"MOLLY BAWN."

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17749, 28 April 1923, Page 14

"MOLLY BAWN."

AN IRISH MELODRAMA. Mr Allen Doone made the first change of his Christ-church season last night, when he staged an old favourite "Molly Bawn," a play which gained him many friends on his previous tours. Were it not far the -{jiH-fceui-U'd roie of Ted .Lutiiell, "Molly Bawn" would be rather intolerable, for itis really little more than olcnime melodrama,. Mr Alien Doone is his usual cheerful sell in tale roie of led Lunreli, una ne hum-cur and pamos exceeuiiig.y veil. JJoone'a methods are entirely lus own, unu «, uiiuei-cutuue< periectly now to endear himself with an Irish audience: He has u quiet, but genuine, view oi humour, and he i.-u luiui., u utile mannerism which helps him to .make good in what wouid citen u<rather a colourless soene otherwise. The part of Ted Luttreli does not atloid him many opportunities, but he maies the most oi what chances he has. ana he a-ppetls to the audience, which, after all, is all that an actor wishes. Miss Edna lieeley supports Mr Doone splendidly as Eieauor Massereene, otherwise "Molly Bawn.'' Miss li.eeloy is a dainty little actress who can bo gay or sad equally well as occasion demands, and even in her most serious moments she has a delightful little Irish accent which would carry her immediately to the heart of any true- son of Erin. The honours oi the piece undoubtedly fall to Mr Charles brown, whose impersonation last night of the choleric, but warmhearted, Lord Amherst —doomed, by the wuy, to be the victim of the murder of the piece—was a really good piece of character acting. The part is one which could easily be made something of a burlesque in the hands of a less skilful artist, but Mr Brown succeeds in maintaining an excellent balance, and combining dignity with SrVhos without making the chantctoT ludicrous, or even humorous. As the villain of the piece, Mr Ronald Riley is much better than he was in "Lucky O'Shea." He males of Philip Shadwell a consummate rogue, almost without lettin? his audience know it, and his quiet methods are in pleasant contrast to the generally accepted Mephistophelean character of the villain of melodrama. Miss Adele Inmiin does excellent work as the missri'ided Marcia, ready to- sacrifice even her liberty for her unworthy lover. Mils? Mabel Russell is out of her element in the low comedy role of the maid, while "smaller narts are filled with more or less succpss by Messrs Richard BelIfUTB, J. Vincent-White, Kevin Kerigan and others. Miss Connie Kyte deserves a word of praise for dance in the third act, while Mr Doone kings three or four songs and impersonate Robert , Emmett in his famous speech from the dock'to the satisfaction of most of the auflience. "Molly Bawn" will be repeated to-nignt and on Monday.