“WITHIN THE LAW CO.”

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 108, 8 May 1916, Page 4

“WITHIN THE LAW CO.”

On Saturday evening at the Town Hall the “Within the Law’’ Company presented the latest v s ar drama, “The Man Who Stayed at Honle, ” and scored a decided access. The play is centred on the German spy system wud shows how the British characteristic of accepting naturalised subjects without any doubt to be wrong as they may turn our enemies in a very dangerousform. The play was excellently presented and the members of the company are to be congratulated on their performance. The leading roles were taken by Miss Hilda Dorrington and Mr. Lionel Walsh, who took the parts of British Secret Service agents. Mr. Walsh taking the part of Christopher Brent (Kit), the man who stayed at some. His friends and fiancee arc puzzled because he does nothing in connection with the war and he has to continually put them off without allowing them to suspect anything. Theresult is that everyone takes him for a fool. The play is very cleverly constructed and grips the audience. It is not until Christopher Brent has the German spies safe that his financee realises that “The Man Who Stayed at Horae” has indeed being doinggreat things for his country. l|ach member of the company did good work in their especial parts and the whole performance was greatly appreciated by the large au'dience. This evening the company will stage the comedy “Get-Eich-Quiek Wallingford.” This is one of the funniest comedies ever written and should draw a crowded house. The performancewill- start at S o ’clock to-night and thobox plan is on view at Finch’s Bazaar, seats being obtainable without extra charge. “GET-EICH-QUICK WALLINGFORD. TO-NIGHT. To-night “Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford” will b e presented for the farewell performance of the “Within the Law” Company. Miss Hilda Dorrington will appear as Fanny Jasper, and Mr. Walsh as Colonel J. Rufus Walling-’ ford, Esq. “Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford” is the most successful comedy ever presented by the Williamson firm and was written by George M. Cohan, the well-known American playwright, who uses some graphic American “slang” phrases during the course of the -play, including the following which are worth the remembering: “I’m going to twenty-three myself” is ay Wewould- say “Take yourself off.” Another is “Cutting your stick, ’’ which is in our slang “Skidoo.” A smart typist is a “Wise Remington,” ai quick, bright, man or woman ig a' “Live wire,” an “Easy mark” is a “boob,” and an express train a “rattler,” a “spanking” girl with a fine character is called “some girl, ,r misers ar e known as “gaspards,” and where would say “take a man down” they more politely say “trim him.” The expressions ar e all racy of the stock exchange, and the methods of frenzied finance. The comedy is a satirical treatment of the ways of company promoters. Wherever staged “Get-Eich-Wallingford” has never failed to literally tickle the audience to death. The comedy is played on the American speed up principle and the above slang expressions are given so that patrons to-night will not miss any essential points wondering “What tha<S meant.”

The story is as follows:—Two crooks, Wallingford and Daw,, to obtain the savings of th e “boobs” of the town of Hattiesburg, promote an imaginary company for the manufacture of Covered Carpet Tacks. They obtain possession of the shar e money, and use it to obtain options on all the vacant allotments in the town of Hattiesburg. They next secure from th e Town Council a “traction franchise” to build a street railroad. In the belief that the line is to be built, property values at once rise, and the two sell their options at boon prices. In preparing to leave the tow-n with their booty they discover that a genuine railroad company is prepared to give a million dollars for their “traction franchise,” and that there is a widespread demand for covered carpet tacks. So they accordingly become honest. There is a dual love story attached to the play in -which they fall in love with two delightful Hattiesburg damsels, and all ends as it should just before the iinal curtain.

The box plan will be on view all day at Finch ’s, where seats may be reserved without extra charge.