AMUSEMENTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXIII, Issue 15861, 26 February 1912, Page 8

AMUSEMENTS.

THEATRE ROYAL

" THE WITNESS FOR THE DEFENCE."

Versatility is a dangerous theatrical virtue; dangerous because it generally fosters a vaunting ambition .that quickly meets disaster. In many cases known to Christchurch audiences, a little versatility has had to go a long way. But of Miss Ethel Irving's versatility there can be no doubt; it enables her to follow wherever her ambition would lead, even from the delicate Lady Frederick to tho more powerful Stella Ballantyno of Mr A. E. W. Mason's "The AYitness for the Defence," which was produced at the Theatre Royal on Saturday evening. As a medium for the display of her emotional powers, " The Witness for the Defence " is distinctly suited to the occasion. It is in many ways a, companion piece to "Lady Frederick. Both plavs tell of a woman's struggle to free herself from a past of tyranny clue to a mistaken marriage. "Lady Frederick" with laughter lives through the hell she has niado for herself, but in this new play Stella Ballantyne s combat is waged in a world of tragedy. Mr Mason-opens his play in a tent in India. Tho first act is set in crimson surroundings, a lamp in the middle of tho tent being the. only llluminant. It is a scone in half-light, and its strength is heightened by the dark shadows that are apparent. Shifting to a village in Sussox. the play settles down to explain itself arid at once becomes very talkative. The second act would be insufferable if it wero weakly played, for many people give their opinions, lengthy ones, too, of the incidents arising from the first act, and one has the sensation of being compelled to mark time until the way is cleared for the third phase. The succeeding scenes, however, are well worth the delay. A big situation between Stella Ballantyno and Henry Thresk. her well-meaning friend, covers the wholo of the third act, and its intensity is not weakened even at the fall of the curtain, when the woman leaves the room willing to submit her past to the judgment of the young man she loves. The last act sees the fulfilment of her task and the completion of the struggle for happiness. Tho play gains in force a great deal by the pause between the second and third acts, for the outcome is still a profound uncertainty, made greater by the fact that Richard Hazelwood up to that moment has not shown to the audience the full strength of his character. "The Witness for the Defence" is a plav that demands thorough interpretation, and on Saturdav night Miss Ethel Irving and her company came through the test with honour. On Miss Irving tho great burden of the drama fell. In the early scenes, it is true, sho had verv little to do. but that little was full of meaning, full of prophecy. The third act, however, was the great feature, of the play. Tt was a long combat between Stella Ballantyno and Thresk, who wishes the woman to confess her past to her lover. Miss Irving hardly iealiscd full sincerity in the earlier stages of the act—it was an actress ono saw not a woman—but after her description of the death of her husband she mounted.to heights greater than those attained by any actress seen in Christchurch in recen times. It w-as a. stupendous display of emotional power and in the storm of tragedy one wondered if indeed the stage was occupied by the woman who the night before had made Lady Frederick live. The act was a veritable triumph for the English actress. Mr Stenhen T. Ewart was responsible for another delightful characterisation. The talkative second act was saved by him, and in the third act his restraint added to Miss Irving's power the requisite contrast to make the scene realise its full possibilities. In the first act Mr Halliwell Hobbsmadc Stephen Ballantyne live as a drink-sodden coward'by a faultless pieco of work. The majority of the lesser parts in the cast were thoroughly sustained, particularlv Mr Townsend Whitljng as Robert Pettifer, and Mr Warburton Gamble as Richard Hazelwood, but Mr G. Porteous exhibited an annoying tendency to false comedy as Hubbard, the butler, an unimportant character, though capable of spoiling an otherwise perfect situation. The dressing ' and mounting of the play were brilliant, and the remarkable first scene caught the atmosphere of Anglo-Indian life. To-night " The Witness for the Defence" will bo presented again. FULLER'S PICTURES. On Saturdav there were good attendances at the Colosseum m the afternoon and evening, and Fuller's Pictures were well received on both occasions. To-night a change of programme will be made, and anions; the now films will be " Selecting his Heiress," "The Golden Tulip," "Captain Brand's Wife, "Tho Inner Mmd." "The Luck of Reckless Roddv," " Carr's Regeneration." and several now kinemacolor studies. I WEST-HAYWARD PICTURES. I At tho afternoon and evening enter(tainments His Majesty's Theatre wr>s well filled on Saturday, and the West- ' Hayward Pictures were again well re- ■ ceived. To-night among the new films to he shown in the change of p,O- - gramme will he "The Inner Mind" "The Golden Tulip, " Militarv Tournament at Palmerston North," 1912 " "Tho Sheriff of Tuolumne," "A Crui'so

in tho Geranger Fjords" "An Aeroplane Elopement," and "Betty Minds tho House."

SYDENHAM PICTURES

A now series of pictures was shown at the Svdcnhain Empire to large audiences at" both the mntineo and evening performances on Saturday. The principal attraction was another instalment of ■ Turkish-Italian war pictures, the -•scent of the monster war balloon being particularlv good. Tho town of Tripoli under Hood was also shown. Two of the ever-popular cowboy pictures wero included in the programme, " Caught by Cowboys" and "A Race for a Bride," the latter production being very exciting. Two very interesting dramas were " A Man's Injustice" and "The Snow Maiden," and plenty of humour was to bo found in " Too Many Engagements," '' Aunt Clorinde, ' "Tommv and Lily" and "An Unquenchable Thirst." To-night the same programme' will be repeated.

WAINONI PARK

Tho Southbrook school children spent an enjoyable outing at "Wainoni Park on Saturday. The swings and merry-go-rounds' were kept busy all day. On Tuesday the scholars of the Lceston Catholic school will hold a picnic in the Park.