Williamson Dramatie Co.
•TUB ADMHtAHLK CKIPHTON." One of the most original and ingemous of plays vv« plact-d on the Knglish stage is "Admirable c,.j,.|,_ lon,'.' which Mr ,). <•. Williamson's Company iitKtul presenting (m t .| lt , second night of their season here Friday evening next. Its premiere' at the Duke of York's Theatre, London, m November, IW>2, was so successful that it simply took Lon don. theatre-goers 'by s\onn. It is n whimsical comydy, full of sentiment' cf humour, and of inrmiu.lv funny situations. The author, who is none other than the famous and popular Scots writer, J. m. Ilarrie, has designated it a fantasy, ami so it. is ■ hut not moivly i< |TOl|nsy, n.s I,cv ynml this it Ims much to interest ami hold the spectator, as a huge racial problem is raised and npJlv illustrated. Tho whole conception and carrying out of the plot, of "The Admirable Crichton" is interestingly original and fascinating. j„ !.'»' first act the noble Karl of Loam insists upon receiving his servants in his drawing-room as his social equals. Once u month have his servants to 'go through the procers, once n month Inive his daughters to wait upon their iiiKlerlmgs. Tlie scene is "dominated by the austere figure of the butler, Die admiraible Crichton. He is a thorough conservative, imbued with the traditions of his position, and views (he situation rather as an affront to hit dignity, laid, what is more, the dignity of the family whom he serves He does not protest—he looks on, pained at the presentation of low life übove stairs, and watches the daughters of tij: house, on pain of having to mute, made to wait upon the thoroughly discomforted domestics. The. play progresses, and i n the second act we find the Karl, Lis family and f, lends, nccompauitd by Crichton, who have been yachting in Llie South Seas, wrecked upon a desert island. On the island, positions are entirely reversed. Crichton is a born handy man, and by sheer force of circumstanced quickly assumes the ascendency. He is the one strong man there,' the rest follow. Two years are sup|x>sed to have elapsed before the curtain rises on tho third act, and here we have drollery intensified. It is a trunsfosmation indeed. Crichton has l>ccome a. veritable king, and the others are content if he says a kind word to them. King LYiehtoai he is ' termed, or more familiarlv, "Cov." The Karl has clieeiful'lv descended Io menial ofliccs, while his daughters wait humblv upon the admirable Crieliton. The erentest change is in Crichton liimsulf. He proposes to, and i.s ucceptod i.v the Karl's daughter, l.adv Mary. ' now plain Colly, while evervone trembles at his slightest word. Hut. an end comes lo all this, a ship i.s sigjited, and though Crichton may have forborne to give the signal' he " plays the man," and Jt Hritish naval party lands to curry the party back to Kngland. The r,e.\t and final act shows them installed in the Karl's house in .Mnyi'air. Here the wader must bo left lo his or her imaglnnlion as to the nature of the incidents leadingi up to the final denouement, as to mention would to a certain extent spoil the inveresl in witnessing it. The London Times described "Tlie Admirable Crichton" as "tho most del'ightful play the English stage lias produced ill our .generation."
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19040301.2.10
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Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 48, 1 March 1904, Page 2
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557Williamson Dramatie Co. Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 48, 1 March 1904, Page 2
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