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From
an unknown newspaper (probably based in Belfast)
ULSTER
COMEDY AT THE EMPIRE
Ulster comedy, presented by a company fully adequate to the demands of a performance fully satisfying to a naturally critical Northern public, constitutes the excellent fare (sic) purveyed by Mr. Gerald Morrison at the Empire this week, and large audiences at both houses last night gave evidence that the catering being in every way suited to their taste. The company is a talented combination of Irish players, organised and headed by Mr. Desmond Crean, and while Mr Charles K. Ayre's side-splitting County Down comedy "The Skipper's Submarine" is the piece de resistance for the entire week there is the attraction of two different curtain raisers - Mr. R. S. Bolton's "Going West" played last night and to be repeated on Friday, and a new comedy* by Mr. Louis J. Walsh to be performed tonight for the first time on any stage, also on the nights of Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. The popular Maghera-born lawyer, who is now a Free State District Judge in Co. Donegal requires no introduction to a Belfast audience, being the author of that redoubtable Ulster comedy success "The Auction at Killybuck". It is understood that his new one-act comedy is a skit on a phase of life in a small Northern country town, and circles round an amusing incident concerning a £10 note. The three characters will be taken by - Mr Desmond Crean (a bank manager), Mr Leonard Martin (his cashier) and Mr (Mrs?) Billie Doherty (a spinster).
The two roles
in which Mr. Crean appeared last night - Private Danny Hogan, of the Connaught
Rangers, in "Going West" and Skipper Dick Green in "The Skipper's
Submarine" - are marked in contrast and served to demonstrate the versatility
of Mr. Crean's dramatic and comedy gifts. His "Skipper" is an exceedingly
clever study, and he realised perfectly the differing moods of the character,
up to the screamingly funny (but for him tragic) denouement. In the curtain
raiser, Mr. Ted O'Brady was natural and effective as the
Shankill Road Danny M'Cready of the Royal Irish Rifles; while Mr. Benjamin
Palmer was excellent in his role of the swashbuckling
German officer. Mr Palmer was also a success as the
local constable in "The Skipper's Submarine". Very meritorious also
were the respective performances of Miss Mary D'Arcy as Minnie
Rooney, Miss Nora O'Donnell as the Skipper's wife, Mr.Ted
O'Brady (in love with Minnie), Mr. J.P. Leonard
(shopkeeper) and Mr. W. J. Doherty (Johann Faber).
*
Possibly "The Deposit Receipt" written in 1928