"THE MUMMY AND THE HUMMING BIRD."

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13094, 20 April 1908, Page 9

"THE MUMMY AND THE HUMMING BIRD."

Despite ita somewhat bizarre title and the fact that problem;-, in neither Lgjptology nor ornithology-were prc- '. pcunded, -'The Mummy and the'Hum-r-.mg Bird," presented i;y Mr Herbert l'leinming's Comedy. Company at His \ , Majesty's Theatre on Saturday unfolded a most engrossing narrative, in which a number of exceedingly interesting human ' documents were inI timately concerned. It was a simple i fetory, broadly based on the possibilities of the common round of human experience—the tale of the. husband saturated with interest in -scientific re- ■*/-• bearch, to th© -exclusion of sentiments 01 tender, perceptive sympathy with ■*. the tastes and inclinations of a vivaci- ;• ous girl wife. Honce the mummy. The Slumming bird is tho gay' Italian* Don ""- Juan, the callous wrecker of_ other « men's domestio felicity, whose charms . imperil far a space the wife's happiness ■i nnd the'busband's honour. Verve is f imparted to the motif of the play, and a satisfying crisis promoted, by the fact that the humming bird is hotly pressed' throughout the chapter of his latest villainy by a compatriot .whom ; ho has .previously wronged, and who j. cherishes -an insistent '""■ Wood-lust. £ l**ittally-, the -mummy revive© to an ade- £- quate cense of modern dangers threatemng the sanctity of bis home, and .ortwrth copes- with the situation iin a -t-ioroughly effective manner. It was generally regretted that an W-ortunato .accident in Wellington had served to' incapacitate Miss _eatrioe Day, and so deprive the audience or the pleasure of renewing acquaintance with her sterling talents; but; the 1 regret was tempered to some extent by the ably artistic manner in which -. Anss Guildford-Quinn stepped into r <thi- breach, . and sustained an >" exacting role (that q. Lady Lumley) \ -*> infinite credit. The character of ?* Tr *^" m ' e f ( t * ae abstracted scientist"), Sir FJemmuig invested with all his .*> characteristic charm and artistic suu--5 *loty, and added another notable sueQ> cess to his reputation. Mr H. Varna's _ study of the part of Guiseppe (he of ""*• the blood-lust) was particularly good, \- and ho.fashioned it on lines that car- * "«1 overwhelming conviction. Mr A. ° Homowood, as the Signer D'Orelli • \tho humming bird), was vividly scoundrelly, and he. avoided numberless . .temptations towards over-emphasis rrost creditably. Mr "Winter Hall appeared in the-asmall part of Judson, and was greeted with a most flattering ovation by his erstwhile feß-orw-cit-izens. . , Aliss Elise Clarens, ns Mrs Euth Thornton, Miss Joan Blair as Cum"»gs, Mr Aubrey Mallalieu as Lord Ron.lds,'and the remaining perform- . ere all were hapoilv circuTOslanccd, B - jand acquitted themselves with credit, p* The action of the play compelled an utabated interest fronT curtain to cur- *, tair, the piece was beautifully staged, : and no element was lacking to ensure a decidedly successful production of a •distinctly meritorious work.

To-night the second production of *Th*» Mummy and the Humming Bird' will be given, and to-morrow. " nitrht "The Morals of. Marcus" will be •staged here for the first time. An in-

terostißc feature of to-nieht's performat anc-*- Trill he Mr "Winter Hall's .ippear--ance in ihe character of Lord Lifmlev, ./ the lending part oi the plniv. and cenerallv intr-rpreted br Mr Herbert Flemmine* Drring Mr Flcmming's recent ~" i-? j i—sr-i-in Mr-llxmrne tho part wns played by Mr H-nll with con.sidcr.-'Wp -fuc-c-«3, and "Sir Flem-ring has invited him ■_ to rcpr-at the pei f.*rmance here so th"t r- his many friend, ir ay judge the rapid j* strides he Ixis mado since joining his \ wvrapanv twelve months ago. The box *, plans for the .-. n*nn wi'l" bo ori view to-d_y at His Majesty's Theatre.