"THE BROKEN WING."

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 133, 8 June 1925, Page 9

"THE BROKEN WING."

. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. .»._' Quito a charming comedy Is " The Broken Wing," which was played ror the Urst time at His Majesty's Theatre <m Saturday night by the Thurston Hall Company. Refined in character, with sparklingdialogue, ylculy of movement, a few thrills, and no dull moments, lt gave complete satisfaction to ihe large audlenco which attended the initial performance. The scene is laid In the Mexican lioine or Lulher Farley, an Englishman, who has adopted a Mexican girl Inez Vlllcra. She has been brought ui> according to the ethics or English civilisation, hut. as to the opposite sex. entirely unsophisticated. Accordingly, while frankly anxious to secure a husband, she loathes th,' Mexicans because they are tlirtv, nnd lungs lor a tiring,., ns she calls the. white man, who lius Ills d.illy- tub. As tlie scene opens, the only available suitor is a Mexican with tlie high sounding title of captain Innoccnrio dos Santos ,1 lilting appellation Tor the handsome, blustering, domineering, tricky soldier who bears lt. Under pressure, tho attractive Inez agrees to marry the captain, unless she secures a Oringo husband within a month. Then straightway, as a devout Catholic, sin- prays the. Lord to send her a white husband. The response is quick, for the following day the great crisis or her life occurs, as an aeroplane crashes lo the ground near her home. One or the two occupants is killed, and ihe other, Phillip Marvin, a wealthy Englishman, is badly damaged, brain concussion leaving his mind a complete blank. This Is no drawback to Inez, who promptly annexes the white man, loklng the role or nurse and prospective wire. To any objectors she protests that he was sent to her rrom Heaven. " The Lord He work 'queek.' I give Him a month, and He only take two days." Tlie eternal triangle having been thus established the plot develops, but before the Inevitable happy ending is reached there Is a constant rush of exciting and amusing Incidents which place the play many removes above the commonplace. Scenic elTects are centred on one outstanding feature, the rail of the aeroplane, and this Is most convincing. The whirr or tho engine, the excited yells or the spectators, backed up by effective stage work, herald the climax, when, with a lerriiic clatter, tho living machine crashes on to the stage. The dialogue is bright and clever, the situations piquant and unconventional, giving the company full opportunity to display lis all-round talent. As the blustering Mexican captain. Mr. Thurston Uall presents an exceptionally line character study or a part tliat is in striking contrast to that or Hiram Draper In "So This Is Loudon." Ills was a satisfying nnd brilliant perrorrnance tliat was rully appreciated by the audience. Equally deserving of praise was Miss Gladys Webster, who took the part or Inez. Tne quaint mannerisms ot' the Mexican girl and her almost embarrassing yet still charming franknesg were interpreted wltb grace and fidelity. Intense vivacity on the part or the r,ctres3 completed a representation that won the whole-hearted sympathy of the audlenco. The part or Phillip Marvin, who temporarily lo=t his memory, was taken by Mr. Leslie Harrle, who handled somo dUTlcult situations with entire credit. As a whole, the company was well balanced, but. apart from ihe principals, special reference should be made to the good work or Monty Woir as Sylvester Cross, a Yankee adventurer, and or Miss Sylvia Clifton as Oulchita, a Mexican girl. Mr. R. C. Whittingham, ct young inventor from West Bronrwich, has just brought out a. new device which will add to the difficulties of the burglar. It is nothing less than a safe which screams us soon as it is touched by an unauthorised hand, and goes on screaming for four hours, or until someone who knows how to stop it comes along. The scream is pot in motion by delicate and secret mechanism connected with a vigorous motor hooter, and 1b loud enough to arouge tho entire neighbourhood within a radius of a quarter of a mile or more.