AMUSEMENTS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10131, 7 January 1911, Page 6

AMUSEMENTS.

"MR PREEDY AND THE COUNTESS." Genuine interest has been aroused . in the. production -at the' Town Hall .on Wednesday: night next of "Mr . Preedy arid .the 'Countess," by Mr George Willoughby and his English Farcical Comedy Company, under the direction of -Messrs Clarke iind 'Meynell. Heavy booking is anticipated oti the opening of the box plan at Miss\ Rive's this., morning.' ''Mr '(Preedy.- "and 'the ' Countess"' : makes laughter (says an Australian exchange),, but it is full of real life and excellent 'epigram." 'Here is an" outline of the entertaining story of the piece:— The ' Countess (Miss Beatrice Day), escaping from "a" dissolute husband, has been' foolish enough to run away with ,so-unlikely a suitor as the aggressive John Bounsall (Mr' George Willoughby). She is brought by him to the flat of.hjs timid and bullied junior part- I ner, Preedy (Mr ,Harold Parkes), I and as Bounsall is -suddenly called away by the illness of a relative : from whom he has expectations j he leaves Lady Rushmere in/his partner's hands. . Preedy-is thus . 'cdii'-j pelled to go out oii a wet night to find room for himself in an hotel, and submit to all the malevolent interpretations of his assertive man- i ..servant and cook, in the 'discharge'.'■ of his duty towards the imperious Bounsall. The complications' crowd thickly upon him'next morning, in the second act, the. most laughable ; of the three.; The father of the girl he is engaged to marry (Miss 'Stella Payter). happens to call early, andis perplexed at the noise in Preedy's j room, the explanation of his nervous iiost that it is caused by the canary merely serving, of- course, to increase his bewilderriisnt. 'The lady's maid (Miss ,Amy Willard),who has been hurriedly engaged to attend clie ■Countess,' promptly demands a substantial increase in, wages Avhen she learns, that the- lady-is neither • Preedy's wife nor of. his; .•:the , domineering mari-servaai,fc i ,,(4\J.i-, "'Harry Halley) a month's ■ not- ] ice, arid the cook leaves n't oncei ''-vice ■ "infuriated dentist. (Mr A.rthur ' Govnell), whom Miss Sidgrave has thrown over for the sake of Preedy, comes ,to deriiand an explanation, . and .screams with delight when ho discovers 'the., state ; of things "at tlio ?Flat.. Finally Lady Rushmere s •relatives (Messrs Huglr C. Buckler and Harry Overton), appear : on*the scene, and Preedy rapidly, changing- ; from the evening 'dress of the_ nig.'it ■before in the -pantry, stalks forth -;o meet his aristocratic visitors in-gar-ments that make! him look a caricature. Preedy is bullied and brow-: beaten at every turn, but in the last act, which is skilfully coustrxtcted, ■ the tide turns in.his favour, and the little man, regarded 4 at first as -"a bounder,'- appears, in: the .light -of 'a 1 ..hero... ■'■'..-•.■•'• ; fHOMFSON-PA Y!s/E PICTURES. ■ '. The current' programme yat. .the; .Foresters'; Hall; is' of' first-class 'quality, and well rip to the higlr standard set" by this popular house of amusement, consequently it* has * : drawn crowded houses i ightjy. The "star" picture is "The Stolen Sub,, marine," it being a drama which: abounds with thrilling situations. ( It is a strikingly realistic picture, and: the. audience are shown a submarine sinking to the bottom of the; ocean. This portion of the film has been taken by means of special apparatus. The .constant outbursts of applause showed that those present were keenly following each, scene, in . the drama., "John Graham's Gold" was another-.fine—study, the .variqus situations calling for powerful acting, the. artists i -acquitting themselves creditably. "The Mistaken . Bandit" is one of " those exciting Wild.- West' Dramas which* ar'enqw : »• so much-.in. fav<rar, ■•anil.,'met. with.a';

warm reception. Of a splendid series of comedies "Davy Jones and His Landlady" was the pick. The scenics and comics were also good. The current programme will be shown for the last time this evening, and there will be a complete change on Monday, which will include one of the most beautiful picture plays ever produced, viz., "The Virgin of Babvlon."