KENNEDY-LUCAS COMPANY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5074, 11 July 1895, Page 2

KENNEDY-LUCAS COMPANY.

"THE BELLS."

The Kennedy-Lucas Company are ertainly gaining popularity as their eason advances, and last creuing, otwitLstsiudinp the cold aud bleak feather, which made many think ffice bofore leaving the cosy lire, idc, a large audience asseinblec t the Theatre .Royal, to witness Sii lenry Irving's version of tho sensa ional drama, "The Bells." Th wanting of the piece—especiall ho snow scene at the end of th irst act—was splendid, aud elicitei he hearty applause of the audience .'lie principal character in tho plaj s " Matthias" (tho Burgomaster] rho had murdered a Polish Jen oiuo years previous, in order t Main money to keep his famil rom starvation. Nocluo had boe: ibtained of the murdoror, but i vas always roforred to on th anniversary of tho date, Mr Alboi juchs delineated the Russia; mrgomaster to perfection, am iner acting than he displayed las ivening, has never been seen in Mas erton. The conscience of Matthia s continually troubling him, and hi ear that his thoughts may wande n his sleep, and tho murder b ixed upon his head, is finely pour rayed, and in the hands of M jucas, the character became life ike and natural, The scene in th list act, whore Matthias is sen aving mad through dreaming tha le is 011 trial, aud has been made to livolge all the secrets of themurde hrough the medium of a profes ional mind-reader, brings tho dram: o a close, and the audience, kept ii ireathless silence, duriug tho pro ;reas of tho piece, burst forth into apturous applause. Mr Lucas wa wice called before the curtain to iow his acknowledgments. The otlie iarts were small besido that o latthias, but were withal in excel ent hands, and the piece rai moothly from beginning to end ilr Norton, as" Christian," made i lashing young soldier, and " Fathe Valter" and "Hans," had excelled elincators in Mr C. R, Hill, am Ir J, S. Montgomery, " Annette,' he charming daughter of the unfor unate Burgomaster, gave Mis Vilde scope for her dramatica lowers, and " Catherine" am Sotel," by Miss Lilly Hill am iliss Graco. Balfour, were gooi iharacters. The minor parts wer ;aken by Messrs Manville, Creytor Sedger, Inglis, and Jackson, and no a weak spot could be found amonj them.

"O'Callagbanon his last legs" concluded the programme, and sent the large audience to their homes in a bubble of merriment. At times tho voices of those on the stage were completely drowned'by tholaughter, and stage waits wore numerous while tho applause subsided, and the actors wore enabled to continue I their parts. As " O'Callaghan," Mr J. J. Kennedy was simply immense, and the whole time he waß on the stage he had everybody in roars of laughter.