THE KENNEDY-LUCAS COY., AT THE MASTERTON THEATRE ROYAL

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5072, 9 July 1895, Page 2

THE KENNEDY-LUCAS COY., AT THE MASTERTON THEATRE ROYAL

It is now quite a long time since a ood Company of theatrical pernrmers visited Masterton, and it is ot surprising therefore, to find liat a large audience assembled at lio Theatre Hoyal, last night, when lie Kenuedy- Lucas Company opened heir season with the sensational Iramn, "Fighting Fortune," The Jompauy is a strong one, and ncludes several " old favorites," lotiibly Mr J. J, Kennedy and Mi ! rank Norton, and that they were iot forgotten by the people of Jliiberton, was evidenced by the warm veleomo each received last night Imongst the "new faces" wlic ook part, were Mr Albert Lucas ind Miss Lilla Wilde, both o' vliom camo witli high reputation! is delineators of the Thespiai irt. The powerful and realistic act ngofMr Lucas as" Robert Stewart,' ■he hero of tho piece, certainb H'oved him to bo deserving of ai -hat lias been said in his favour; i vas an artistic production eminentl' ilever and natural, and from tli jutset Mr Lucas and his audienc ivere fast friends. Miss Lilla AVildc is Robert Stewart's sister, adniirabl oourtrayed her part, acting witi 'race and pathos, and quite meritiiij :he reputation which lias precede! lior. Her acting was fr'equentl' ipplaitded, and after the great fir iceno she had to appear before th surtain. Mr J. J, Kennedy was warml; welcomed, for the audience hud no forgotten him, as many presen jould recollect past occasions whei Mr Kennedy's rollicking humor o hearty sentiment, had done mud towards the success of an evening' mtortainnient. Ic " Jack Claverly, 1 "ho kind-heated Loudon detective Mr Kennedy has a comparative!" small part to sustain, but it was wel" lone, and he appeared to advantage particularly in the last scene, when i_ most exciting struggle with tin villain occurs. Mr Frank Norton is tliead venturer " Leonard Harring ton," lmd a very heavy part, but i jertainly suited hint well, and hi, noting throughout was exception illy good, his calm callousness mid tho indifference with whicl lie leaves his wife to her dread ful fate, were certainly fin pieces of acting, and gave ampl evidence that Mr Norton lias los none of his power since last in Mas terton. The part of" Moses Alder son," a very shady Jew, is well takei by Mr C. R. Hill. He figures yeri largely in the story, at first ai partner with Harrington in hi, crimes, but afterwards repentant, hi assists to bring retribution upon th( head of his old partner. His by-plaj kept up the vein of merrimem running through the piece, form ing a relief to the heaviei portions of the play. Tho otliei characters were allotted to Mi J. Manyille, who takes tin part of "Mr Cameron " th( Glasgow merchant, whose daughtei Bella Cameron "—a part ablj taken by Miss Lily Hill-is promin snt as the sweetheart of Roborl Cameron, and almost tho bride ol Leonard Harrington ; Mr 'Mont' »omery as" Archie McLeodMr P Creyton as " James Dwycr; Mr B William as " James" and Miss D Kean as "Mrs Latimer," tliepooi joverness, each appearing to adyan.

tage, and undertakiugthe minor parts allotted to them very creditably. To-night, the Company produce Sydney Grundy's famous comedy," " Tlio Snowball," to be followed by tliQ screaming farce, or "The JBonicia Boy," in which Mr J, J. Kennedy appears in his inimifebl# character—" The Chicly''