ENTERTAINMENTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24, 30 January 1911, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS.

KATHE3INE GREY SEASON. ■ "PAID IN FULL."' ' 'In the beginning ifc may h- a noted that the vital conditions of Eugene Walters's strong study, "Paid in Fa£i," resemble nearly those in Martha m. Conheim's • drama of frenzied finance, "The Movers "In each we f iave the husband, the embezzler, in the, toils of the nionevspuiner, with the Vrfe's honour in the balance In "Ibe the husband hees the entang^ mejjt in a side room Sioi a r f P^ r^ revolver, but Jos Brooks of "F, vA I in FuU '.» ig noi sc> reasonable as. ma seen A dmwn _ , mg man, h/^ lasfc , k Ws Honour, an<4 mean i y desperately, ho . proffers xt tx, sa vo his souf. With this ; ioundatio\a- s tone Walters has built up : a struct^ eof bufc a c]ose inves . • ugatior, reveals, imperfect jointures, bti not this stu ,| y is as COQ . ; ymci^g as C{mW be , irished It jj as not ™c cx^erence of a best Klein, and too , on,esi ifc i s annoyiiigly coincidental. ! rif°° s Jsagnincent cowardice — in fact, l &e whole man— is dubiously abnormal —almost inconceivable. In a moment ' <h shouting passion he villifies furiously ms employer, Captain Williams. Later iie embezzlesb ezzles a large sum of money, with which he plays the races, arid, unsuc- ' cessfuliy. The sudden return of Wil- , liams from a trip~ brings the collector ■ face to face with ruin, and an almost certain imprisonment, and at this stay** tbe dramatist, with a somewhat cold ' artificiality, strips .the wretched fellow ! of all hope of salvation— save his wife's " honour For such a sterling little woman, Mrs. Brooks, while staggered at the horrible suggestion, accents too readily this course as the inevitable, and makes the assignation. So we arrive at the third act, in Captain Williams s apartments, where the author undoubtedly oarries a tender situation triumphantly. It is a powerful scene, with a tens© climax. T.he logical conclusion ( is seen in tlxe last act, in Brooks s hotel rooms, when, stung to the heart by her husband's despicable conduct, his wife leaves him for ever. At least Brooks w?is paid in full. Notwithstanding it s little shortcomings, the play appeals strongly to the , Wanking auditors. Tho last two acts are models of high dramatic art, there can ba no doubt. Through all the passionate turmoil of spirit, the voice of one JunsySmich, Brooks's superintendent, a. big-haari/sd large-minded soul, breathes pej-.ce and solace. Jimsy is Brooks s fort, and the resultant contrast is very pronounced. Brooks, dissatisfied, pee*»Ji, disgruntled, suddenly riens ironi a. fr d t an d no hired help to handsome hdtel apartments. Jimsy guesses why anri how, but Mrs. Brooks is satlafled wi' u h the explanation that her husband, has received a "raise" and back pay. That is, until, under pressure, he copfrases to theft on a large scale. Captain. Williams, hot on the trail, demands °ff f> nig u lt ' the presence at the office the following morning. Cravenly, vhining like the despicable hound ho •was, Brooks, blaming his wife, sends Ms wife to Williams's apartments late the same night to save his skin. Sh° succeeds, but not in the way he anticipated. Williams shrewdly guessed why the woman had so compromised herselt and played the man. After a powerful scene, with good old Jimsy prowling round with a safeguarding gun: "It's damned good to feel decent sometimes," the captain remarked meditatively as the curtain fell, go Brooks gained his ireedom and lost his wife. The climax v as strong as it is fitting and convincing Paid in Full" has its noticeable inequalities, but it is legitimate diama ot a tensely appealing character. If tfierewere ever such a man as Brooks then it would be great drama.- '■ It is almost superfluous to scatp that; Miss Katharine Grey absolutely lived her poo* as the wiie. In that fateful tniro. act the stupendous sacrifice was made very apparent when, with a voice : lull of unshed tears, the Avoman, bravely tearful, fences with her opponent and waits the worst. It was compelling acting. Miss Grey's magnetic personality, lier subtle art, her natural talent of interpretation, carried the audience with her all the time. Miss Grey supphed the motif of this play, ami one : can hardly wonder at her superlative '■ impersonation— an interpretation which • earned her recall after recall. Mr William Desmond made an ideal Jimsy m- , veiling m a role distinctly and definitely . American. Be, too, wias perfectly natural and unaffected, a gentte-voiced ' quick-hearted champion. ft is Mr Desmond's best work so far h-re Steadily Mr Cyril Mackay progresses' anci his impersonation of Jos Brooks left nothing to be desired, It was a really admirable performance — one of his finest. The superficialities of the despicable Brooks were emphasised tempestuously and artistically. A* Captain Wil- ' Ws Mr. Geo. Bryant was not one whit behind his fellows. Cleverly he translated the moods and manner of the hardasted captain w'aose brutality threw ■ up its hands at a true woman's appeal. It was good work. Mr. Leslie Victor presented a meritorious cameo sketch as Sato, Wilbams's Japanese valet, and Misses Susie Vaughan and Florence Wesson m subordinate parts, did efficiently. L ni g ht aid "* Ful1 " ™ n be P lft y ed to"WHAT HAPPENED TO JONES." General interest is being manifested 111 }:■ GeOT) § s Willoughby's coming production ot "What Happened to Jones, wfajch is to be staged at the Opera House next Friday night. The box plan opens to-morrow morning at the Dresden, and everything augurs well for a successful revival of this really funny farce of Geo. Broadhurst, which ?1 ™ a cons iderable fortune for the WM- Gh ??}* & Arnold, besides giving Mr. Witwoghby himself one of ' his earliest \fntax>ductions to New Zealand playgoers. _Mt. WiUoughby has been revwmg it for the last night or two of his seasons in other centres, but the rush to obtain seats has been so great that .fie has decided to act upon the advice ot experience, and make it the opening production for the Wellington season ihe season is under the direction of Messrs Clarke and Meynell, and Mr Ueorge WiUoughby as Jones will 'be ' supported by Miss Beatrice Day Mr Fred B. Sharp, Mr.. Hugh Buckler; Miss Amy Willard, Mr. Arthur Cornell, SS S* ie Mostyne, Mr. Harry Halley, Miss Stella Payter, and others. LAWRENCE CAMPBELL. Mi. Lawrence Campbell's farewell recital drew a large audience at the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall on Saturday evening. His varied and clever entertainment and his unquestioned versatility made him very popular. The vocalist, M. Eugene Ossipoff, and Miss Ina Gow, who gave a couple of . pianoforte soloa, were well received. "THE BLUE BIRD." The recital of Maeterlinck's famous fairy play, "The Blue Bird." was given • last evening at the Opera House, before a^large aiidienoe, by Mr. Wilson Fritch. the American lecturer. Mr. Fritch, who . has a pleasant voice, is an excellent elocutionist, and quoted entirely from i memory. He gave an intelligent, interpretation of whatever in the author's theme beemed to : hini apt for illustration and remark. The scene, w) full of grace and tenderness and quaint humour, in f which the woddcutter's children, Tyltyl 1 and Mytyl, visit the Kingdom of' the ] Future, was especially good. Briefly, ] the play a an .allegory, and deals with i

"the fabulous blue country of our dreams, and an ancient symbol in the folk-lore of Lorraine that stands for happiness." "The Blue Bird" has had a great and tangible success. Early latt year ifc was being played by titty-nine companies in provincial Russia. THEATRE ROYAL. ■To-night an entirely new change of bill will be presented to vaudeville patrons at the Theatre Royal. There was a large audience on Saturday night, when the week's programme was repeated for the last time. A strong and talented company is billed for to-night, the artists including the clever Anderson trio of acrobats. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. His Majesty's Theatre was packed to the doors on Saturday evening, when the current week's, programme was presented for the last time. . A complete change of programme is announced for to-night. Among the principal pictures to be shown will be a Western drama entitled "Hearts and Politics. ' This picture alone is said to be well worth the admission fee. Other fine films are : "Small Hands that Save/ "Darkness to Light." "The Jam Pot," "On Aldershoven," and "Th'e Copper and the Crook." THE KING'S THEATRE. The week's programme at The King's Theatre was unwound for the final time on Saturday evening before a full house. To-night there will be the usual weekly change,_ when a programme of novel, dramatic, and amusing subjects will be screened. The management assert* that it will be the "best yet." STAR PICTURES. A complete programme is announced for to-night by the Star Picture Proprietary. An interesting entertainment is promised.