MURIEL STARR SEASON.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4155, 4 February 1916, Page 3

MURIEL STARR SEASON.

AN AMERICAN COMEDY

“NOBODY’S DAUGHTER.”

Roxana day ton Muriel. Starr Betty Jackson Nellie Bramley Countess Manuel la Valencia

Gertrude Boswell Fanny Owens Florence Heston Badie Clarice Buck man Ned Stevens -. Sydney Stirling Baron Alexius Austen Milroy Peter : Frank Harcourt Duke of Moreland Charles A. Millward

A tliree-act American comedy, “Nobody’s Widow” wa s presented by the Muriel Starr Company at His Majesty’s Theatre last night. It was altogether a different class of tiling to “Bought and Paid For,” which the company so successfully interpreted as their initial piece to Gisborne this season, and while it showed the versatility of the company, one could not but prefer the more emotional piece. It is in the emotional dramas that both Muriel Starr and Charles Millward are at their best. Last night’s comedy was vivacious and sparkling, and was thoroughly enjoyed by the audience, hut the public missed the thrilling and gripping force which lias made Muriel Si arris name famous. “Nobody’s Widow” was the story of a young American girl, married to an English duke, hut posing as a widow. After a short courtship she had married the duke, and half an hour later found him with another woman in his arms. She would not listen to explanations, so she conveniently “buried” the duke, whom she had married as plain Mr Clayton. Returning to America as a sorrowful widow she goes to spend a week at a friend’s house in Florida, and there finds in a fellow guest her “late lamented husband.” Of course, she cannot let on to her friends, and while she endeavors to treat her husband with distant courtesy she finds that love lias crept into her heart. Her husband is also determined to win his wife’s love back, hut he nearly upsets everything by arranging a little midnight supper with his hostess, a vivacious young divorced damsel, who finds her new lover rather a bore, and more inclined to sleeping than lovemaking. This is Betty Jackson, who is so irresponsible and forgetful that she almost complic ite s matters on several occasions. The husband and his “widow” have many amusing scenes, and finally, in fear that the duke will spend the night in her room, which would be unconventional as she lias just received word that her divorce petition lias been put through Roxana Clayton again consents to marry her husband, and the ceremony is performed at midnight before a “fat justice with thirteen children,” an<] everything ends happily. As “Nobody’s Widow,” Muriel Starr was always enjoyable, and she showed another side, of her artistic temperament in the manner in which she carried grave and gay scenes befor© her. Chnrles- A. IVliHwcird, as the dashing devil-may-care duke, with a penchant for getting complicated with women., was also very enjoyable, and his half-playful half-tender scenes with hi s wife were the best hits of the comedy. Mis s Nellie Bramley, as the irresponsible Betty Jackson, was fitted to her part-ad mi r ably, while Mr Sydney Stirling was to the life the indolent young lover. The other characters only had minor parts. A feature of the play was the music and the costuming. In the second and third acts the dresses were greatly admired. The company conclude their Gisborne season to-night with a play of romance and adventure, entitled “Under Cover.” ,

‘ ‘ UNDER COVER’ ’—TO-NIGHT. Miss Muriel Starr will make her last appearance to-night in “Under Cover,” a play which has been one of tho most successful in her repertoire. “Under Cover” belongs to the order of newspaper plays popularised by Charles Kleir, which set a style for American dramatists —a virile melodramatic style that, rivets the attention from the rise to the fall of tho curtain. The art of clothing a charge against Departmental maladministration in theatrical form has produced its followers. Dramatised propogandism against criminal fraud has become quite an order of tho American stage, and the moving treatment invariably appeals to theatre-goers. Of tho writers who have followed Klein, R-oi Cooper Megrue, the author of “Under Cover,’' must, bo reckoned not the least. His theme in “Under Cover” is the exposure of graft in the Customs Department of the United States, and in four acts forcefully presents his case. It is an unusual play in moro senses than one, and the climax is an unmarred surprise. As Ethel Cartwright, Miss Muriel Starr will present a study of a girl who is forced to become the tool of a grafter and spy upon the man she loves. Mr Charles Will ward, a s Stephen Denby, a jewel smuggler, is afforded his best opportunities. Mr Shep Camp, an actor new to New Zealand, will play the Chief of Police, Mr Sydney Sterling will make his first appearance here this season, while Miss Clarice Buckman, Nellie Bramley and Gertrude Boswell in association with Mr Hobart Cavanaugh and other members of this capital. J. C. Williamson company, will complete -he cast.