ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 159, 30 March 1908, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS.

. . , THE HERBERT FLEMMKG COMPANY''* "TIIE MUMMY AND THE HUMMING BIRD." ' ' . ;.'At the Opera House on Saturday night Heroprt Flciimring » new lOiiglish Company opened its Wellington season, with the .production of"The Mummy and the Humming Bird." Lord Xuniloy, 11 chemical scientist, with hopes of )evolutionisms warfare, has, somewhat late iii lile, married a young.and handsome'woman of refined intellect and good family. The first paroxysm of marital happiness over s Lumley becomes , engrossed in ,|iis experiments, and cannot bo induced, to leavo his laboratory, not oven to spend ,an occasional hour-or so m the company of his charming wife. To the spirited woman who has really loved and loves, tlijs "placing of 'herself second to his work, this apparent indifference to her existence, is'irritating—humiliating. Was it for this she marriertr. Was this the .love poets and writers had said-would outlive, life itself? Sui-eIV not. He actually omits, to remember the date iif her birthday, though hints have, been sprinkled ber tore his distracted understanding, and so it comes ;to: pass, that, lacking the demonstration ot lovp tlist'nil—well, most—women desire, she hstons to its 'premise from another quarter— while the Mummy, blind . to what ; is obvious to all others, sticks : to his. pestle and mortar. 1 he .other—the Humming Bird—is Signoi; U'Orelli, who is described as a brilliant youn{,' author,''in. whose t case work does not stand in the way of his playing the part of the philandererwhenever the woman and oppoirtiir nity serve. He is full of fine phrases, he oozes compliments that gather, meaning -through the suffusing warmth of (ha Italian's hot-blooded methods.. The-Humming Bird actually dedicates his latest book 'to Lady. Lumley on the occasion of tho birthday, forgotten by l ; the Mummy! 'i'hat-.cyening there is a dinner'party at. the xCarlton. ; Lumley is too busy to go, so the party, of Lady Lumley and P'Orelli, Ruth Thornton- and Lord Ronalds (friends of 'Lord and .Lnilv Lumley) goi leaving the scientist at. home..' .Tie is about to. have a snack, when the finding of a'street organ is heard without. . He'goes to the window,-and,' seeing tlio snow falling on. the forlorn- figure without, iisks his man-servant to give the: oi-giui-grbulci- a- gold coin and a nip'of brandy.'-".The.sen r ant shows such horror at having to. demean' hini.self -by .such an act that it nettles Lumley, who has ' the . street jniisipian brought upstairs :tq. liihi.: He 'goes further,. and asks tl)c ninazed Italian—'who cannot speak a' work of. English—to dine with him,'inut-h to th'o ill-disgiiised disgust of the servant. After. 1 this queer dinner, Lumley asks Guiseppc wherehe • came from and how, and ;,in his native" tongue, assisted by. sign's,, 'arid tho : use,of thotnblo _furniturev-asiphon,whisky-decanter,. and a scicptist is!,in-, formfedthat .puisop'pa.,.came v .,froni ; (JicliO ; to ; LoiulQii .by way. of 'aijd Paris; Jn fiiiswer' : to the question.'