FLORENCE YOUNG RETURNS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 51, 1 March 1915, Page 6

FLORENCE YOUNG RETURNS.

« "THE CLIMAX." When one lias been accustomed to ieten rag to a prima donna from the repeetful distance oi the dress circle, and eeing her surrounded by a numerous N md gorgeously caparisoned chorus, sing- jjj ng io the accompaniment of a score of tt nst-rumentalists, one might expect that f a t would take some time to readjust ai ;ne ; s focus when she it merely one of " our, and the background to ber dittiee j 0 s supplied by a "cottage grand." But ni t was not 60 on Saturday ewning when bi Hiss Florence Young put on "The "] Climax" in the concert chamber of the tl town Hall. The war and other causes ci lave played havoc with the old combina.ions which have provided people in this J >art of the world with their entertain- m nent in the past, hence the new com- tl Minies we have been getting dur.iig the tl jast few months. Miss Young comes 6! xlong with Mr. Claude Bantock, Mr. t< Reginald Roberts, and Mr. Edward ■ihwrras, and the result iB unexpectedly o: [ileasing. The playlet does not make gj nuch demands on the acting—in fact, it *" reminds one of nothing so much as a siece for amateurs done by pfofessidnate —but it is exceedingly natural, amusing, - md holds the interest. J The story concerns a certain Adelina van Hagen, a young woman from Azalea, Ohio, the daughter of a narrow-minded I: Dutchman, and an opera singer. She comes to New York to have her voice -, trained—the maternal trait being upper- 1 most in her character. There she falls in with a sort of -uncle, a good-natured ] foreigner who lives with his 6on —a -, budding genius, -with an uncertain temper J and a talent for composing. In a threeroomed tenement they find space for r the young lady from Ohio, and live a I pleasant Bohemian sort of life —an C Americanised version of Trilby as it > where. When things ate going, swim- s mingly, and Adelina is on the road to i 4 achieve trans-footlighte bouquets and |£ contracts with most satisfactory figures | j in the Wank left for the salary, there \ E happens along a prig of a medical j* student from Adelina's native haunt, and j when he is not qualifying for. the right g to add M.T). to his shingle he comes into J the pleasant Bohemian studio, and makes eye* at Adelina, his chief topic of con- •« vereation being the utter inability of J actresses to retain their halo -Of primitive purity on the 6tage. Adelina laughs at him, as she doeß at Pretro, her uncle's iraecible young genius, and lets everyone know that she is not going to make the same mistake as 'her mother, who gave Up a brilliant career for love. A slight T operation on Angelina's -throat is necessary, and the Bohemians commission the young man from Azalea to get it done. r He forms a diabolical plan —he is a J "mental Suggestioner,"' as Adelina calls t it, to make her think that her voice has not survived the result of the operation, and under this crushing blow she gives up all idea of a career, end promises to marry him. On the wedding-day an accident rereate the truth, and the doctor who sacrificed the best traditions of a noble calling to his own ends, confesses. ■ Adelina can sing better than ever, and * she exultingly goes through "The Song of the Soul," a great piece that young Pietro had composed for her. But you can never tell what a woman will do and when the curtain goes down she is in the doctors arms.' f 1 The action takes place in "New York in .. so there is.not much need for J elaborate ? ■ Mjss Young has 1 several, songs during* the course of "the -. play, and never fails' to create the enthusiasm which always greets her appearance. Although "Tbe Climax" is a i play, these songs are evolved Jiaburally out of the plot, and come in quite naturally. The doctor, in spite of his antipathy to everything savouring of the stage, is given several songs. One would have thought these should have fallen to the lot of Pietro. Mr. Reginald Roberts, / as the doctor, was as popular as usual. Mr. Claude Bantock made a likeable and ) ~ amusing old uncle. Mr. Edmund Sherras, who was excellent as Pietro, played the accompaniments, and also sang an Irish softg. The audience thoroughly appreciated the playlet, with its incidental music and songs, and was unstintirg in its applause, all the songs being encored. .< "The Climax" is weU worthy of a visit \ for itself-alone, even if "the four artiste ] concerned an its representation were not ■• in themselves sure to drew good houses. \ The entertainment wiP. he repeated • nightly during the present week. < ' . ._.__ ._..__ ' i