R. C. Carton Dies in London

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 329, 14 April 1928, Page 22

R. C. Carton Dies in London

Author of Many Melodramas and Comedies The death is announced from London of R. C. Carton (originally R. C. Critchett), a leading writer of comedies and dramas, in his seventy-fifth year. Mr. Carton was one of the many writers of plays who have begun as actors. He was the author of a number of workmanlike pieces, first in melodrama, and then chiefly in good types of comedy “Liberty Hall,” “Lord and Lady Algy,” “Lady Huntworths Experiment,” the melodrama, “The Pointsman,” and other plays of his were familiar in their day to Australian and New Zealand theatregoers. The Brough management produced several of his works. Mr. Carton began life as Richard Claude Critchett, son of Dr. G. Critehett, a London oculist, but he adopted Carton as a stage name._ He was born in London on May 10, 1853, and his first appearance was at Bristol in 1875, in the melodrama, “The Sea of Ice.” In London not long afterwards lie began at the Lyceum as Osrie to Henry Irving’s “Hamlet.” Other appearances—there were several with Irving—were in Tennyson’s “Queen Mary,” in Tom Taylor’s “New Men and Old Acres,” in Sheridan’s “The Rivals,” and in an an early production of the longlived farce, “The Private Secretary.” Retiring from acting in 1885, Mr. Carton wrote, in collaboration with Cecil Raleigh, well-made melodramas, including “The Great Pink Pearl” and “The Pointsman.” The first play he wrote without a collaborator was “Sunlight and Shadow,” produced in 1890 by George Alexander. Many entertaining pieces by Mr. Carton were staged in London between that time and 1922, when his play was “Other People's Worries.” In a long list some of the pieces are “Liberty Hall,” “Robin Goodfellow,” “The Home Secretary,” “The Squire of Dames,” “Lord and Lady Algy, “Lady Huntworth’s Experiment,” “The Rich Mrs. Repton,” “Mr. Hopkinson,” “Public Opinion,” “Lady Barbarity,” “The Off Chance,” and, in collaboration with Justin Huntly McCarthy, “Nurse Benson,” played by Miss Marie Lohr. Mr. Carton married Miss Katherine Compton, daughter of Mr. Henry Compton, of the noted stage family. There are many features in the thrilling Edgar Wallace drama, “The Terror,” Maurice Moscovitch’s next production, which account for its splendid reception wherever it has been staged. Chief among them is the clever, interesting and logical character acting of all performers. At the same time, Mr. Wallace has shown consummate shill in contriving situations, and in raising and lowering the tension of the piece by almost imperceptible degrees. There is nothing to correspond with the wild alternations between the broad farce and stark horror of other mystery plays. The humour Is lighter and more flexible, being cast on the English, | and not the American model.

EXPERIENCE GAINED IN ENGLAND A young Aucklander who sought stage honours in England, Miss Una Dysart Buddie, won a reputation of which anyone could be proud. She returned to New Zealand reI cently after playing with many of the j leading actors and actresses in England. Miss Buddie has not taken any active part in stageland since her return, but on April 27 she will produce “Lilies of the Field” at the Town Hall, a delightful comedy which is being staged by players of the Little Theatre Society to raise funds for the King’s College swimming bath. Miss Buddie studied for three terms at Tree’s Academy, said to be the finest school of dramatic art in Loudon, and then totfred under Leon M. Lion’s management in “Count X,” “The Faithful Heart” and “Other

Peoples Worries.” For a time she understudied Irene Vanbrugh in Pinero’s “Mid-Channel” at the Royalty. For two years Miss Buddie played leading roles at the Playhouse, Liverpool, under William Armstrong’s management, in plays bv Barrie, Shaw, Chesterton, Somerset Maugham, A. A. Milne and Frederick Lonsdale. Th j 3 ,.' vas valuable experience and paved the way to many other engageRnddf , Wi \ h Denr,is Eadie - M?ss Buddie played -a season at The Theneir R °£ ’ ath ’ in “Rlllffied.” “The Doirs House.” ‘‘The Second Mrs. Tanqueray and others in an interesting repertoire. xi^ f °« e a^f tUrnins to New Zealand Miss Buddie played another season R “ yalt > Theatre, London, with Dennis Ladle and at the “Q” Thea'I ’ e ; . ° ne °f her most interesting experiences v ;ss exSd tlSed ’ ' ' thrLUtie TheaHe: 1 ' " The 3t