.as,.to' why lie had come, the, Italian " brandishes a knife,, and , screams--"Vendetta!. . Vendetta! ' und''fplls how ,his lioiao has been violated by a smiling,, laughingdevil' of his country, wlio had come to Lbndon. In graphic dumb show he. describes 'the grief of his. wife at the-loss'of lier illicit lover, lier pitting". «iwaj\ -death,' 'and . burisil. ' Over the gravp/- of his'.limip:i J ''.Guiseppe had 's\y'om' a .yeiuletta',. and was ill 1 London- seeding, its fulfilment: - Lumley is ;impressed with.Guiscppe's, descriptioar, of, tW hiaii, :, jand. ' Ijipi D'Oreili's portrait 1 , in : :the hook '• dedicated to his wife.. Of course, it is h'e. The drama demands', that, it sjipuUl be. • Lnmlej% view partly: awakened, 'warns, his-wife', to discourage the visitis""of'D'OrelJi, and fit ;.t,ho: saine -tinie. keeps. Guiseppo' .witlil Him for . subtle: reasons.' lie is,.enlist) ftiyay,. io' Italy 011 .business, v and on ,his return,,' Lord Ronalds, .-a. bi-ipht ;youiig : fellow, v/lio is in love and engagcd':to Luniley's piece,'. lets jjlip. .the 'fact tliiit tjie wholp' is coupling D'prejli's that of ;.Lady'. Luinloy.' 'Thpre is a sceiie hetwp'en' the' husband and wife,". in ; "wjijell the ' latteji-',>vith out' b<iujk-! ing the issue, propounds ijerivjpw of 'the problem that has '.-llrpugh't about the. crisis,: and lays to Lumley-'s-door the blamp for the drift that has occurred, through his inattention to tlioso -exhibitions''.of-lpvo' ,th£)t' ; "nre the ; idiosyncrasies of .wives.". .Lumley is.st-ill; unconr. vinced- pf, the real f sn'ess .of tlio ppsi.tipri,. hut 'is;shocked into acjtiori- by Guiseppg . (iipw Luniley's' valet) rushijig in with the news that lie -had ..followed "his . man" .to lii/i home;/ and whilst, waiting for him, to'pome oiit.'flgaiu, ];ad witnessed: Lady Liimloy enter.; Seizing a,.revolvei%,Lumley,repairs to,l)'Orel|i'ij,,whcre/durilig' •a* tete-arfete dinner,, Lady Lniiiley',-.: had ex-, hihited i.signs o{ hystprla. ,-D'Orelli ,is. working', upon tliij.lady's feelings-fyy picturing her fiituro .life w|th' Lumley—a' hpglccthl, ■"ence,' •'anci;;wijic , ''9f life, and has just: snatched when Lnmle.y'.is announced. There is a, nipnient's hesitation, aud Lady.:Liimloy--is induced - to'.hido 'in the,next room, Lumley, pii being.sliown up, finds it lie'l tnlinn stretched out 011' the sofa.. Hp asks for his wife," but > X) Orelli denies . her' prpsenco.in the house. Then the brains'of'the. two come- into-play. Lumley aifccts-to believe the Italian, anh, 'whilo not admitting for' an; jnstant - that his wife had: paid- the visit .with;any -doubtful intent, -tells : : him that he is writing a' book,: and w;mt?' aijvicc./Jfe de? scribes Guiseppe's experience limced to' that of his own; and- said, lie was'in'doulit' as to", v/ljit punishment to meet: out to tlio i}Joiri— wl-vqt: would, D-orelli suggest P., The .Italian does:.npt ,recogllise\the pllegorj,' and' prcscibeikthat: the villain should lie pursued-. to his death' by the .first 'husband, Lumley. agreeing, that it .would be la. fine.; dramatic. end to his • -story.''. Befo'ro Lumley' leaves, " D'Orelli. is '"called pway ,-fojv few moments, Luniley, w]io is sure of his life's prescncn '.in : the Jvoubp, goe.?' to the, farther door, whichis" ' locked,^'and! sternly, advises'- his ;.wife r ,to ,' come forth 'to prevent blpodslied.V. -S|ie does .so,, and is-.-, hurried r away-: ■ in : : her■ brougham, followed by: Lum ley,; who.. before' leaving'-: in? forms D'Orelli that Guiseppe is. "on his. track. Not. caring to- face the position,' <•.the..next niorning :,Lady Lumloy leaves' !for..-Paris, but at. tho very last moment' leave's- a note of' ex? plaiiation, for lipr. 'husband,,:.and takes .his valet, .Guiseppe, with her. Guiseppe' is allowed; iio time .to comniunicat'o with his master, tmd ; pnder the -impression; that' Lddy 'Luniley .is -about to• desert hearth and.'homo for D'Orelli, arranges- the o|d:', signs—the .siphon,, whisky decanter, .etc.