THEATRE ROYAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 86, 7 April 1903, Page 2

THEATRE ROYAL.

HAWTREY 00MED? COMPANY. "A M3S3SAIE FROM MARS." As was anticipated the Theatre Royal was filled on Monday night when the Hawtrey Company staged " A Message from Mars." That a play having such a good moral should attract large and enthusiastic audiences whenever and wherever it is produced is a good sign of tha times, and the demonstrations of appreciation that were mauifestod at the utterances of the wholesome senti ments in relation to " otherdom " or self-sacrifice showed that the moral injculcited by the play appealed to the be.st feelings of the audienco. Th brunt of the plot and action falls ou Horace Parker, aod in delineating this character Mr MacMahon was seen at his best, In the first sc>ne his thoroughly cold blood selfkhrv ss was pourtrayed with the Bkill of a consummate artist, and yet with such a happy vein of innocence that laughter abounded throughout the scene. In tho following ac 1 ; the honours ware equally divided between himself and the Martian Messenger, the situations biing sometimes droll in the extreme, while at othei s they were full of dramatic force. When strpp.?d of his wealth and reduced to the state and condition of a tramp his acting was intensely natural, and tho change of his sentimen 1 s towards suffering humanity was splendidly emphasised in the ejaculation " Halve?, partner, halves," Again, in the last scene, when he wakes from the dream, but with all its lessons seared into his inmost being he gave a fins exhibition of his altered feelingp, and earned loud applause for tiis lluished actinj. Throughout, the character study was one of tha best I 'bat has been sesn here. Mr Hpggie, as the " Messenger," made a great impression, Hia intense gravity, fine form, sonorous voico, and weighty utterances formed a striking contrast 'o the ready and quick witted Horace Parker. It was a well conceived and artistically executed representation, marked with greit dignity and seriousness of purpose, As a finished study it would be difficult to surp iss. Another fine performance was that of Mr Hawtrey as a ruined genius reduced to the existence of a tramp. It was a magnificent piece of acting, and ngiin and again f licited applause. Mr Hammond, as Arthur Dicey, had not much to do, but acquitted himself very creditably, j As Aunt Martha, Miss Bronton was in | her element, and gave an excellent pourtral of a by no means easy pirt, Miss Austin filled the part of Minnie in a very pleasing and effective manner, and all the other characters, especially that of the policeman by Mr Leonard, were most ably filled. The scenery and stage effects were very pretty, particularly in the second act, the appearance and departure of the Mes- 1 singer being particularly well managed, while the dissolving walls were most, effectively manipulated. Mr Hawtrey is to be congratulated on the thorough success of the pUy and on the admirable way in which it was staged.

TO-NIGHT The Hawtrey Comedy Gorapiny close their season to-night, when the funniest of all farcical comedies will bo produced. The piece hss been produced with the greatest possible success in all pirts of the Austwlasian colonies. Mr Hawtrey his a -plsndid purt in that of a peppery old general (a martyr to dyspepsn), and while he is on the stage the audience is kept in a continual state of laughter, It is undoubtedly his best character part. Mr Gregan MacMabon has a great part in that of the old general's son, Tom Stanhope. It is a part full of fun of which Mr MacMahon make l ? the most. The parts of the twins, Dick and Harry, are taken by Messrs Heggie and Keith, who both enter into the humours of the many comic si'uatiois in which they find themselves during the progress of the piece. The female parts are in the hands of Mies Mary Bancroft, tbe Misses Auatios, and Miss Emma Bronton, all of whom play w.-ll up to the flowing fun of the " Tom, Dick, and Harry " will be pre ceded by the charming little play!et " A Highland Legacy." The two plays are strongly contrasted. One is brief and serious, the other prolonged fin! hhrious. The first is calculated to touch the heart-cords and tap the eve, tbe second is meint to exhaust the powers of laughter.