AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 226, 21 September 1906, Page 6

AMUSEMENTS.

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE

C THE PEICE OP SIN"."

At His Majesty's Theatre last evening MaeMahon's Dramatic Company •taged their third production during the present season, "The Price of Sin," by Mr E. Hill-Mitehelson. The play is a typical one of love, unprincipled villainy, (persecuted innocence, and nnal discomfiture of the evil-doers, but though presenting few strikingly new situations, St is a pleasant change from some of its more lurid predecessors. An even interest is maintained, while the more dramatic scenes have not been removed too far from the region of possibility, a fact ■"winch, was emphasised by' the general immunity from over-acting which characterised the work of the performers. (The plot centres round the schemes of !Frank Foster, alias Six Fox Yorke, and ibis accomplice, the supposed wife of Major Crawford. After trying in various ways to upset the happiness of Nancy Crawford, the Major's daughter, and her lever Lieutenant Cecil Ray, they leoncoct a plot for bettering their finances and at the same time ruining their TinBnspecting victims. 'The Lieutenant, ,who is in monetary difficulties, is iufluced to obtain some jewellery, which 3ie is led to believe is the property of the Majors wife. In reality it belongs %o Nancy Crawford, and they also omit to tell him that it is to her room that the must go to get tho jewel case. When detected "by fhe girl, he sees the mistake whereby he has compromised the object of his affections, as well as rendering himself liable to imprisonment. The former danger is ingeniously averted, and helped by the lies of the schemjers, he goes to gaol. To escape the persecutions of Foster. "Nancy leaves her home and 33 secretly married to Ray, (Who has broken gaol in order to see &er. He returns 1o prison aud villainy triumphs temporarily, but assisted by a former husband of Kate Crelyn, the Major's supposed wife, the 1-tev. James Small, Jim Trotter, and snndry other persons, the plots of the evil-doers are laid "bare, and retribution speedily follows, virtue receiving its usual reward, .while Foster is shot by his accomplice who also finds herself in the hands of the law just as as they were about to 2oake a start for Paris with all the available money and jewellery in the Major's hands. As Nancy Crawford, the heroine, Miss Oriel Hotson was a distinct success, never extravagant in her emotional scenes, she was simple, earnest and convincing, without a trace of stiffness or over-acting. Miss Helen Fergus made an accomplished companion for the arch-villain Frank Foster (Mr A. Boothman) in their efforts to ruin the happiness of others. Associated with Miss May Renno in some excellent comedy work were Jim Trotter (Mr E. Nable) and the Rev. James Small fMr Maurice Lynch). The latter, as a mild curate of the burlesque stage type, was particularly good. The hero's part was Tery capably filled by Mr Chas. Blake, iwhile as Major Crawford Mr S. A. Fitzgerald was fairly successful. A word of praise is also due to Mi , E. B. Ilussell, who made the most of Ms role of "Jack She Welsher" and legal husband of Kate Crelyn, as well as to Mr Harry Norman, who as an old army pensioner and the father of a reprobate son, acted with strength and conviction, especially in ibis final scene, where he expires after denouncing his unworthy offspring as the thief of his treasured war-medals. Several minor parts were capably filled. A. praiseworthy interpretation received the assistance of the careful staging and attention to detail which has characterised the past productions.

The piece wl be repeated this evening.