—indicating that they have gone .to [Paris,! and are to stay at the Hotel do' Londi-es: It. is well that this lias, been done, for- D'Orelli has .purlo.iiie.d Jier lad.vship's letter' to;. Liiinley, and taunts the latter : with" his ivife's- . flight - and .his ignorance of her. Whereabouts, biit, through tlie" ingenuity: of. .Guiseppe, Luniley: confounds t|ie ltaiimi, and under a threat of loosening., Guisepiie takes, him to Paris, where' Lumley confesses his shortcomings and eternal love and solicitude, to his who,- in the meantime, has come-to think vastly more of-the'Husband sho litis loved all;., the time..." D'Orelli ends praven, begging for .. 'uiercy, ■ and "; is kicked out of the .Lumleys's life, .which promises, a beautiful succession to-a miserable aiid a. mis-understood-past.'* Thoso.who waited for.,!) pursuing Guistp'pe and Hie blood-eurdliiig screani a .completed vendetta were disappointed. ■ In The iljimmy and the Humming Bird,". a strained, title, Mr'.'- Isaac Henderson has hit -JPO% an interesting problem;:but one not nowto tjtudeLits-..0f ■ IbfiL-i). Though possessing all the' dramatic elements . necessary for a stron'" play, there were weaknesses not to be lightly reconciled by. all-demanding lovers of 'the drama. Lord Lumley's invitation to a street organ-grinder to dine with jhim is a. highly unprobable method of introducing tlie story or tho vendetta,- and it is difficult to conceivp tins blazine-eyed Guiseppe. withfcolding his revenge with his. quarry under : his nose all the .time. The dialogue relates that : Ladv Lum ey is bewitched by D'Orelli. There' is not the slightest evidence of. anvthing' of the sort; indeed, she i? rathei "on the ice" with tho foreign philanderer, and only in her lines .does she refer-to her frie'nd-with anV warmth bhe is not altogether -, to bltim'e tor "the in-' ponsistency, as D'Orelli. is really the cheapest ';. shoulder-shrugging,.; gesticulating ' stage ■ Italians, .Jacking both tlie distinction, 'or'cbnvm of manner that might mako hiin attractive to the mind of-a lady of the' Lady . Lumley type. Still, many,of'the scenes and situations wero ingeniously planned, and if-they did not -thrill in-manner Sardouesque, they interested .The drama was enacted by' experienced players.- Miss BpatricO'Day .is a. finished act- • pf the few >yho can. present pn'English she ls-and her performance as Lady. Lumloy war quite up to" the standard of tho many excellont .stage portraits she has given in .tlie past, bile conveyed with unerring art the bored irritability of'her-im-agined "humiliation in the first scene, and was properly passionate in the fine speech in which sho denounces (lis indilj'e'rorice and its results Miss, Day .was only at fault in not. matinsome show of amiability 111 D'Oreili's pres°oiico—even such a man would require sonic little , encouragement to induce him . t,o go- to such length with a woman, while-taking the risk of whatever her husband's irp mHit mean. In the final scene of reconciliation the. actress was very sweet indeed.'-" Mr." Hciv bert F|emming played Lumley on lines 0 f cheerful solidity that made him a verv /likeable person-r-as likeable as Mr. Flo'mminir himself. it. is hard; to discriminate as lo •whether'-Mr. :A. y. Homcwood's D'Orelli or that.of ,the author is at fault—certainly one or the . other is, for, thpi reasons stated. ' 'j'lie part-is most consistently played; The, oilv laugh, the foreign shruggijigs aiid posings/.pn'd dagger • glance? arc ..all somewhat repugnant to- the English mind, yet they are supposed to bewitch a cultured Efiglish lndv. who is the ..wife of a great scientist, Mr. 'lL Vai-na

