THE MISS FITZMAURICE GILL'S DRAMATIC COMPANY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 43, 18 February 1903, Page 2

THE MISS FITZMAURICE GILL'S DRAMATIC COMPANY.

"MA.N TO MiN." Lovebs of a good drama found much to xppreciate in tbe above compxny's production of the powerful drum* " M>in to MaD," at the Theatre Royal (iu Turtsday evening. The drami, und mbtedly, is m;h as ts> give ample s ope for fiui acting, and ihe leading members if the company made the belt uf i)i«ir rp()o tunitiw, Pressure on Hp ice f i bsds a defiled rrferenci to tie plot -or rather the series of plota -beyond st iting the fact that it carries 11 RUicainei interest thrcughout. This was patent to judge by tbe enthusiastic recep ion giv n to : lie hero and heroioe, and the groans and hoots with which tin yi'l.in was >■ sailed upon hie every uppeiranee. The liero " James Gordon" (Mr Oh is. B1 ike) completely won the iiear.B of his uuJieuc-, and his recept inn was weritvd, for was a fin* pi. ce of acting. Th>; same may be said of the vi'hin of thn piece, " tticbard Ellrton" (Sir Edward Ivey). "Bill Birkley," the iif-r, with a heirt for a pal, win impersonated to the life by Mr Gin Nevill ', whilst another striking character wns th it of " Philip Oi uj'j'id " (the raad parson), which was cleverly pjurtraycd by Mr P. B. 'Francis. Miss Fitzmaurics Oill had a difficult rle as " E'hel Maythorne," but tdis c<me out of the ordeal with flying; colours, and it is putting it mildly to any th-it same of her emotional acting was exceedingly good. Tue c imedy of the piece was supplied by Mr Loj Duchi eiu a*>d Misi Kite Gdr, who, as " Sunu 1 an amorous but uwkward swain, and " Lavinia D jv-V a f»ir damsel of 50 summers, completely brought down the house with their ljve-making. Th're was an exceptionally ltrge caste of ch tractors, the following war* pvi!liana the mos* prominent; —" Matthew EUer on" Mr L. Walsh, "Ned • D jyla" Miss Dim Oooper, " Warder Turner" Mr Horace Ooiper, " Mtdge " Miss N.-llie Sly'r ie, " Ka'e Noel" (<n a;ed Gip-y Miss Anson, "Mary" Miss Madge Roberts, " hit Lov«l" Miss Djuglas, "E'hl- Miytharne" M'ss Fi'zmiutice Gill. Taken as a whole the p'eee was w?ll pl»ye*. A. feiture no doubt was the ftog« eflfests. In fact it was in this re»peot equal to anything *var attempted in New Plyin u*h. The scenes /eprteenting the convicts at work, and the railway colli'ion, were especially realistic and reflected the utm >«'. oredit on the company, and judging by the reception accorded the company, there should be another good house to-night. TO-NIGHT " The Ohris'ian " which is to b? staged is porhtps one of the best known of all druni". Ii is dramatised from Hall oline's greit work, aid is made the more interesting by the exceptionally good plat, which keips up keen interest from the rise ti the fill of the curtain. I? has met with nothing but the greatest success wherev <r produce! by Mi#i Gi'l's Company. Miss Gill hersslf tak-'s tha pari or "Glory Qu*y!e," Mr Chas. B aki fills th« role of John Stwm. The pieaa will be specially w 11 mounted, a large qian'.ity of senary having been painted expressly for this production. Taking into consider itio i the popularity of this play one cannot gi fir wrong in predicting a bumper house at the Theatre Riyal this evening.