THE SILVER FOX

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 25, 30 January 1924, Page 3

THE SILVER FOX

Of the several pieceß for which Mr. Lawrence Crossmith will be remembered by Wellington audiences, there is none that will be recalled, with more delight than " The Silver Fox," that extremely modern comedy by Cosmo Hamilton,, which was reproduced at the Grand Operal House last evening, and J was receive _ enthusiastically. -There has" been " one change in the company, since the piece was produced in Welli_gtbh,i.little.,over a year ago. Miss, .Dorcfthy Seacpjflbe has replaced Miss Doris, Kenaalh-\-Hiere are only five in the cast, but there is a> remarkable evenness in"quality, and the parts are excellently suited, to*.'the 'Various abilities of the members of the com- , pany. As a play-"The"'Siiver-.F^o-x " is based on very little, arid chiefly mates' its appeal in excellent .actingr'and the • brightest of dialogue.- 'Most theatre- [ goers will remember the-plot, quite. welL, ■ Mr. Grossmith takes' the' part' of'"Quilter, the writer of extremely,7Jight; 'but j playable novels, the proceeds from whicbi are rapidly got rid of'"'by Helen,'" W wife (Miss Diana Wilson). -At the time ! the story opens, one Major, iStapley, a I poet wha has obtained his inspiration! | from Mrs.1 Quilter, hasbeen^living-with! j the pair for some .three years, and it. '. i soon becomes obvious that" Mrs.-'.Qirilt«r I has given herself wholly "ti 'hi-Ti,'■thoTigk lat the time he has no conception of her |as a woman, and. .makes.,quite_,a,..fusss' ■ about her fall, from the position of ' art iaeal, through her. visit to,the-rooms of a notorious lady-killer,,a flying.captain; (Mr. Paul Plunket). Mrs. ..Quitter's flapper cousin " Frankie " has arrived in the plot by this time, and has-mada a hero of Quilter, though he af the time barely realises -who^ is the cause of her " moments of ecstacy." Following all this divorce is talked-about-ia-the most matter of fact terma.-.. Oneafter another the 'accepted prpgrieties and conventions are violated by ■ every member of the company,, and no one! is the'least concerned—least. of, all, the audience, which enjoys itself thoroughly., Tue whole comes to a happy conclusion, of course, except perhaps s6 far as Quilj ter is concerned, for if there-proved be anyone- capable of spending more money than his first wife it" was his second, the thoroughly sophisticated liitt* flapper. ■ ■?'•'; ..■."**"' It is a play requiring magnificent" act-' ing to carry off the -fine- points that might so easily fail," but; there is no. suggestion ever of their-doing.so. Mr„ Grossmith gave an exceedingly'fine interpretation of. his . part.).,; His q_fet comedy and clever asides, together with: the extremely novel attitude he' topic up towards his erring wife, required the work of a capable actor, and they go . it. 'Miss Wilson, as.the wife, gave * wonderful interpretation of the part, giving even more "suggestion of genius) at times than she did in, the productioa a year ago. She missed ho effect', Jfcufe nothing was overdone. Mr. Jarry was easily discernible as a clever and capable actor in every way, and Miss Seacombe left nothing to be desired as the* flapper, and later as a managing and. expensive wife. Mr. Plunket. as the air captain, had little to do, buj, what he did was well done. The play will be; repeated to-night and 'to-morrow night, when the season will close. '„. ''"■