"The Guv'nor."

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4856, 2 August 1884, Page 2

"The Guvnor."

There was a capital attendance at the Academy of Music last' night to witness the first production of "The Guvnor," at the Thames. The pit and gallery were almost crowded, and the front seats were well patronised; The reputation which the piece has established bad doubtless some influence in inducing the large attendance. The comady is a sparkling one, literally bristling with wit, puns, and repartee, and the continued daughter from the rising of the curtain till its final fall, testified to the enjoyment by the audience of the delectable fare presented to them. There was little to mar' the performance beyond the anti-blue»ribbonite tendencies shown by two of the male performers, and one in particular—one who had a prominent part entrusted to him—certainly deserves severe censure for his misconduct in this direction. The ladies are entitled to every praise for their delineations. Miss Crawford was very successful as Mrs Butterscotch,' and, considering the difficulties she had to contend with in connection with the suspicious husband, who had, as she delicately insinuated, taken "too much" after breakfast, more than an ordinary meed of praise is due to her. Miss Lawrence was very happy as Mrs Mac-Mac ■ Macclesfield, and shewed her versatility once more. There is no doubt though that this line is peculiarly Miss Lawrence's own. Miss Johns looked and acted the affectionate Kate almost to perfection, and one could not help forgiving the junior Macclesfield for falling " head and ears," as he did, in love with her. Mrs Willmotfc made a most enchanting Carrie, and the naturalness of her acting, and the naivete displayed, were worthy of an experienced artiste. That painstaking little actress. Miss Wyatt, played Barbara very carefully, and although the part was a minor one, there was a great deal to do in it, and it was done well. As the deaf boatman, Macclesfield senior, Mr was very successfulhe carried the house with him, in fact. At times there was an inclination to overi do it, but it did not seriously obtrude itself. Mr Wilkinson, with a little more study of the "finer lines," of the part,aconsideraj tion of some of the delicacies, from a character drawing point of view, will be able to put this down amongst his sue cesses, but there are many roughnesses to plane off his representation of the old boatman. Mr Kede scored a great sue* cess as Freddy, the love-sick, well meaning, stuttering, honorable, scion of the noble house of Butterscotch. Notwithstanding the disadvantage Freddy occasionally suffered under, owing to the erratic behaviour of his father pro tern, every justice was done to the character by Mr Kede. The ardent admirer of the divine Kate, Theo. Macclesfield, junior, was very ably impersonated by Mr Teece; he had not a great deal to do, brn- what was entrusted to him was well done. Mr Jellicoe found a suitable exponent in MrMarter, and although "be might have been wrong, yet he did not think so;" bis " over the garden wall" business was very good. Gregory ; Gunnel and McToddy found fitting representatives in Messrs Simmonds, Holt, and another whose name we don't know, and the less said about the other characters the better. Altogether the comedy was evcellently rendered. The company presents a new programme this evening, when "The Wrong Man," and the laughable burlesque of " Black-eyed Susan," will be presented. Mr Cullimore resumed his place as pianist.