audience. wa6 nevertheless appreciated. On the other hand. Mr Kingston, as the hero, had a soft part. It is wonderful how attractive can be a road agent made repentant bv association with a good woman. Mr Kingston did well what the part demanded of him, but he had little to do except to interrupt frequent heart-to-heart talks by pulling out his shooter and looking grand. The other roles were all small ones and were filled well, among the characters being Ashby, the Wells Fargo Agent, taken by our friend of "The Message from Mar's," Mr Gregau M'Mahon. Mr J. 0. Williamson has sent us as usual a cast- well worth seeing.