"GET RICH QUICK WALLINGFORD."

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 11 February 1913, Page 5

"GET RICH QUICK WALLINGFORD."

AT THE TOWN HALL. ! The high reputation gained in the i larger centres throughout -Now Zealand assured a packed house lor the first production here by the J. C. Williamson Company, of J. M. Cohen's • comedy, "Get Rich Quick Wallingford" at the Town Hall last evening. Quito early in the evening a large crowd had collected outside the Town Hall, and by 8 o'clock crowds were being turned away. The piece was enacted by a strong company, headed by Fred Niblo, as J. Rufus Wallingford, and his confederate, Harry Corson Clarke as "Blackie" Daw. The exploits of these two provided hilarious entertainment for all present, and their splendid efforts were loudly applauded. The. piece went with vigour and swing from rise to fall of the curtain, and all the characters received the most cordial reception from the audience. The plot opens with Rufus J. Wallingford and his friend "Blackie'' Daw, being pushed for money and feeling it, decide to exploit the "boobs" of Battlesburg, and "Blackie" goes ahead as'advance agent, and talks long and often of his friend the big American millionaire, Rufus J. Wallingford. who is coming along with the poissible purpose of establishing a manufactory, and promises that if this does take place Battlesburg will 1)0 pretty thoroughly "shaken up." By the time Wallingford does arrive "Blackie" has the place fairly excited, and the town band and all the leading citizens turn out to meet the new arrival. Then comes the question: What are they to manufacturer Spying a couple of. rusty-headed tacks in the carpet, Wallingford suggests a patent covered carpet tark. with the head covered with material the same colour as the carpet. ITo tells a good story to the village hardheads, who under the unwonted influence of champagne and cigars, fall in. Even little Eddie Lamb, the hotel clerk, falls like a pigeon to the poulterer. Then Wallingford gets a trol-ley-car concession and is manipulating the. real estate, market successfully. He and "Blackie" arc about to "clean up" and "skidoo," though loath to do so, both having fallen in lovo. when they are paralysed by a big offer for their tramway concession. The tack also proves to he the very thing the world is waiting for, and they and all the "boobs" they were going to despoil became, so many millionaires, and live in affluence as the finest manufacturing centre in the Middle West continues to expand under the influence of Wallingford. Mr Fred Niblo, as the inimitable Wallingford, is the star of the piece, and will long bo remembered h.r his crisp rr.d breezy action and pleasant personality. Mr Harry Corson Clarke's "Blackie" Daw made an excellent foil to the Wallingford of Mr Niblo, and Mr E. Perie Bush was a capital Eddie Lamb. Miss Beatrice Holloway renewed her acquaintance with a Masterton audience, taking the part cf the stenogranher, who wins the heart of Wa'llineford, and Miss Enid Bennett made a charming Dorothy Wells. The playwas adjudged on aII s ; do:s as a triumphal success in farcial comody, A 'musical programme was rendered by ithe company's crchcsti-n under the able baton of G. Van Heck, and the numbers contributed to the ,n----gramme were well received.