GRATTAN RIGGS COMPANY,

Temuka Leader, Issue 2368, 11 June 1892, Page 3

GRATTAN RIGGS COMPANY,

Mr Grattan Riggs and his talented company made their first appearance in the Volunteer Hall, Temuka, last night. There wa. a very fair attendance, and the applause was frequent and enthusiastic. The piece selected for last evening’s performance was the late Dion Boucicault’s pathetic and humorous drama entitled “Arrah-na-Pogue.” The piece abounds in humorous and pathetic incidents. Of course, Mr Grattan Riggs sustains the principal part,and as “Shaun the Post,” the rollicking Irish boy, ho was fairly in his element, displaying his natural abilities to advantage. He retained the sympathy of the audience from the rise to the fall of the curtain. His acting was most realistic throughout, and in several scenes, especially when he has an interview with his bride in prison, was most affecting. Mr Robert E. Inman took the role of “ Colonel O’Grady,” and he acted the part to perfection, and in the trial scene his sympathy and arguments in favor of “ Shaun ” were highly appreciated. Mr Scot Inglis, as “ Beamish McCoul,” was a decided success. “Major Caffin” was impersonated by Mr Dunbar, who is an actor of considerable ability, and he made the most of the character’. Mr J. P. West ably performed the thankless part of “Michael Feeney,” a villain and informer, and needless to say he earned the dislike of the audience by his low and sneaking ways. Miss Maud Appleton, in the character of “Arrah-na-Pogue,” fairly won the sympathy of the audience from the moment she appeared. She acted in a perfectly natural manner throughout, and showed a keen conception of the part. Her brogue was good, and in her scenes with Shaun she was highly successful. Her grief at the arrest of her husband was indeed an exhibition of histrionic art. Her whole heart seemed to be in the pourtrayal of the piece, and she was loudly applauded at times. Miss Marcella Day as “ Fanny Power,” the betrothed wife of Beamish McCoul, was all that could be desired. Miss 0. Oaroy as “Katty Walsh” made the most of her small part. Her rendering of “ The Wearing of the Green” was highly appreciated, and she had to submit to an encore. The other members of the company sustained their parts very satisfactorily. This evening the company will appear in “ The Irish Detective,” in which Mr Riggs will change character seven times. He will appear as a quarrelsome Irishman, a placid Chinaman, a stolid German, and so on, while all the time endeavouring to detect a crime which has been committed. This play was founded on fact, and was specially written for Mr Griggs in America, where it created a sensation. It is his masterpiece, and will doubtless draw a great house. On next Monday evening the Geraldine people will be afforded the chance of seeing the great sensational drama “ The Shadows of a Great City.” The piece is highly sensational, and will be splendidly mounted in Geraldine, as the stage gives plenty of scope. On Tuesday evening they will appear in th,e famous play q| “ The Jrjsfy and doubtless \yill Ipive large houses on both occasion s.