TRAGIC LOVE.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19623, 20 May 1929, Page 7

TRAGIC LOVE.

"ROMEO AND JULIET." PLAYED IN THEATRE ROYAL. "licmeo and Juliet," Shakespeare's play of passionate love —passionate almost to the point of madness —was played by the Allan Wilkie Company in the Theatre Royal on Saturday evemng. One of the tragedies, it commands a high position in the pubUc favour to-day, even compared with many of the other Shakespearean works for the romance, the bye that can fearlessly brave the /*«»««£ death and the darkness of the tomb the great emotions of all shades ino. colour that run riot through the whole death-strewn pageant, the real ana vivid personalities, and finally tine mofal go to the building of a plaj -£e beauty of which soars high above the common levels.. No half measures here but mighty hates, splendid lovaltv, passionate love, and sublime courage. Those who witnessed the play on Saturday night were swept involuntarily into that vortex ot human emotions, listening breathlessly to the love-making of Romeo below the balcony, to the sweet fancies ot the brave Mercutio—the Mercutio wno. mocking gently at the ravages of-love on his friend Romeo, yet dies ior to loyaltv to the house of Montague. iae.. two lovers are the principal characters by whi-h this work is remembered, but without Mercutio much of the colour and life would be lost. EssentiaUy > man's man, and yet of a polisMj""; ner and a refined nature, he is of the stuff that poets are made of. Less impetuous than the lovesick Romeo heis, notwithstanding, staunch and true pnd his character shines forth line a steadv beacon in a storm-tossed sea or human passions. Mercutio is in » word, lovable. Romeo is not a strong character and his pa-sions soon become his master, lashing him to a fine frensy. \ point that has been commented upon bv critics is the sudden and unnatural transference of his affections from Rosaline to Juliet even before he has exchnno-ed a word with his new love Considering the highly-strung temperament of the man. however, sucn an oc-currence is by no means inexpncsDie. Juliet's love burns with a steadier ft-me. and throughout she displays a higher form of courage than that oi her wooer. Could Romeo have swallowed that strange sleeping draught in such circumstances, not sure whetner Friar Laurence was administering a mere opiate or a deadly poison One suspects that he would have looked first for another alternative while Juliet was still safe and alive Of mercutio Mr Alexander Marsh drew a fine interpretation, and tne death scene was one of the most dramatic in the whole play. There was a sense of realness about it all. and his words were spoken in just the way one felt that the Bard meant them to be. The bitter jesting and the impetuous exclamation, "A plague o' both your houses!'' disclosed his reluctance to die at such a moment and in s.uoh a manner, but there was no fearonly a brave man's anger at the foolish circumstances. Her graceful figure pnd her undefinable charm made it a foregone conclusion tint Miss HunterWatts should be the Juliet to Mr Dennis Barry's Romeo, and she came through a trying ordeal—for the part li trying —triumphantly No less successful was Mr Barry as Romeo, and his reception of the order of banishment in the friars cell reve led a remarkable appreciation of the histrionic art 4s the friar, Mr Allan WiUne was cast irr | a minor role. Of vital importance to

the plsy is Juliet's old nurse, and this part was entrusted to Miss Lorna Vorbes, who m.naged to span the yeaia between her own age and that of the enigmatic old lauy with singular success. The gross and beefy lybald wa& played by Mr John Cairns, who made of the killing of Mercutio such a callous business that one felt he died, all too suddenly, on Romeo's sword. Mr Waiter Plinge was Montague and Mi> William Lockhart played Capulet, that peaceably disposed man who berated hi 3 daughter, Juliet, so mercilessly when she would have none of the chosen husband. The other characters were also well depicted. The whole piece was well staged, and the street brawls in particular were effective.

" KING LEAR »* TO-NIGHT. Mr Wilkie commences his last week at the Theatre Royal to-night with a new production of "King Lear," and is said to give his best performance in the rale of the mad King. Miss Hunter-Watts has the part of the gentle Cordelia, Miss Lorna Forbes is Goneril, Miss Marjorie Carr plays Regan, Mr Marsh enacts the villain Edmund, Mr Cairns is the faithful Duke of Kent, with Mr Dennis Barry filling the important role of Edgar, and Mr Ksane, the pathetic Jester who follows the King in his wander ings. Mr Wilkie bad the honour, of presenting this production during his visit to Auckland in the presence of their Excellencies Sir Charles Fergusson and Lady Alice Fersusaon. and Auckland and Dunedin were loud in their praises- of his staging of this play, which is now seen for the first time in Christchurch.

To-morrow "The Tempest" will be revived for one performance, and Mr Wilkie plays his last matinee on Wednesday with "The Taming of the Shrew." The season closes with the majestic pageant play of ' 'Henry the Eighth" on Saturday next.