AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 32, 7 February 1910, Page 9

AMUSEMENTS.

; -uREWSTER'S MILLIONS."

blending money against time sounds ovel =° rt of aot ' on - wllil -"h does not * ffl at first ht to " ttve ln it; an J" P Os " I SiUnes as the foundation ot a story .gi a. pl a y- #^ne n 1 * 111 wno thought 'built it thought about something absofatelr nesv -> and tlle stor J' "■*«* he made I round it ia one of the nioat amusing that have «"•'" been F er P-t r at'--J j- eff ster's Millions" he called it, and it ieen made into the cleverest, tha aibsuxd, and the most joyous play r Ijje It amused v large aud- ; nee in the theatre on Saturday night \en i^ r - J* *-'• Company glared it, but the piece has already estil>li=h«i itself as a favourite with ..jjjjland playgoers, many of -whom have wen it an d been delighted by it before. . jjj (Qe first place Brcwster hadn't any mHiions. He had some rather decent, friends, probably lie had a few debts, and he also had a good time. Then his orwidwther died, and Montgomery fj,-ewster found himself heir to a quarter c f a million sterling. He had scarcely cot himself used to spending- as much nioaey as he liked when an eccentric ancle died, who had offered in his will to ilve to one Montgomery Brevvster, his jepheTv. the sum of two million pounds provided he dissipated every cent of his quarter of a million within one year. Brenster decided that he would try. and of course the story would not have .been ijrorth while ii he had not succeeded, but le very nearly did miss. Spending at the rate of seven hundred pounds per dar he did not find the easiest of tasks, particularly as his friends, who were not in the" secret, were anxiou* to save him from himself. For one year he was the most prodigally extravagant man in the .Tj-orld, and so far was successful, but some of his business went wrowj. He bought gambling stocks on a. very bad market, and they straightway advanced; he invested on the rankest outsider in a horse race, and it started at forties and iiron: be went to Monte Carlo to play and had to -*pend £50.000 more as a result; he spent hatfuls of money on a chorus girl in the endeavour to make her an aetrtM* aad he succeeded to such an extent that she wanted to pay the money tack; and he had a yacht which turned more coal than anything afloat, J>ut it almost left him in mid-ocean still £40,000 to the bad. However, he got ashore, he got rid of his odd Vhou-sands, •he got the two millions, and there is reason to .believe that he also got a wife.

In the play there is no soft music— Bo tense emotional acting, no "situations."' It is all frantic absurdity, but I it is all very very funny, and Mr. [Thomas Kingston as Montgomery Brewster, pood fellow, foolish iellow, and anxious frenzied speidthrift. showed that he is capable of making as much ■fun in the piece as the author could possibly have intended there should be made. In four words, his performance was excellent. Mrs. Dan de MiHe was one of Monty's friends; she "Bras young, ornamental and charming. Her role i= a delightful one, and it Wa3 played in exquisite taste by Miss Ethel Warwick, who looked, acted, and walked the part splendidly. Miss Nellie Calvin impersonated the winsome voting lady whom the hero loved, and did Tt reasonably -well. The other members of the company it is needless to particularise, for the reason that all of them fillpd their parts -well. Of the ladies, Miss Emma Temple, 3liss 3larjorie Murray, and 3liss Maud Wingfield were allotted the parts next in importance to those aireadv mentioned. Mr. G-regan MoMahon, as Joseph MeLeod, Brewster's most pessimistic and most candid friend, had a little more difficult ■work to do than the others, and as usual he did it ■well. A feature of the production of the piece is the scene in which the stage is transformed for the time being into a yacht, -with a funnel -which smokes, a cannon, a whistle, and a most uncomfort'aJbie looking roll—everything in fart except seasickness and a smell. The scene is a very realistic one, very much more convincing , than such representations usually are on the stage. "Brewster's Millions" -prill be repeated to-night and ior the two succeeding tights. OPERA HOUSE. The new programme at the Opera House -was -witnessed by a large audience on Saturday night, every available eeat in the house being taken. The bill is a varied one, and that it is singularly attractive is proved by the continued applause with which the various pictures were greeted. The opening picture, entitled "The Evasion," shows how a treacherous peasant betrays a political refugee, and how he meets a just retribution. "Sooty Sketches" is a very clever and amusing picture, showing rapid sketching on a sooted cardiboard. A fine film shows the review of the troops at Liverpool Camp KX.S.TiI.) by Lord Kitchener. "Muggins, T.C." is a dramatic picture, telling of the heroism of one who had always been looked upon as a half-witted yokel. "The Gibson Goddess," -which concludes the first part of the programme, shows the penalty for being beautiful. The second pert of the programme includes a fine architectural picture entitled "In Old Rouen." A very fine dramatic film, "The Diver's Remorse," presents some exceptionally fine subterranean scenes. There is a fine picture showing "Tobacco Growing in the Malay Archipelago," and a sensational film entitled "A Duel in Mid-air." ffhere are several other fine films Ehovn. and the whole programme is remarkably good. To-night the programme Trill be repeated, and a new film received by post this morning, showing "The Funeral of King Leopold of Belgium." will be screened for the tot time. ROYAL ALBERT HALL. There were large audiences at the ■fioyal Albert Hail on Saturday at both performances, when the current programme was again well received. The *ame programme is again billed for tonight. THE TIYOLI. Two large audiences attended the ■livoli Theatre on Saturday, when the programme was repeated. The Kle Programme will be shown to-night.