"THE WHIP."

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1131, 19 May 1911, Page 6

"THE WHIP."

• ♦ —■• AX ELABORATE SPECTACLE. "The Whip," a spectacular melodrama, by Cecil Raleigh and 11. Hamilton. CashEarl of Branenstcr Lionel Atwill Marquis of lluverley Knrdlcy Turner Captain Kartorie Charles Blackall ,loe Kelly Maurice Dudley ltcv. Vcrner Jlaslcm Charles Graham Harry Anson Robert, BoUorolcy Captain Jtayncr Vivian Edwards Henry Claude Master Burns Tom Lambert Ambrose Manning Lady Diana. Sartoris Evelyn herry Mrs. B'Aquila, Winifred ■ Scott Myrtle Anfion Fyfc Alexander lion. Mrs. Beamish ..; Kmma. Temple

"Tho Whip," the coming of which has created quilo a din for some time past, showed up at tho post last evening, got away well with the rite of the barrier, had a bump or two at tho bend, and came homo with a rush that swept all doubt aside, and landed a clean and popular win amidst great enthusiasm. And it deserves to win. Here is a brightly-written melodrama of the best type, which perpetuates the class a>sociated with tho Drury Lane Theatre, London, for twenty years past, a play that, whilst tho demands made on stage mechanics and the scenic artist are equally as urgent as those made upon the actor. Wo havo in the past had this-class of play presented very satisfactorily by Jlr. Bland Holt, but J. C. Williamson, Ltd., have oven gone a step further iu lending verisimilitude to tho story that is told. While of tho turf turfy, thero is a clean breezy open-air English atmosphere about "The Whip" that is sweet to. tho nostrils after the allegations that are M) frequently submitted as the "latest and greatest" from London, and its bedrock wholesomeness and freedom from thoso gross improbabilities which can only be expected to appeal to the untrained intelligence, mako it a performance to be witnessed with pleasure by all classes. Its wealth of scenery includes sonic charming glimpses of "the stately homes of England," iutriduces one to ■ a live hunting breakfast with tho , scarlet-coated huntsman drinking bumpers beforo.tho dew is off the grass of the downs; gives a capital idea of Madame Tussaud's "Chamber of horrors," and the Olympia Horse Show; pictures a slap-up railway smash, and nnally fires the. audience with a stago race, run by real thoroughbreds, such as has never been seen on the local stage. This last scene is ono of tho. most sensational effects ever seen in melodrama. Four horses are shown galloping for their very lives in full view of tho audience, with the jockeys laying en the whip in deadly earnest as they fight out a great finish. The way it is managed is ingenious to a degree. Each horse stands v.pon a travelling platform, worked by a motor, and, as it moves in the opposito direction from which tho horses are moving, they are urged to canter at first, and then gallop to remain in view of the audience. To add to the effect, the rail on the near side and the panorama beyond whirl along, and so the effect 'of speed -is. admirably given. The play itself is distinctly interesting, and gains hr the exceedingly finished performance it receives at tho hands of tho new company, most, of the members of which are new to Wellington. In brief, the story deals with the rascality of Captain Sartoris, a nephew of the Marquis of Beverley, a fine old English gentleman, who is the owner of "The 'Whip," and father of the beautiful Lady Di. Sartoris is a polished scoundrel of the type which is sometimes allowed to afflict society. Poiled in his attempt to win Lady Di, and hard up for money, he, with the assistance of Mrs. D'Aquila, concoct a plot to "settle" "Tho Whip," which all the decent folk in- tho -play;-have-' backed to tho hilt to' win the "Two Thousand" at Newmarket. Sartoris is forced to this extremity for several reasons. Ono .is that ho has forged Lady Di's name to a bill, which a scoundrelly bookmaker, Joe Kelly, holds, and Joe having laid "The Whip" heavily with Lord Brancaster (with whom Lady Di is in love) threatens to present it to Lady piif the horse wins. A further reason is that he has rniiied sweet Myrtle Anson (sister of "The Whip's" jockey), and wants money urgently to get her out of the country, and to pay off a. dozen other pressing liabilities. Mrs. D'Aquila, a stylish adventuress, is also intent on tho'business Xaking advantage of Lord Brancaster's loss of memory, which follows a motor accident, sho claims to to bo Lady Brancaster, and produces marriage lines "fixed" by a weak-minded minister whom Sartoris has under his thumb. Brancaster is fighting the claim, and needs tho money "Tho Whip" can win him to continue that fight in the courts. So tho two beauties, D'Aquila and Sartoris, meet at Madame Tussaud's to plot evil. Thero they decide that. Sartoris shall leave for Newmarket by the same train as "The Whip," and that, during tho journey, the horse-box is to be detached at a spot where it must bo smashed by the following express. There is only one little thing that stands in the way of the successful working of the pljt—it has been overheard. Tom Lambert, trainer of "The Whip" and an honest unctuous soul who has to evade a woman has taken the place of Charlie Peace, murderer, among a bunch of lovely dummies and has heard every word the two have said. Unfortunately he becomes locked in the chamber, and cannot get out to checkmato the plotters, but he does so at length, thanks to Mrs. Beamish on whom he dotes, and the latter beats tho train on a motor-cai', arouses the boys who are sleeping in the horse-box, and "The Whip' Vis removed to safety just a moment. beforo the express smashes into the box. Of course, "Tho Whip" wins gloriously, Captain Sartoris and Mrs. D'Aquila are arrested, the parson -confesses, and Lady Di and Brancaster win the best reward possible. . • ■ ' . Tho acting throughout is of a high standard. Miss Evelyn Kerry lends an air of charming- vivacity and refinement' to the captivating role of Lady Di. There is vigour, freshness, and naturalness in her method, which accounted for her immediate success. Miss Winifred Scott, an actress of the- willdvy Burnes-Jones type in appearance, emphasised the dramatic rather than the subtlo side of Mrs. D'Aqnila, and tho part lost a little on that account. Still she was effective, and her' frocking was a feature. • Miss Emma Temple was thoroughly satisfactory as the Hon. Mrs. Beamish, and Miss Fyfo Alexander made Myrtle Anson an appealing strayer from the straight path. Mr. Lionel Atwill acted with polish and distinction as Brancaster, and not called upon to indulge in heroics, played with a quiet force that reached well across the footlights. Mr. Charles Blackall, who plays Captain Sartoris, is not quite so free from artificiality. His speech is a trifle affected, and many of his speeches lacked expression. The soundest performance in the play was Mr. Ambro-e Manning's Tom Lambert. This sterling actor, with his intimate, unctuous style, his expressive- speech and face, was 'excellent throughout. His lovo scenes with Mrs. Beamish wero the best in the play, and his comedy in the "Chamber of Horrors" was packed with the exuberant humour of the man. Mr. Maurice. Dudley submitted a clever character study of particular merit as Joe Kelly, and Jlr. Eardley Turner lent weight aud dignity to the role of the Marquis of Beverley. Mr. Robt. Bottomley was well in (he picture as Harry Anson, the rider of "The Whip." Tho play, as before noted, is staged magnificently, and the degree of smoothness with which it went last evening reflects credit on the management of Mr. .las. Hazlctt. Tho music in the skilful hands of Mr. Percy Kehoe, was a feature.- All round "The Whip" is a production of quality that play-goers cannot afford to miss.