OUR BOYS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2029, 30 June 1885, Page 2

OUR BOYS.

There was an excellent house at the Theatre Royal last night to witness the first performance of "Our Boys," there being scarcely a seat available in either the dress circle or the stalls. The 'piece was mounted in splendid style, nearly all tie scenery being entirely new, and specially painted for it. The effect was exceedingly good, and no stage in Masterton ever looked moro complete, The furnituro was handsome and appropriate and was, we may add, supplied by Messrs •Whitt and Donaldson. The play throughout ran remarkably smooth, and gave ample proof that our amateurs had been very careful in their rehearsals. We have »nly one fault to find with one or two of them, and that is that they occasionally allowed their voices to drcj) at the end of the sentences, so that many a good point was entirely lost in the dress circle. The fault is a common one with amateurs, who are apt to forget that their utterances are required to bo heard at a considerable distance. Mr Foley was, as,a matter of course, perfectly at home in the character ofPerkyn Middlewick, the retired butterman, which seemed as jf it' had been written for him. There was not a point lost; and he kept the house in laughter as Jong as he was on the stage. Sir Geoffrey Ohampneys found an able representative \n Mr T. fl. Wrigley, whose only draw.back was that he was, a little too quiet. The son of the baronet was represented by Mr Berkley, whoae conception of the part, if it differed somewhat from what we have seen before, was d,ecided.ly a, happy one, Charley Middlewick, his oompariion, found an able exponent in Mr W. Rapp, whoso excellent acting and resonant voice, formed the most distinct feature in the play. The parts of the cousins, and Mary Melrose, were taken by Miss Bentley and Miss Beaufort respectively, and a very pretty contrast they formed, the one being quiet and retiring, and the other cheeky, and fond of airing her opinions upon every subject that came b'efore her. Miss Beaufort's caste was different to any we have hitherto see : n her in, and the manner in which she carried it out speaks well for her versatility. Belinda, the type of the cheeky, yet withall goodhearted London servant girl, could surely not have been entrusted to better hands than those of Mrs Wrigley, wliose airs and Bwagger elicited roars of laughter at a rime when the audience must have been beginning to feel tired of continual merriment. Mrs Wrigley has a decided talent, and on this, her first appearance on the stage, she betrayed it in every action. Mr Cecil Riverton essayed the part of Clarissa Ohampneys. On his first appearance tie rather marred the play by a mannerism that grated somewhat upon both, aye and ear, but he made, up foythis in the last act, where his acting left nothing to be desired. We must add that the dresses worn throughout were expensive and most appropriate, nothing having boen sparod to provide the best that wero procurable. We should also state that the extra scenery is of local production, having been painted by Messrs G. Coker and G.Ward. " Our Boys" will be repeated to-night, when, we venture to predict, % enter.' prising lessees of the Theatre wjil'jia.YO another good hpusX