ENTERTAINMENTS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2441, 4 March 1909, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS.

A COMEDY EVENING. A pleasant evening’s entertainment . was provided for a crowded audience in His Majesty’s Theatre last evening, when Miss Rosemary Rees, assisted by a few local amateurs, staged three one-act plays from her own pen. The first piece was a short farcical comedy, or >‘curtain-raiser,” for three people, entitled “A Judicial Separation.” Mist Rees appeared as Betty Sharland, and her acting showed the value of expo rience in such a critical centre # London. The part called for a repro sentation of the lighter and more frivolous sides of the feminine character and Miss Rees’ work was delightfully natural and convincing. She at once captured the audience with her displays of petty temper, jealousy, am love, -and at all times demonstrated chat she knows a woman’s ways. Mrs; A. F. Kennedy had amice part a; Margaret Wilding, the friend to whom Betty Sharland goes for sym pathy against the temper of her husband’ and Mr. Max Jackson was very successful as Algernon Sharland. H< at once made himself at homo on tin stage, and played his part with pleri ry of animation, and only good word can he said of his work. The dia logue of the comedy ,is exceptionally clever, the humor crisp,, and the situ at ions well contrived, and the audience was kept laughing from the rise of the curtain to the fall. Miss Bees’ best work was in the little tragic drama, “The New Gun/ a’clever one-act play th’ iugh which runs a strong vein of pat iotisra. At Nance Trcnwith Miss Rios is afforded opportunities for powerful acting and she was quite equal to her self imposed task. She thoroughly under stood 1 what was required to make the part convincing and yet display a naturalness and. attentiveness to detail that made her work full of artistic merit. Mr. Percy Adair had- a good part as Jack Trenwith, the inventoi of the new gun, and in his display oi lassitude and indifference to passing events was perfectly natural. His scene when he discovers that the secret of his invention is about to be stolen was not quite so well done, but on the whole Mr. Adair deserves ere dit for a fine performance. Mr. A. F. Kennedy appeared as the French spy.. Daudet, and his character study was; most artistic. His representation oi the oily-tongued spy was an even piece of acting, and he mot with warm approval. Mr. R. H. Clark had only a small part, a detective. The third play was one dealing with love and jealousy, entitled “Her De i rest Friend,” and again Miss Rees act: d with great charm as Ursula Hammond. Mrs. Max Jackson played Molly Anstruther in ,a dainty manner. and Mr. A. F. Kennedy appeared as Bothy Menteith,-who is in love with Ur. ula. During the intervals an enjoy; -le musical programme was given, in whic-i Mr. J. C. Collin; sang “Douglas Gordon,” and in response to an encore “Kate O'.Shane. Miss Rosemarv Rees sang “I Bid My Love,” Mr. F. Teat ‘AYhere Rose; Gleam,” Mr. Percy Adair “Youth,” and Mr. Max. Jackson “King Char les,” and as an encore number the humorous hunting song, “The O.i Grey Fox.” An efficient orchestra under the baton of Mr. Mainland Foster, played “My Mimosa Maid” and a selection from “The Girls of Gottenborg ” The plays were all well staged. and Mr. A. F. Kennedy, who acted as stage manager, deserves ere dit for the successful manner m which they were produced.