THE HAWTREY COMEDY COMPANY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 77, 30 March 1903, Page 2

THE HAWTREY COMEDY COMPANY.

Os Saturday night, April 4th, an interts ing dramatic event may be expected in tb.4 second visit to New Plymouth of the Hawtrey Comedy Company, who about a year ago captivated the local public with that remarkable play" A Message from Mars." At that time the company were almost in their infancy ; now they may ba termed an Australian institution, and a popular one at that, and their second visit will doubtless be distinguished everywhere by a vdry cordial reception. Mr Hawtrey's past career has proved him admirably fitted to choose sound, healthy, bright, and kugh«ble plsyn, «nd, judging froai report, bis opening production Burnand's three act farcical comedy " Tha Lady of Oatend," has everything to commend it to the public palite. Too plot of "The Lady of Ostend " hingss on the discomfiture of certain individuals with strongly developed amative propensities who have been led astray by the wiles of a lady on the Oitend bsach, and whose doings have) been faithfully reproduced by tbe | agency of the cinematograph. Thpre s a loi of trouble in store for tha male characters in the play, and their I troubles are of such a kind that sympathy U quite precluded, and tbe ridiculous and humiliating positions in which they all in turn are placed provide intensa amus>.ment for the onlookers.

On April 6th, " A Messige from Murs" will be revived. This pky has for the space of two years held playgosrs in Aus ral. sia spellbound, and has recently been produced to crowded bouses in Dunedin, Christohurch, and Auckland. On Tuesday, l April 7th, tfcat mos' laughnble of farcical comedies, Tom, Dick and Harry, will conclude the season. In addition to " The Lidy of o<t>'nd," a charming pla>let entitled '■ Counsel's Opinion," by Frederick Bifghum, wi 1 bo p-e----■inted as a "curtain-rais'r," on the opening night. At the recent Melbourne season of the company this pretty comed'etta met with much t'avouraMj criticism. The leading role is taken by a juvenile aged 10 (Mister Percy Coike). The mumbers of the company include the Misses Winifred md Ifllsie Austin, Emma Bronton, Miry Bancrof', Maui Torrenc>, and M ssrs W. F. Hawtrey,-6r-gao, MacMahon, 0. P, Hammond, 0. P. Heggie, Oily Desring, G. Elton, L. Stanley, and S. Redgrave. Mc David Cope is ; music«l director. The box plan opens i on Wednesday morning at the Colonial Piano Company's,