BROUGH-FLEMMING COMPANY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8342, 26 January 1907, Page 5

BROUGH-FLEMMING COMPANY.

"DR. WAKE'S PATIENT." The Brough-F lemming Comedy Company opened their Masterton season in the Town Hall, last evening, before a large audience. The play presented was a comedy by Messrs W. Grayer Mackay and Robart Ord, entitled, "Dr. Wake's Patient," a play with a strong human interest, with an interesting story admirably told, and with a direct simplicity of dialogue, incident, and situation which proved refreshing. The plot is based on the loves of the aristocratic Lady Gerania and a man of humble birth, Dr. Forrester Wake, the opposition of the lady's parents, the Earl and Countess of St. Olbyn, and the ultimate subjugation of the haughty earl by a noble,, offer of sacrifice on the part of the'doctor's father and ■ mother ,to secure the happiness of their beloved boy. In the meantime the doctor has become a celebrated physician, receives the honour of knighthood, and has also displayed a nobility of character which proves him a worthy son of a very worthy father. It is needless to follow the details of the story through its four delightfully unconventional acts, or to describe the numerous incidents which easily and naturally lead up to a highly satisfactory climax. Suffice it to say that the comedy is one distinctly out of the common run, is effective in its contrasts as well as in its harmonies, and possesses the additional charm of novelty in conception and treatment. Mr Edgar B. Payne took the part of Andrew Wake, the sturdy and estimable Devonshire farmer whose pride and joy it was to be the father of Dr. Wake. The character affords many opportunities for emotional acting as well as for broad comedy touches, and of both Mr Payne took the best possible advantage. In his speeches to the earl in the third and last acts the actor showed great power and dramatic force. Mrs Brough's Countess of St. Olbyn was a graceful and finished performance, the only regret being that, except for the first act, she had rather limited scope for the display of her talents. What Mrs Brough had to do, however, she did with nice discrimination and artistic taste. As the heroine, Miss Beatrice Day was bright, vivacious and sympathetic. Mr Carter Pickford, as Dr. Wake, gave an even and well sustained interpretation of the character. Mr Gregan McMahon supplied a lot of good comedy business as the irrepressible Duff Wynterden. Mr Norman McKeown was a stately Earl of St. ■ Olbyn. Mr John F. Forde made a pompous Bishop of Selby. Miss Gordon Lee was a pert and winsome Harriet Bronson, and Miss Bessie Major was excellent in the character of old Mrs Wake. Other minor characters were well sustained. The comedy was splendidly mounted, and an efficient orchestra heightened the enjoyment of the ( evening's entertainment. To-night the company will bring their Masterton season to a close, when "The Passport" will be staged.