AMUSEMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 389, 14 May 1910, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS.

"THE NIGHT OF THE PARTY." A FURORE OF LAUGHTER. Without the slightest reservation let us say at the outset that not for ft very long time in New Plymouth has any comedy been so completely and successfully staged as was "The Night of the Party," played at the Theatre Royal last night by Sir Rupert Clarke and Mr. Clyde Meynell's English Farcical Comedy Company. One has only to remember the attention to detail in the furnishing of the flat in .Melton's Mansions to confirm this impression. The scenes looked what they pretended to be; the comedians looked what they were supposed to be; and they acted and talked, and joked and smoked, just as one might rationally expect from them were they really members of society, and of the "inner and outer circles of me aervatorial walk of life," as the pompous old butler put it. It was a hilarious night—but most o£„ the lighter came from the audience. It wasn't laughter on the stage and a parrot-copy in the auditorium. The humor was quiet for the most part, but subtle, charming, irresistible, constant,' from curtain to close. The characters were as though made for the people who played them. The actresses were splendidly costumed. The house was well lined and happy. There's a story in " The 'Night of the Party." It gradually introduces a big crowd of people, and, wonder of wonders in far«it.il comedy, each and every one of them has allotted to him a sort lof "finale." No one is left unnoticed is the gradual and side-splitting gathering in the strings which made such delightful entanglement, and from which ao man less astute than the manservant Crosbie could hope to emerge with safety to himself and all concerned as he did.

Lady Hampshire, - a society Jbeauty, married to Sir Charles of that name, a> jealous old gentleman beyond middle age, surreptitiously, but innocently j enough,, visits Mr. Fravne> at his flat in Melton Mansions. The young man leaves the same night for the Continent, I misses his train somewhere, and returns in the midst of "the party" given by his man Crosbie at the midnight hour to his fellow-servants in the neighborhood. The "guests" hide. In the middle of Crosbie's and his master's mutual explanations, in comes Lady Hampshire again. She endeavors to persuade Frayne to elope with her. but js at last prevailed upon to return to lier husband. The whole of the conversation is overheard by the concealed "company," and ouch a secret in such hands made thing# merry for most, of the parties concerned. The comed.y, rich in fun from the start, was better and jt>etter as it went on, and the third act was a. triumph, in which the honors lav between Crosbie (Mr. David James) and "Gipsy" Vandelier (Miss Mali Paul). Mr. James is a comedian with little boisterous business about him, but lie doesn't make a miss. Every remark meant to create ji laugh fetches it instanter; His impersonation of his master in the second and third, acts stamped him as in a class 'by himself. Miss Paul, as a handsome, dashing woman of a fairly fast set, with moneymaking matrimonial desists, a fine figure, fierv temper, considerable dramatic power, and an easy nature, was a' gem. iMr. George Willoughilty made ant irreproachable butler, the man who saw a lot from his station in life but prided himself on knowing nothing, a member of the servants' "inner circle," pompons and portly. The Frayne of Mr. Hugh Buckler was a ciever pourtrayal of the fashionable vouflg Englishman of to-day, a capital study. Sir Oharles Hampshire's doings and sayings were safely entrusted to Mr Arthur Cornell, who made the most of the jealous aristocrat's part. Miss Paget played Lady Hampshire, and played the part 'well. Miss Amv Williard as Pauline, the parlormaid, was in her original part, which is sufficient testimony to her powers of pourtrayinjr it. The other artists all acquitted themselves splendidly. The setting and stage management were a distinct credit. "WHAT HAPPENED TO JONES."

The stroll!: combination which made & triumphal success of '"The 'Night of the Party." should just alisolnHv revel in the old favorite. ''What to •Tones." 'l'llis is one of th'f most lively and brisrht farcical comedies ever writton. and it will -lie produced to-night by a company that, has few equals in thp many on tour in Australasia.