PRINCESS’S THEATRE.

Evening Star, Issue 11776, 5 January 1903, Page 6

PRINCESS’S THEATRE.

Introducing ‘lf I Were King' on Saturday night, Mr J. C. Williamson’s players ■who are now tenanting the Princess’s Theatre at once forced a .brilliant and unequivocal success. As in Ike preceding piece, the acting was of a very high order, well up to the standard in quality, and remarkably effective because of its eagerness, its consistency, and its unfailing concord and fitness. Mr Haalitt, the stage manager, nurd be possessed o? singular oxpertness. He has the company so thoroughly under control that each persen engaged, from the "star” to the-supers, is working loyally in the common purpose. By thus sinking individuality, and putting behind them the Satan who is Cor ever tempting actors to make points uaiawfiilly for the sake of being seen and heard, this company are nightly reaching to lofty dramatic successes, making for themselves a name, and generally doing much better than seme other companies which have missed equal opportunities by laziness and lack of combination. We also deem it a duty to praise the stage mounting of ‘lf I Were King.’ Ike scenery, the dresses, the appointments generally, must have cost a lot i>{ money, and it is hard to imagine that better pictorial effects would be possible in London or Paris. Special mention is deserved by Mr John Gordon’s charming views of a rose garden attached to the French imperial palace. The scene is. so complete that it is a job to tell where the real bowers end and the painted ones begin. If there is a weak spot in the scenic design, it is the gibbet in the fourth act. The cross beam is high, its end being set into the roof of a house, and it is thick enough for a castle joist. Perhaps, however, there may he authority for these large proportions. The French have at times gone in for wholesale hangings, and a Paris gallows in 1450 may have been designed.dor parties instead of individuals. Anyway, it is a matter of minor importance, not appreciably discounting the general commendation as to the manner in which the play is presented. Coining to the drama itself, it is worthy of its elaborate setting. Some may argue that it is a great play, and it would be easier to assert such a claim thau to disprove it. Objectors to the higher apprafement would probably contend that some of the characters and some of the situations are strongly reminiscent of celebrated dramas by other authors, and we should expect to be told specifically that the motive is closely related to that cf ‘ The Lady of Lyons ’ and as a general complaint that the new play wants newness. The answer to such criticism, of course, is that in the last analysis there is nothing new under the sun. Simksspaare himself borrowed Ids plots, or their bases, from earlier authors who did not know how to write them up to advantage ;md did not possess Ihe inspirational genius of the great master-; and, without pretending to compare Mr Justin M'Carthy the younger with Shakespeare, this is exactly what Mr M'Carthy has done. The charge of want of originality is them fore not a very serious one. Originality by itself seldom corns renown. The world’s prizes are for the man who can perfect, whether he initiates or not. Nor need we, discuss any criticism arising out of the fact Umt the incidents related axe histories.lv questionable. Mr M'Carthy, anticipating such an accusation, has frankly confused that be has written merely to entertain. not with tho object of adding to the records; so we have only to consider this Louis XI. and his surroundings from the amusement standpoint. On the other hand, it could be submitted with force that ‘ If I Were King ’ stands out prominently from the ordinary run of modern plays on account of its noble wording ami the cleverness displayed in the construction by preserving continuously the proper relations of theme and illustration. The story itself is always in bolder type than the auxiliary incidents. Mr M'Carthy evidently bar, discriminating and artistic taste, and his play is free from the blunders of anti-climax and an undue exaltation of the comic side. It is, however, rather on the first-mentioned, of our reasons that we mainly rely. The language has the elegance of Bulwer Lytton’s without, its ponderomsness; in certain passages, notably the end of the second act, where Katherine bemoans the want of a man at Court to relieve hard-pressed France, the incisive epigrammatic dialogue between the heroine and Francois takes the very tone of Shakespeare ; and ;dl through the sturdy and wide-vocabnlaried English is a great treat. From all points of view ■ If I Were King ’ is a very fine play, ami one tha± is likely to last.

