“Little Lord Fauntleroy.”

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 441, 15 April 1890, Page 2

“Little Lord Fauntleroy.”

It is now definitely announced that the Little Lord Fauntleroy Company will play at McFarlane’s Hall, Gisborne, on Friday evening next. The company has had big success in Auckland, where they are now playing. And ini all other places the success has been equally! great. Under the heading “ Princess Theatlre,” a contemporary gives the following report:— “ The genuine! success of the dramatised version of Mrs F. H. Burnett's charming story, ‘Little Lord Fauntleroy,’ is universally admitted, and uninistakably attested, by large audiences at this theatre. Those who have read the book ars anxious to compare tbeir personal conceptions of the characters with the actual personations of them, and those who have not are'attracted to learn the story and witness the enactment of scenes which have invested the novel with such fresh and universal interest, and rendered the book so widely popular and generally discussed. On Saturday evening another large and brilliant audience assembled to witness the performance, to which a fresh element of interest was added in the appearance of a new representative in the child title-role. Miss Olive Berkeley, who during the past week has acquitted herself so admirably as Little Lord Fauntleroy, has been considerately and wisely regarded by the management, and in view of the added attain entailed by matinee performances, a measure of- rest has been secured for the talented little lady by the engagement, of Miss Gracia Hopkins to ocoaeionally relieve her, and such an arrangement maete in some degree the objection to the employment of children on the stage. The management are to be congratulated on having so capable a substitute for the original representative in Miss Gracia Hopkins. This young lady is to be cordially complimented upon her first appearance on the grounde of her wonderful accuracy and absence of hesitancy in the dialogue, admirable powers of mimicry, thorough ease, and general naturalness and spontaneousness. Her success was readily recognised by the audience, and every point eagerly awaited, and when made rewarded with repeated applause. The generally capable caste have now become thoroughly invested with their respective parts, and the result is a smooth and even performance, that must long continue attractive from its freshness, purity, and excellent tone throughout."