"THE WOMAN PAYS."

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7823, 16 June 1909, Page 4

"THE WOMAN PAYS."

[ In"The Woman l*ays," the author lias; created, a plot, m wie unfolding of winch accident plays"' an important part. To the ordinary student ot drama Uw end is apparent almost" from " the | peginnjng, but this proved "no"disadvantage to the success' of the play." it is not a' question of how will it end, but by what means/ and.'it isia)v4tch:ing the unusual developments, so"nc^. !in those scenes and incidents" which always appeal to the common instinct, ;that the real interest lies, iThough drama is to some exteni i.QPJjug '})} favour, due probably to the failure pjj the part of the play-writer toßPtl the public taste, good drama, well staged and acted, will not fail to win proper share of public attention and patronage; but before this can be gained there must be revolution m stage craft as it is witnessed m New Zealand to-day. There jnust at least be some show of originality; and, while delighted with the Irishisms of Mickey Maloney, for instance, we are disgusted to find that his jokes are musty and fusty with agej and might, like himself, " have been covered with periwinkles." That which is commonplace SSJdpm pleases, and it is full time that some'of. those good old ideas which will live as long as the stage exists were presented m more modern and becoming dress. This fault must not be attributed to the members of the GcaehM.arlow Company m any large degree j indeed., perhaps not at all; for -they j correctly 'interpreted what had been written; but to the author these strictures do apply. '■■'•' • The company which appeared m ifcfye Oddfe^ws' Hall ■ last' evening Was; a strong one, _M> Robert Inman, as Sid Armstrong, ' doing particularly fine worki Miss Leal-Douglas had a heavy &#4 difficult task to perform, and 'ph& ."acting of'Jihis'gifted lady left'nothing fio be" desired. "There is something'very wholesome about M% j^aud Apple£on> presence' "on" the ' gms. a fayouritjß she \y,ill "always be" SJiie "hwl ample ,opppy*wn;ty' for displaying 'In character ithpse aiiaJities' "of =tri\e womanhood, supli as jo v v,e, "fi.a ( crijß.qe; 'devotion', . ftßtt won. applause ojx' mariy occasions. -■■ Polly Stokes (Miis MJiql 'Buckley) caused, with Mickey Maloney (Mr J. P. O'Neill), rollicking laughter, #nd this "c'cupjot was chiefly instrn* nieataj m keeping - the audience amused. jEpbert Marchant (Mr Kenneth HuriiefX" # /lesperate, soulless, criminally-minded man, pivsb have felt pomplimented by the abs^nc^ pf applause. " His acting was beyond reproach. Nathan Moss, a Tnohey-rlender (Mr Harry' might',be ranted among the' Reading niombers of ' the fjompany, as also .might '■'j/S.f 'JJarry %ia,<ms, described as a bad penny." iSap acting generally gavo iiftfisfa,o-1 Sviqn'-to .the audience, the applause