ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 206, 25 May 1908, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL." OPENING OF THU . JULIUS KNIGHT SEASON. Tho great expectations which were raised by tho announcement of tho Julius Knight Company in "Tho Scarlet Pimpernel" were fully justified by the opening performance in the Opera House on Saturday night.- Mr. Knight and Miss Ola Humphrey' were welcomed back to Wellington by a house in which there was not a vacant seat, while even standing room was scarce. They must have been more than pleased with their reception. Tho Baroness Orczy's famous romance has boon digested into a capital acting play, but tho local booksellers have. been quite right in their efforts to persuade tho publio that the book should bo read before seeing the performance. Without some such initiation, the playgoer is rather more mystified than he likes to be, and has an uncomfortable feeling during the first two or three scenes that he is . missing a good many points. Even when that trouble is over, there are a few matters that seem to require explanation, and do not receive it. These must be taken on trust.

Mr. Julius Knight had in Sir Percy Blakelioy a part which gave wide scope for his well proved talents. It'was no ordinary hero's role. Sir Percy lives a 'double life. Ho is tho magnificently daring, marvellously resourceful leader of a band of brave sportsmanlike Englishmen, who are engaged in smuggling French aristocrats out of their native ,land during tho terrible year of 1792, when every member of a fioble family ill that country lived under the shadow of the guillotine.' Known only as the Scarlet Pimpernel, and signing his ■ messages and commands with a representation of that English waysido. flower, his identity remains unguessed under tho mask, of bibulous frivolity which he assumes in society. Thus lie is disguised almost all the time, even when he passes, under his own name,, and takes his own place as a wealthy English, baronet and a favourite courtier. Mr. Knight played this complex part throughout with an easy mastery of his art —vigorously, and yet with nice judgment. The humour of his doings and sayings as the whimsical empty-headed fop was delicious, and it was' done with that sense of proportion, that combination of freedom with avoidance of excess,- which is only in the power of a really fine actor. One could see the seriousness and resourcefulness of tho Scarlet Pimpernel under tho, mask of folly, but one'had no-temptation to ascribe incr'odible blindness to the persons of tho drama who could not see these things. That indicates where Mr. Knight's greatest strength lay. In the openly' scriijus passages, ho was also thoroughly satisfactory and convincing, arid always his movements were a fine, study'of graceful stage deportment.'- v

' Miss Ola Humphrey has been accused by at. least one critic of a want of refinement in her interpretation of Lady Blakeney. , Tho critic* probably overlooked the fact that Mdlle/ St.' Just was not only a vivacious Parisienne, but was of plebeian birth. It was therefore entirely fit and proper that she should not bear hersolf constantly with the traditional dignity of a lady of title, either English or French. Further, if perhaps her • interpretation seemed a little less refined than sho herself intended it to be, the fault may lie partly in the last vestige of her native accent, falling upon ears liot attuned to the American language. There are professors in her country's best universities whose speech does not suggest cnlturo to an Englishman. That may be tho'Englishman's, fault. Anyway, Miss Humphrey, as ' Lady Blakeney, will establish herself 1 more securely than before in the affections of Now Zealand playgoers. She showed herself equal to the demands of a very exacting part, and her rendering of the emotional climaxes was> especially admirable.

The other female parts were comparatively small. Miss Elwyn Harvey had a congenial role as the sweet and; simple Suzanne ' do Tournai, and sho made the most of it. Miss Ada Stirling, Miss Mary Marlowe, Miss Katie, Towers, and other ladies filled slighter parts with adequate talent. ■ Mr. Leslie Victor, as Chauvolin, the French! spy, who unravels the mystery of the Scarlet Pimpernel, and almost captures the splendid prey, played his unenviable part with fine skill. It was an unexceptionable display of heartless, ingenious, and ail-but successful scheming. Ho was particularly strong in ■ tho scenes whero. Chauvelin enmeshes Lady Blakeney and makes her the unconscious tool of his designs against -, her husband. , - '

Mr. Harry Plimmer, as that famous and infamous Prince of Wales who was afterwards King George IV, had not much to do, but did it well. His speech and carriage were quite in keeping with the characteristics of tho prince who was called " tho first gentleman an Europe." The parts of Sir Andrew flroulks and Lord Anthony Dowhurst, tho bravo comrades of the Scarlet Pimpernel, were well filled by Mr. Reynolds Denniston and Mr. Herbert J. Bentiey respectively. Mr. A. L.M'Kay made the little Vicomto do Tournai very much alive. ' The comedy parts of, Jellyband, the English innkeeper, and Brogard, the French innkeeper (which, considered as companion studies, might !be objected to as not conducive to the entente oordiale). wore in the capable hands of Mr. George Chalmers and Mr. Dudley Clinton. Good work was also done by Mr.' Walter Hunt, Mr. Rege Rede, -Mr. Stanley Walpolc, and other no tor 5. i

In its spectacular aspect, "The- Scarlet Pimpernel" ranks high. It'--has been mounted with- a strict and studious regard to the historical proprieties. The latter part of the eighteenth century was a period of picturesque costume, but the beautiful-effects that wore produced in the minuet' and other scones,were due at least'as much to the good tasto of those responsible as to their zeal for correctness. Tho scenery and tho music of Mr. H. Dicderichsen's orchestra helped materially in tho general offect of tho piece. " The Scarlet Pimpernel." will be repeated to-night. THEATRE ROYAL. 'An .unusually strong company holds tho boards at the Theatre Royal at'present, and the now programmo introduced on Saturday night was bright, spirited, and novel., Kodamo, in his Japanese Risley act, balanced a barrol on his feet and played tricks with it in, a manner that astonished tho largo audience. Tho Banvards, who are leaving soon, apparently defied all laws of gravity with their reckless acrobatic feats, tho exploits of tlio clown being-especially adventui OU3 and clever. The " harmonious liuxhams," a most" amusing'trio, appeared in both parts of the programme; . In the second part they personated a Highlander, an English countryman, and female rustic, characters which thev invested with .a great deal of humour. Their songs, imitations, and burlesques kept the audienco in fits of laughter. Mr. Denis Carney sang a 'budget°of comic songs which ! wore really comic, and the Marlowe Sisters, fancifully attired as two Japanese sweethearts, danced nimbly, .acted daintily, and sang about Cupid's dart in a manner which was very pretty, if the metaphor was not quite Japanese. Mr. Harry Edwards, tenor vocalist, was cncored for his. song, and the Franklins,- sketch artists, had a good selection. Amongst the biograph' pictures, specially interesting in view of a local agitation, was a series showily how lions tigers, polar bears, and other animals disport themselves, as in their natural habitat, among tho hills and caves of a modern zoological, park. . The skating season at tho Olympia Skatin? Rink continues tho even tenor of its way! Saturday's' attendances were very large, a largo percentage being beginners.- A boys' race was run at the morning session, and an eight-lan open handicap at tho evening session. TIIO rinlc will be open .to-day, as lisual, and a hockey match will be played on Wednesday night. Mr. Maughaii Barnott will givo an organ rocital in tho Town Hall to-morrow night.