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Billings Butts In
FINE DRAMATIC PERFORM-
ANCE.
On Thursday, November 28, the
Hawker Dramatic Club presented
the comedy drama "Billings Butts
ID" at 139 Quorn Tov/n Hall in aid
of the Angoricbiaa Hostel for T B.
.ex-eoldiers. Considering the ability
eftba artists and the cause to which
the proceeds are to be pat, the attendance
was no* so laige as was
expected. Nevertheless, the Bum of
£15 2/6 "was taken, which must be
considered satisfactory when all the
adverse circutnstauens are taken into
account.
—Tha Caste.—
Billings (traveller for hymnbook
firm) ... Mr H, C. Gale
Benjamin Townley (a professor)
Mr O. L. Richards
Rev Algernon Towuley (a bishop,
Professor's brother)
Mr F, Phillips
Robert Thorpe (engaged to
Professor's daughter)
MrF. Coghlan
Henry Grabliold (a detective)
Mr G. Ganley
Jamas Rollonsee (a lunatic)
Mr R. Edwards
William Muller (keeper of an
asylum) ... Mr R. Wright
Mrs Townley (Professor's wife)
^
Mrs Fulton
Celia (Professor's niece) ...Mrs Gale
Nancy
Miss M. Pumpa
Margaret ... Miss G. Zietz
(Professor's daughters)
Miss Lavondei Lawson (Mrs
Townley's sister) ... Miss Seal
OJga (a Danish servant)
Mrs H. Pyman
. The brunt of the work fell on Mr
Gale. who, as Billings, was in the
picture from start to finish, and
played bis^pari -well. The curtain
rose to drawing room scene, in
which BsojamKi ToWriley XMr O. L.
Richards') was engaged in argument j
on tb9 merits of boxing with Robert
Thorpe (Mr F. Coghian), whc is en- ;
gaged to Nancy (.Miss Pumpa), tbe
professor's daughter. On departing,
Thorpe drops his ticket for the boxing
contest, and on returning parsuades
him to go to the exhibition of
life a.r>d blood.'" The boxing hall
is raided by the police, and in escaping
down a. drainpipe the professor
receives a beautilul black eye. The
Professor and Thorpe were at, home
only a few minutes, when Billings
climbs through the window and asks
to be hidden from his pursuers, the
police, one of whom he had spreadeagled
at the gate. The venue of
play now becomes interesting and
full of fun. As a traveller in hymnbooks
. and and playing cards, Billings
naturally shows great resource,
and when the professor leaves the
room scrambles into Bishop Townley's
suit. This completely fools
the detective (Mr G. Ganley), who
ig hot on the trail. Tbe dialogue is
extremely good, and the efforts of
Billings to sustain the role of th'e
dear Bishop from Bathurst were
most entertaining. Celia is tired of
the humdrum existence with her
uncle, and longs for the bright lights
of the city. She recognises in 'Billings
a kindred soul, and asks him
$nany questions concerning Australia.
He replied that the beautiful
boomerang trees were in flower when
he left, and that the fashion of kangaroos
carrying babies in pouches
had changed ; they were now carried
on the back ! Tbe fun grows faster,
when the real bishop is announced.
Qlga (the Danish servant) shows to
advantage in a sparkling bit o
comedy. She is bribed not to betray'
her knowledge and right through
the piece she says to either the Professor
or Billings, " I nezar saw
you come in ; I nezar saw you come
out' I nezar saw you no ways—10
dollars F' Towards the close she
thinks,.she will have enough money
to "yoomp her yob !'' Consternation
reigned when the real bishop
arrives, and he is rushed off to his
room by Thorpe, who has been appointed
his valet. The Bishop, anticipating
tho neyr suit.that has been
appropriated by. Billings, sends the
suit he had been wearing to th@
presseiv r A lunatic, in the garb of an
Indian, escapes from an asylum next
door, and finds his way to the profeasor's
He sees the bishop on the
stairs clad in nothing but a blanket
looking for his valet. The lunatic
thinks the bishop is also an Indian,
and & great mix up follows, in which
'the bishop is adorned with featbezs
and proclaimed a chief. Event fol-
lows event in quick succession/and
as in tbe old-fashioned storybook,
everything ends happily.
' The comedy was a pleasant interlude
to the "sob and fl%pper stuff"
of American pictures, and full of
wholesome humour, All the artists
knew their parts thoroughly and
played them well. All the ladies
were delightful characters, and we
''fell" for the old maid who had
written 551J love letters to th
bishop and eventually gained ber
reward. With the ringing down of
the curtain each performer -was presented
with a bouquet—mostly
vegetable.
The Mayor (Mr S, C. Cbennell),
before dispersing, thanked Mr Gale
and his talented company for coming
along and helping in «. worthy
cause, and in reply-the manager said
ifc.gave4}im tbe greatest pleasure to
do do so. ,
The arrangements :
at Qaorn were
m the hands of Mr <?_£, Wbyte.
$