ALLAN HAMILTON'S DRAMATIC COMPANY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 13 September 1909, Page 2

ALLAN HAMILTON'S DRAMATIC COMPANY.

"A MESSAGE FROM MARS." Despite the fact that the fantastic comedy drama, "A Message from Mars," has previously -been staged in Nelson, the Theatre Royal was well-filled on Saturday evening, when the Allan Hamilton Dramatic Company revived it after some years. "The Message from Mars" is a play distinct from the average one, and after seejng It o.^e cpmes away feeling as thou)jJr "a 'powerful sermon, "Cjp, "Do "unto others" has been delivered. The plot of the d.T«»a has appeared in these columns before but. a brief repetition is given for the benefit of those unfamiliar with it Horace "Parker is a somewhat bored young' man who does lint take the trouble to hide his selfishness. In fact this is a feature of the play and Is Its great feature. Ho-' race, after snubbing 'his fiancee and <his stately Aunt- Martha, by refuging to escort them te a ball, as the night is too cold and he hns an interesting article on the possibility of communication' with the planet Mars to interest himself in, falls asleep over the article, and in his dreams a messenger from the planetMars visks him, and endeavours to awaken the good that is concealed somewhere in Horace's apparently selfish heart. "Apparently selfish" are the correct words, as somehow or other the audience feels drawn, to Horace, .as there is a certain humour connected with his acts that savour more of fStlguij; thoughtlessness "th^n'.caywsi^e.ss, w^uSb. UyUei attribute is noticeable' in many of the other characters, and which apparently the Messenger fails to..notice, hrob!\biy 95 "Herijce" was his particuJar charge. Eventually, when with fortune and friends lost, seemingly boyohd recall, the straits of hjs "traiiip" friend awake his finer fee),n 8 s > tne Mesenger's tas.l£ is accomplished, he depart? in a flash 6f light to his planet, Sad Horace awakes from dreamland a changed man. The staging and transformation scenes were admirable, and the audience fre-' quonlly gave vent to vigorous applause. Mr George Cross as "Horace Parker," proved himself an actor of groat ability, and Mr Wilton Power, made a commanding "Messenger," his resonant voice suiting, the part exactly. Miss Ada Guildford, made a stately "Aunt. Martha," and did not attempt to overdo the character of that imperious lady. Mr John HesfordV tramp S equal to an,y iimilar ner.iorma.n Ice'1 cc' iri the Theatre, and earned favourable comment from the audience. Mr Lawrence as "Art-bur Dicey," was excellent, and Mfss Rosemary Rees as "Minnie Templar," was charming indeed. The other characters wero carefully played by Miss Beatrice Usher, Miss Evelyn Evans, Miss Hazel Hart, Miss Stella Ash, and Messrs John Bruce, Drayton, Wilton Welch, W. Ellison, Siuart Clyde, F. Kennedy, J. *B. Mandeville, and young Donald Cameron,