The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1910-04-21
'THE LAND OF NOD"


One of the Host Enjoyable Produc.
tions that Has Been Seen In ffender-
son-Performance Monday Night
Witnessed by Large and Apprecia-
tive Audience-Laughter and Ap-
pIause Unstinted from Start to Fin
ish-Many Came from Oxford.
Manager Poythress has given Hen
derson theatre-goers some very fine
attractions this season, but nothing
that was more thoroughly pleasing
than the spectacular musical extrav-
aganza 'The Land of Nod" as pre-
sented by Samuel E. Rork's excellent
company at the Grand Theatre Mon
day night. 1t was a brilliant pro-
duction, tuneful in music and rich in
color-an amazing array OF pretty
and nimble footed chorus girls, novel
features, superb costumes, beauti-
full scenery and sparkling electrical ef-
acknowledgement with comedy stu
ations that kept the audience in a
state OF good humor and constant
laughter and applause from the time
the curtain rose in the first act until
it went down on the final scene.
The house was well nigh full the
audience being the largest with but
two exceptions since it was opened.
And judged by the laughter and ap-
plause a better pleased audience has
not been seen there at any time.
There was objection on the part of a
few at the brevity of the skirts, or
rather the fact that some of the fe-
males wore no skirts at all being
dressed in tights. land to be expected
in such a production of the kind but
in word or act there was nothing to
offend the most refined sensibility.
The songs were catchy and the cho-
rus singing good. OF the female
voices that OF Miss Bessillee Merrill,
the prima-donna, who essayed the
role of The Jack of Hearts, won
the most praise. while the work of
Miss Rose Stanley as the Chorus
Girl, established her as a favorite.
Miss Eleanor Suffer was most be-
witching as Bonnie, and Miss Doro-
thy Ellis lacked nothing in the role of
The Rory Bory Alice. Robert La
Londe as the Sandman, George Fox
as The Man in the Moon. Fred Harm
don as The King of Hearts, Fred
Williams as the Weatherman. and
Nelson Riley The Devil were strong
in their respective parts, and COM
bined to make up strong company
with the excellent chorus supporting
them. Neil Mcneil the star comedian,
as The April Fool. exudes humor as
naturally as blotting paper absorbs
ink. To look at him is to laugh, to
see his grimace and to hear his fool
ishness is to laugh the louder. No
funnier fellow has been seen or heard
on this stage than Neil Mcneil, and
his droll and laughable catch words
are heard more frequently than any
thing else now. But "that's all right, :"
and it might be "fair enough" if they
could only say it as Mcneil does.
Deserving of special commendation
for his excellent work was Mr.. Jose
Mason as The Wesh Rarebit. This
was his first effort in that line he be-
ing called on to take the part here on
account of sickness of the actor who
essays that role. Mr.. Mason is trans
portation agent and under study OF
the principal male characters, and
the ease with which he fits in and
makes good in an emergency as he
did here shows his versatility of tai
ent and aptitude for acting.
Manager Poythress and Manager
ROrk have the thanks of Monday
nights audience for the very rich and
enjoyable entertainment given them
in "The Land of Nod"
A special train was run from Oxford
bringing large party of ladies and
gentlemen from our neighboring
town, while there we're others from
Kittrell, Middleburg, and neighbor-
ing places as we'll as from the country
| adjacent.