ALLAN HAMILTON CO.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1390, 25 March 1912, Page 2

ALLAN HAMILTON CO.

"WHY .MEN LOVE WOMEN." "Why Men Lovo Woincn," a melodrama in four acts by Walter Howard. CastGerald Fielding Milliard Voi Orlando Figgins Charles Brown Captain SlanilolT Richard Bellnira Ackbar Mahommed Khan ... Robert Greig Tommy Filzhcrbert ...Kenneth Uramptou. Chnndra Singh Wilton Welch Rc\ Ailhm Grey .Tolin F. Forde ITnsran John Bruce Muriel Zoluski Lilian Lloyd liaby Muriel Dalo Birdie Agnes Koogh Matilda Figgins Katie Towers Grace Dalrympln Teresa Fnrtado Rose Stanley Elsie Burton Violet Livingstone Beatrice Holloway Mr. Walter Howard has at least courage. For the .solution of tho question "Why Men Love Women" ho conveys the audieiiei* to the rarified atmosphero of (he Himalayas, and distributes his sceues bohvepn a mountain bungalow where a beautiful English girl of immense fortune lives by herself, a Maharajah's palace, and a prison in Simla. With Hint somowhat outre scenario, the. dj-amalist, with commendable daring and not a little cunning, draws all tho characters that are to lio employed in th« woavinj.' of an interesting if somewhat improbable story. First of all there, is the beauteous Violet Livingstone (Miss Bcairico Holloway). the single heiress who yearns for lovo on a Himalayan peak, and srorns all the. nice officers aiid pearl-hung Maharajahs in favour of a. wandering artist. This is Gerald Fielding, poor but honest, n, Quixote, who on Violet informing him thnl he is all in all to her puts her to one side, whilst loving her devotedly, because she hns wealth untold. This obstacle is quickly removed by Violet giving her money (o tho Famine Relief Fund, fiut even this herpic act docs not straighten things out, as Gerald has been arrested for the murder of a Russian woman, Muriel Zoluski (who by the way is not. dead). This woman believes her brother to liavo been driven to a suicide's grave by Gerald,' whereas the guilty party is Captain .StanilofV, who is strolling round tho Himalayas in a gorgeous uniform, hatching trouble. It is he who has encouraged Muriel to attempt jo slab Gerald, because tho latter stands in. tho pathway to Violet's affections and money, but in the melee Muriel is scratched by tho dagger, anil goes into 'a deathlike trance, and i"s alnul to bo immured in the cold earth, when an ancient Hindoo (who has a tino contempt for the whole College of Surgeons) informs Violet that Muriel lives, and that her lover is therefore guiltless of murder. She is eager to rush off and straighten up things, but Captain SlanilolT will permit her to go on ono condition only—that she there and then throws her arms round his'neck and kisses him. This sho docs, and just at that fraction of a moment Gerald, who has escaped from prison and is apparently loitering round to encourage a further complication of. his aflairs, sees tho encounter, and ca'ts Violet off indefinitely, goes home to England, and paints a great picture of Violet's mountain retreat, which ho would not dispose of for ,£IO,OOO, but exchanges it for the little quarleracro section on tho mountain s)o]>o remote from man. There Vi (is discovered, yearning somo more, a> the shades of evening empurple, the distant valley, and tho last rays of the setting sun are caught py tho glittering ice slopes of the towering Himalayas. To her comes Gerald, in us faithful cork helmet, and after Stanilol )s disposed of by Muriel Zoluski, ho settles down to that blissful rest which tollowa tho curtain of every normally, constituted melodrama. Iho company engaged in tho strugglo to convince is a capable one. Miss Beatrice itollowny, whose taslo in frocks is distinctly good, yearned very prettily as Violet of tlio Himalayas, and her artless manner of loyo-making was almost real. She is very friendly to all, and really is an engagi ,g I sweet heromo of (lie petite order B Miss IM owav is too clearly an ingenue actress to do her best, in heroic parts, still she no™? "s. "atural ns the part would , peimit. Her lover, Gerald, was played earnestly enough by Mr. Billiard Vox, ah actor. KhbsSJstSlta-s the out66nie of a ong association with this type or play. Hβ has a quaintly vehement delivery, and a trick of emphasising his aspirates that is opposed to enunciatory ease, and polish l , Ho is earnest without conveying sincerity, which perhaps is as much tho fault of (fit author as the actor. Mr. Kenneth Brandton could easily have been brighter an 1 morei ingenuous as Tommy Fitzherberl. Mr. Richard Bellairs, whoso Captain Scr-9 Stamloft was of tho quiet, sneering, deboilnany cigarette-smoking order of niclodramatie villains, rather dislocated our ideas of the gentleman Iluss. In accent, "makeup, and gesture, he was nearer a Frenchnian. Still there was quality and repofe in his acting. Mr. Robert. Grcig bulked big. and splendid as tho Maharajah, who loves Violet, is loyal to the King, und makes a fuss about it. The comedy is deplorably weak, even in tho hands of an experienced comedian like Mr. Charles Brown. Ho is assisted by Miss Ivatip lowers, Misses Agnes Keogh and lluriel Dalo (representing remnants of an opera company who have discovered tho real meaning of tlib phrase, "India's coral strand ). Miss lillian Lloyd is not nearly fiery enough as Muriel Zolnski, who might show flashes of her hot Slavonio blood us sho sweeps to her grand revenge. Messrs; J. rordc and Wilton Welch wero excellent in minor roles. "Why Men Lovo Women" will be played again this evening, and to-monw night Robert Ganthony's charming comedy, "A Message from Mars," will ba revived once more.