was capitally made-up as Giuseppe, the organgrinder of the first net, and was not a little impressive in Hie recital of his domestic tragedy. His Italian was hardly glib enough, nnd the. doublo "t" needed- more emphnsisthat it was given. Two of the most satisfactory, though not important, characters were 'Lord Ronalds, I?.N. (Mr. Aubrey Mallalieu), nnd Ruth Thornton (Miss Blise Clarens), Lumley's niece. Mr. Mallalieu. was the bright, clean-cut, spick and span young Englishman to a pojut, and Jliss Clarens gave h delightful representation of a hearty English' girl,: free from the sickly sentimentalities mid affectations that , are blemishes on the character of (ho average society dame. Mr. Winter' Hall was distinctly good'as the butler Judson,'who stands for crusted conventionality,' and is outraged by anything that might be interpreted to be an infringement thereof. The smaller parts were satisfactorily played by Mr. J. T. l'orde, H. Bennett, and Miss Joan Blair. . The scenery—a ' series of comfortable interiors by Mr. Harry AVhaite—was admirable, both in design and arrangement. "The Mummy and the .Humming Bird" .will bo repeated until Thursday, when the )iow play, "Peter's Mother,"will beAstaged, ■ THEATRE .ROYAL. . Puller's usual experience in week-end (louses was repeated again •on (Saturday ijight, .when standing room was at a premium. Some new biograpli films were presented,' diverse in' character, and exceedingly, fine in spectacular quality. The machine which Mr. Puller now uses is one of the latest and most perfect, and he receives new films at frequent 'intervals; ,A popular set on Saturday . night 'depicted scones about. Killarney. The programme' had practically: the sajjip contributors as oji- the 1 previous 'evening, though many of the Old' contributions were replaced. The" "Harmonious lluxhams" arc vocal musicians of taste and quality, and contributed enjoyable' trios, Jack Willis, comedian, extracted his usual' amount- of, hilarity, ai)d Vfiude and Varna performed a user ful 'turn; For'to-night'a' :LcO' and her famed picanninios"—is announced. This is an.exceptionally fine perfoi-mance, and. should prove a great draw. 1 Mr. 'Fuller considers the turn one of tlio best lie has ever produced, Thai Banvards and; the. Franklijiii ftrp alsp. to reappear for five iights._ ,; ' , WEST'S. PICTURES.: • j The; popularity .of. moving pictures' Was not difficult, to .-'understand when one visited the entertainment in tho- Tovriv Jlall on' Saturday night. An entirely new programme of- views was shgwn by > Mr. West's Company,-. anil greeted with., enthusiasm' by a larjje pttendr nnce. The pictures., were 'of a varied order; those -which fold a sensational story 'being mostnumerous,: and'-'after them, those that told a humorous. story. The set. entitled "The Gipsy's Bride" was a'.fair-example of .the ■ first class. A wealthy, scoundrel, makes love, to ..the gipsy, girl at a bazaar, and, repulsed bv her husband;; y.ows, to • have his revenge, The, girl, is kidnapped iii. t)ie . woods, and taken off in a motor .tb her ejiomy's lordly lipme, where he, confines her in' a .charjnin;t' room, and renews his, suit. Meanwljjle, her! husband, and his gipsy friends liaviKiiiips'ed' the )jridi)-' and found, tno, tracks of the: motor car; ■ Fpl-' lowing these to the groat-ljousoi'they climb the' big gate,, disable the- keepers;- aiid burst 'in! nppii the kidnapper when..his'-.v'icHih. "ifirap? digiria.ntly ; repelhiig his advaiic'es- Instead of :taking.- vengeance, on the ..spot, tlie ; gipsy liust jband proposes, a. 