GRATTAN RIGGS COMPANY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2370, 16 June 1892, Page 2

GRATTAN RIGGS COMPANY.

A The above company was not received at Geraldine as well as the DobsonKennedy Company, on Monday when they appeared in the romantic drama entitled " The Shadows of a Great City." Tlio two-shilling seats were well filled, but the front seats were very meagrely patronised. The company as a whole excels any which has ever visited Geraldine, and was certainly worthy of a better house than it received on their opening night. The play was scarcely in which Mr Grattau

Riggs could make the most of his great ability as an actor. His part was that of Bjddy Rqonan, but there was not enough Irish repartee in it to make it as mirthful as such parts as Con in tho Shaugraun, or Shaun the Post in Arrrah-na-pogue. However, whatever fun there was in the part was brought out by the actor's > careful delineation of the blustering but] good-natured old Irish woman. Mr Robert Inman as Tom Cooper could not have chosen a better part, and he acted with such grace and ease that his frank, manly countenance fairly won the audience. Mr Scott Inglis took the part

admirably of George Benson, a ne'er-do-well of the spendthrift class, and one of the villains of the plot. Mr J. P. West, as Abe Nathan the pawn-brokor, another villain in the plot, was excellent in get-up, and, save a little over-acting hardly worth mentioning, he acted the part remarkably well. Mr Travers Vale, as Jim Farren, the thief, deserves special mention for his acting, and merited all the applause he got. Mr Laurence Dunbar, as Mr Arkwright, the detective, showed some very careful acting, while Miss Maud Appleton, in the part of Mrs Standish, and afterwards of Nellie Staudiah, won herself into the good opinion of audience by her natural dramatic powers. The minor parts of the play were all well taken. On Tuesday evening, notwithstanding the snow on the ground and the severely cold weather, the audience present to see Mr Grattan Riggs in "The Irish Detective " was large enough to merit the company going on with their performance, which they did with great satisfaction to everyone. During the performance Miss Appleton, Messrs Grattan Riggs, Robert Inman, and Dunbar were frequently applauded, while Mr J. P. West, as " Jim Thug, the stoucher," put the audience into fits of laughter.