"THE PRISONER OF ZENDA."

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 21, 4 June 1908, Page 8

"THE PRISONER OF ZENDA."

JULIUS KNIGHT-OLA HUMPHREY COMPANY. Every, seat and point of vantage in the

)pera House last evening had an occupant o welcome an interesting revival of Mr, I Sdward Rose's dramatic vorsion of Mr. An- b ihony Hope's romantic novel, "The Prisoner j' if Zenda," one of tho most delightfully Jj licturesque plays of the last decade. Of the T ast decado advisedly, for it is fully ten l I'oars since tho play was first produced in c Wellington, and then, as now, Mr. Julius Knight was the ruddy Rudolph who ruled lluritania or his substitute, which is tho 1 same thing as all those who know tho story t ur tho play arc aware. The play was ac- 1 corded a very hearty reception, and each ( littlo point or guarded iriuendo was taken i up with a fino snap that indicated a com- i mondablo alertness of mind on tho part of : the audience, particularly gratifying to tho lover of a good play. When Mr. Anthony Hope wrote "The Prisoner "of Zenda" some thirteen or fourteen years ago ho opened up fresh ground for adventurous romance in taking for his puppots alleged personages of little imaginative States in Europe, that tho public are cleverly, induced to believe are somewhere in tho security of those places the cablegrams tell of when the standing heading "Trouble in the Balkans" sprawls across the top of a column. Mr. Hope's novel, "The Prisoner of Zenda," and its sequel, "Rupert of Hentzau," not only provided meat and drink for tho dramatist, but pabulum for the plagiarist, for tales with a similar setting, illuminated with . pseudo royalty and garish uniforms, are now found in tho pages of dozens of readablo novels of the lighter class, all tinctured into tho .same delicious daring and extravagance, subtle with intrigue and .loyalty to the reigning house, and all, or nearly all, may bei traced over the tangled literary path to Anthony Hope's "Prisoner of Zenda," the best and brightest of them all. But tho play's tho thing! When Mr. Edward Rose took . the Hope clay to model his creation, ho did so .with supple fingers that knew • instinctively what art and the public wanted, a judgment not common to dramatists.' Ho gave us tho delightful sceno in the forest— where the Red Elphberg drinks himself blind, and is drugged by his wily cousin, the Black Ditto, the . day before' his coronation as King of Ruritanin, and tho faithful Snpt, finding tho Red One's counterpart in. Rudolf Rassendyl, induces him to play ' tho King's part while Black Elphberg's drugs play theirs.into the King's mind—for art's sake; and threw in tho garish coronation scene; with its trumpery parade, its fanfares of trumpets,' and its brilliant dresses, for tho public's. But the whole makes such a delightfully fascinating story and'affords such good opportunities for acting in ' a number of instances that it would bo tho height of ingratitude to cavil at such a bright and coloursomo performance and pro-

duction. ! Mr. Knight, as the two Rudolfs (R-assen-dyl and the King), and, inde3d, as the amorous Elphberg of the prologue, was_ all that the part demanded. He succeeded in giving' tho two parts distinct personalities; was hantormgly' flippant as tho Englishman who has honours thrust upon him; became a graver man as tho seriousness of' his love affair with Princess Flavia grows from a rushlight to a strong flame: • and was p'.cturesqv.o- always. Mr. Knight has not done anything much better than Rudolf Rassendy'l and Co., which is sa,ying nothing to his professional,discredit. Miss Ola Jane Humphrey was very sweot and good to look upon as Princess Elavia, who is a princess of thenovelette'order until the opportunity comes near tho end to play tho woman, when sho became as femininely tender as man would have a woman. Miss Humphrey wore a succession of.beautiful-.frocks to the manner born,- hor, coronation dress ill' particular being aUhinguof-heauty.jiifmwt'; .perhaps, a joy "for ever. • When played originally by Mr. Goston Mervale,. Black' Michael (or the .Black Elphberg) was :.a subtly malignant person, who conveyed a world, of treachery in the lift.of an eyebrow. Mr. Harry Plimmcr ; makes him a sharp-spoken, vigorous brute, .impetuous in his wrong-doing,' eager to trample over blind devotion to set fclio Black in tho seat•• of the-Red'Elphbergs. Mr; Plimmor was forcibly dramatic throughout, makihg a brave show in'military attiie, and showing a ; fmo elocutionary sense in fho delivery- of his lines. Mr. Dudley Clinton does very . well as Col. Sapt, a part that perhaps Ho is not too well suited in. Mr. Leslio Victor is bright and clever as Bertrand Bertrand, the "artist. His little interview with Rassendyll, when the latter, is simulating • the King, was a nice bit of comedy. Miss Elsie Wilson, as Antoinette do Manban, showed a fine dramatic spirit and discretion, allied to a personality quite charming. Mr. Reynolds Dcimiston' was quite good as the Earl of v ßassendyll in the prologue, and make a strapping young officer as Fritz Von Farlenheim/ Clover little character sketches were given by Mr. .Geo. Chalmers 'as the Mayor of Strelsau, Mr. Edgar Harris as tho Chancellor of Ruritania, , 'and Mr. A. Andrew,as tho English Ambasi sador. . Tho scenery is on the usual williamsoman scale of artistic lavishness, and a', good orchestra, under Mr. Diedriclison, played a number of selections one would like to see set out on tho programme. The incidental choruses were also capably sung. There will bo five moro performances 01 i "Tho Prisoner of Zenda." -