ENTERTAINMENTS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2296, 15 September 1908, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS.

“MY PARTNER..” la presenting the melodrama, “My Partner,” to a crowded audience in His Majesty’s Theatre last evening, the Rice Dramatic Company chose a play that has much to commend it. The plot is worked out within reasonable possibilities, there is a pleasant absence of impossible situations, and there is only one murder, which must

take place to try the courage of the hero, ivho is falsely accused of the crime. The scene is laid in a Californian mining camp, where Joe Saunders and Ned Singleton are partners in a claim. The partners have a slight quarrel, and Singleton is afterwards found robbed and murdered. Saunders is accused of the crime, and is about to be lynched when the real murderer, who proves to be ono Josiali Scraggs, a money-lender, 'is discovered, and the lynchers merely exchange victims, but the lynching, fortunately for the audience, takes place behind the scenes and all ends happily. A great deal of attention was paid to the details of the staging oi the piece; the costumes were appropriate and picturesque, while the scenery was well worthy of a professional company. The acting was fairly good, the “Alary Brandon” of Aliss ltachel Rice being a very creditable performance, bliss Rice spoke her lines well, and at times showed that slie is capable of putting intense feeling into her work. Aliss Ray Nelson’s “Rosie Aleadows” (with song) was undoubtedly the best character of the evening, and as the part gave scope for comedy work Miss Nelson kept the audience laughing whenever she was on the stage. Air. T. A. Holdsworth was fairly successful as “Joe Saunders,” and the same can be said of the “Ned Singleton” impersonated by Air. Alfred ltice junr. Air Alfred ltice- senr. appeared as “Wing Lee,” a Chinaman, but lie failed to make the most of the oppor-tunities-the character allowed. Other characters deserving of mention were Alajor Brett” Air. J. May, “Matthew Brandon” Mr. T. Bastings, and “Grace Brandon” Aliss Esthcr-lJalroy. The minor characters were also well filled.

I his was the last performance by the Rice Dramatic Company in Gisborne, as some of the members leave for Australia at an early date.