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Australia 137
for plays and " The Lady " which the company played after " Spring Cleaning " rather shocked, the critics at least. According to the Melbourne Argus: " Personal success for Miss Pauline Frederick and her company at the Theatre Royal could not disguise the fact that the drama in which they appeared was crude and sordid and that parts of it were unfit for presentation. No artistic purpose is served in this introduction to gutter life and considered as entertainment it is disgusting. If any are attracted by such a scene many others are repelled. The play was certainly well acted. Miss Frederick showed striking ability in all the dramatic scenes and dealt expertly with the quieter episodes. Her work did much to improve a too wordy part. It said a great deal for Miss Frederick's skill that she could make such scenes acceptable." Even though " The Lady " was not a particularly pleasant play, this was not a case of " the play's the thing." As in the case of the audiences in Sydney, the people had not come to see a play, they had come to see a person, and so despite the scathing criticisms upon the plays themselves, the house was packed every night. Yet again, what Pauline wore was a matter of prime importance to the people of Melbourne and the Argus describes her costumes at length:
" Pauline Frederick came with the reputation of being one of the best-dressed women on the screen and her first appearance justified her title. She is slender and has extraordinary vivacity of expression. Her frocks were well calculated to enhance her charm and also to appeal irresistibly to the women of her audience. Her first negligee in the play is practically a ball gown and presents a lovely color scheme of dull marrow yellow veiled with azalea rose georgette and burnished gold lace. The inner robe is fashioned of superimposed layers of pleated and plain georgette