"THE FENCING MASTER."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 893, 12 August 1910, Page 6

"THE FENCING MASTER."

THE HUGH J. WARD COMPANY. What a change from "The Girl From Rector's," to that somewhat trite com-edy-drama "The Fencing Master"! Tho new play is not quite sure of itself, though it moans well. At times it is rollicking farce, at others just ordinary comedy-drama, and ■on occasions it becomes melodrama, -but in none . of its phases does it rise to any great heights m intellectual histrionics; Mr. Hugh WaTd as Angelo Rossi, the broken and exiled Italian nobleman, gave the large audience present a fine taste of those qualities which one, after seeing him in so many droll parts, could be excused for fancying ho might not possess, and in the two or three highly dramatic moments which punctuate the piccc, carried conviction to all hearts.

The story is interesting. The early domestic peace ol' Rossi's life in Italy has been shattered by the villainy of the Hon: Stewart Grayvillo, ail American official in Naples. There is a duel in the . dark, and Rossi leaves his enemy, as he thinks, dead. The American Government make trouble, and Rossi's estates are forfeited, and ho has to fly the country with l his only son Carlo, then merely a baby. The play opens with Rossi living in the poorer Italian quarter, a broken, white-headed man, eking out a poor existence as a teacher of fencing. .He has, however, given his son an artistic training., At the art school he attends he meets and falls in love with Lillian Montgomery, a wealthy New York girl, who returns bis affection. She learns of liis impeeuniosity, and being a young lady of strong character, she, through a mutual friend, concocts a story to the effect , that a wealthy man has been so struck with his work that lie has donated'a . sum 'which will enable Carlo to complete bis studies in Paris. Eighteen months later he returns to New York, and. makes a "hit" with a. painting, the subject of which is Lillian, and at the private show in Fifth Avenue lie becomes affianced to the lady. Then trouble ensues. Before leaving for ■ Paris Carlo had given his note of hand for a sum of five hundred dollars, which he could not meet. The note is to young Grayvillo, ' whu, finding Carlo cannot meet, it, forges Angelo Rossi's naino by way of -an endorsement. Young Grayvillo is also in ; love with Lillian, and his father is keen on the match, and when they discover the object of flip young lady's love, devise plans to blast Carlo's chances. Stewart, sen., happens on tho forged note, and buys it. In a highly dramatic scene ho states' his resolve to rnin Carlo, and at the samo time discovers Angelo to he the man whoso wife ,ho betrayed'in Italy. This is one of- the finest moments in the play, and here Mr. Waid.Tose to great heights of dramatic emotionalism, the fall of tho curtain being the signal for loud ni>plause. Finally Rossi; through tho agency of a friend, discovers tho real forger, but the young ■ scoundrel seeing the game is up burns tho'note. Angelo acts tho magnanimous part by declining to pursue tho. matter further, and iu return Stewart pare makes representations to tho Italian Government through Washington, which restores tho exile to his estates, and so to a happy end, in which Carlo and Lillian participate. Miss Palotta was hardly so well suited as Lillian as in other parts which have made her so popular, but she was very graceful in all she was called upon to do. Mr. Robert Grcig did capital work as Luigi, the keeper of an Italian restaurant. ITis clever make-up, frowsy ijress, ambling gait, and quaint accent, contributed to what was a' most .admirable character study. ' Mr. Aubrey Mallalien was Carlo, Mr. Wykoham tho Hon. Stewart Grayvillo, and Mr. Lawrence Harding appeared ibs young Grayville. .Miss C'olia Ghiloni was delightful as a middle-aged lady of commercial instincts, who lnis made life easy out of the profits of a patent hair restorer, and Miss Chetwynd was .sufficiently sprightly as her daughter, Mary JJrown.

"The Fencing Master" will be played to-night and to-morrow evening.