'duel Avith/ swords,' wliicli ! his Superior in social rank accepts. The' result of the duel .is matter for . wild' applause by tlm audience. Jf thjs .story, and one or. two. others represented, are: ijji^htly'crude in the'motive ,'of their scnsaMonalisni, the'defcctis nipj-e than compensated by. the quality of the: pictures, /which' ay,e: plear,;• steady,' detailed, and often quite artistic.'in thbir-',light . and Shade. Perhaps the best of the comic series' was "Love will find a way." ; irflj3es,.;an .objectionable, little .lew wifli 'money/gobs gaily, to the altar with the- girl, as he■'isiipposesj ■ .whp,„a.,ljttlß while .before, had passionnfely rpfy/sed- his suit. Tho.companion- by his' side is. really lier maid, j\[ary, who has dopried, the mistress's u;edding gear as,'tjiq offly. Vfi'y of. saving'her from a hMpful match; and Ibnvjng lier .free to j receive- the -advances 'bf':"'t(ie man"- of-' her, heart; -The 1 plays' f ';Waiiiiig >'t the GJ)i)fch as ■ radiant .Tew arid . close.-' .veiled bride drive. lip to the j porc|i • and,'enter thcj building... They ijj-o seen", strijidiiig' at ' the altar,- and.'the ring is- slipped:, on ', the-'finger to .the same tniic.: TliPtf they"rcqeivi) "co'ng'atulations,' . and depart, .. under -showers of. rice, to the gay air pf "Off to -Baltimore;?'. : The cheat;'is soon discovered, and the 'audapipiii; 'n-.aid- is seen tickling her; disgusted• husband's ■nose and chili to put him in ri/iiropppiliunjouv, while the, real lovers---rack--'with-; laughter at his discomfiture, and caress e'a'chVothe'r'in the :intervals., A' Serious set, called',!*Tho-,wpo'd>. industry of- Canada 1 .", show's- -the -lipjiC treo being cut, down in,-fliii .'fojcsJ,i'tjje'tr&i .'being railed to the factory,, the .'machinery'.processes )vhich convert it i'jjto planks; and,-the shipment 91 -.the fufisherl product: , - Another 'excellent setidepiets a. search with Tit. Bernard;dogs'for children Josti' in the Alpine, siiows. > AU -the pthor pictures were of high : merit/, and the music provided by Do Green's; Vice-ftegaVßand was .highly appreciated. .'?hp. progiyijnmo* frill be repented toriiight. ~ . • ; THE ROYAL PICTURES. / '' His . Majesty's. Theatre was'full on Saturday night, ; find it was again evident, rtip ts the: Rflval •lictures entertainment has won far-itself 'a place, in popular favour .that strops counter-, attractions 'cannot spoil.' Rome excellent'films )vere shown. "Rescued,, from an' Eagle's: : Nest" .was a, thrilling story of how a' baby .'was Wne" aw-oy .to the nest of the- king of birds oti "'a lofty-' crag,, and how- it was restpr«l, again ; to its niotiicr. The pictAir'c story of • a," runaway f l ?. r 6o. r .w&§ .full of fijn» and. was aopoinpaniea with some w ; ell-managed sound effects/Another series; entitled, "Fireside Reminiscences',"i introduced some clever' jllusipns, arid involved,'a fjtory/in which domestic bliss Was ■ apparently about (o be shattered, but which ended in the happy, discovery of a mistake. Of' quieter-in-terest' . Iho beautiful /'-Tour' :in - Ireland," includiiiß some picturesque Gccjaos in around Lake. Killarpev. "T|ie Witcji's-Kiss" was a picture story pf great, merit. A capital', humorous series, ■: called , "Will he; Overtafcs Them?"_ cbmprised pome • remqrkablo 'trick-' scenes, .in oij'e of which, a: niiui was. squeezed down,' concertina fasliion,. to dwarfish stature, .by the action: of a lift descending ufcoh him, and ;was afterwards 'strctchod out" again none the worse.-,! A matinee for children-was given in the nfternpo)), / Tlje result of. the weeklv limerick competition will lie announced at io"night's entertainment. .' ■ : . \