The first, act is bid in the public room nf the Fir Gone Tavern, where a party of riven and women are drinking and playing rough jokes with ono. another. The King enters, disguised, attended by Tristan THermitc. Louis wishes to know what tinpeople are saying a bent him. He soon discovers. Francois Villon, loader of tka roysterers, describes His Majesty as a useless puppet, his Ministers as traitors, and boasts of what he’would do i? he were King. Villon is a bully, a drunkard, a rough of the roughs; distinguishable, however, by his fine physique and Iris manners when lie bis a mind to be mannerly. Katherine tie Vaucclles, a maid of honor, enters whilst the company have ran down the firry't to see a fight, and says she has heard of Villon end sought him in order to a.--k him a service. She has been insulted by Thibaut d’Aut-siguy, Chief Constable of France, am! wants Villon to pick a quarrel with and kill her enemy. Villon, dazzled by Katherine's beauty accepts the commission, and, Thibaut suddenly appearing, Villon affront.*, fights, and. as he believes, kills him. All this is witnessed by the King from a, hidingplace in the room,'and in the tableau ho reveals himself and orders Villon to be arrested. It is a very powerful act all through. Mr Cuvier Hastings display:; great form as Villon, his striking figure.and easy carriage enabling him to look i he sir agger tr to perfection: wbibt excellent acting is abo shown by Mr Gwcrm as the impish tavern-keeper and Mr At’nolwood as tbs King. Mbs' Lane is noticed as conspicuously useful in the part of n rowdy boy-di cysqd girl who is in love wiih I V,-, vice is, and already the audience see that Mbs Chevalier is well cast as Katherine, The best, chances of .the. ad or <s come, however, in the second act. laid in the Court garden's/ Villon appears, clothed in groat r,tyie, •wondering whether he is. in a dream" or drunk or mad. Ho soon learns the truth. The King, struck with Villon's boldness and manly power, sighing for someone to bring active support .to the Throne, has taken the whim to make-the baodeoßK outcast Chief

i table. The promotion, however, is to wit a week. At the end of seven day* • .on is to be hanged as a punishment for of the King in the tavern. Villon at first pleads to be set free from inch an arrangement, but. influenced by another sight of Katherine, he willingly consents to remain at Court for the week. Katherine, on her part, listens to his declaration of love, col promises an an- ■ ■ r by-and-bye. Tho King, too, has an eye > i Katherine, but she aoroitly evades his aldrc®es. 'lbis prompts Louis to tell Villon that if he can win Kat!>er;ne within th—week he shall Im fjee. Tho intention Louis is to humble Katherme for repulsing Inin. Before the week is out the Duke erf Burgundy besieges Paris .-tar! demands hi surrender, and Katherine saps that if Villon saves France’s honor she will wed him. Y ilion acepts the responsibility and driven Burgundy off, but is basely rewarded, Louis, to prevent the marriage, telling the secret Villon is an adventurer. This leads to the ‘ Lady of Lyon;? ’ scene in which Katherine plays Pauline and the King becomes Bcauseant; but eventually love triumphs, Katherine taking the man for his own sake fiom the very foot of tho gibbet, and all enas happily. As we have- said, Mr Hastings makes a very line showing as Villon. The part suits him quite as well, as fiherloek Holmes docs, and it brings out atafng power which could not be displayed as the detective. •Watching closely the transitions of the character, it was discerned that every phasa is a study and that the whole in consistently worked out on the lines of mi advancement from the mere brute to the champion of honor and the expounder of the highest attribute, of inan. self-sacrifice, this evolution being the triumph wrought by the power of iove. Wo see the same agency at, work in ‘lngomar’ and other world-known plays, but this is more artistic in its ideas and more picturesque ir. its developments than most of them, and we may add that the preset tation owes much to Mr Hastings. Onlv once all the evening did Mr Hastings alioWi his American accent to be beard. Some day. perhaps, we shall see this actor again. If so, be may -be sure of a welcome in Dunedin, The people like his style, and, without the opinion of other places, recognise in Him a great actor. Miss Chevalier also plays with singular force. Her stage manner, ,thCy say, somewhat resembles Sara Bernhardt’s. To us it is quite unconventional and charming. She has ways of bear own of telling the old story, and is ever graceful and winsome. The chief merit about Mr Atholwood’s impersonation of the King is its consist envy. The old man walk and talk are never forgotten. The other leading members of Hse company have the work pretty evenly divided amongst them, but we may mention Mr Staveley, Mr Haro, Mr Stewart, Mr Gwenn, and Miss Lane as prominent hi a cast that leaves no room for blame even on a severe examination, of the acting. The orchestra, also, command our thanks for playing soft music nicely in tune. The performance will be repeated this evening and it is sure to draw another full house.