THEATRE ROYAL.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 9779, 15 January 1901, Page 3

THEATRE ROYAL.

STANFORD DRAMATIC. COMPANY,

It was probably : duo- to the recent holidays and the extended opportunities for onjoyiuont whioli those afforded that • tho presentation of.;, the - powerful dramatic ellort "Tho Power and the Glory," which was ■ staged in tho Theatre Royal last evening, did not at--1 tract a larger audience than that which , applauded the rise of the curtain. If it ; lie borne in mind tliatalarger numbor of i people than usual have just been or are i now away from Oarnaru, the deficiency ' is doubly explained. ; Tho pit and stalls wero comfortably , full, but in the circle there wore a i number of vacancies.', "I ho Power and tlvo Gloryis a melodrama in which tho evil and good in . human nature are -thrown in the strongest possible Cu'atrast, and in which tho one acts as a foil to the other in such a manner as cannot fail to be striking, 'I lio plot is employed principally in pourtraying the purity of heart and the honesty of purpose in one woman—Lizzie Medwiu—as against tho wickedness, l'esentfiiluoss, and diabolical machinations of another—Kato Goodluck, alias Muriel Criterion. Melodrama frequently draws somewhat liberally on the credulity of tho public, but iu tho piece under notico tho rapidity • with which.one astonishing climax follows another leaves no time for reflcctioi or consideration of tho probabilities of the case, If indeed the piece has a fault it is in the impossibility of the situations in which the characters are placed However, there was no room for doubt. about the general satisfaction last evening, for every scene was followed with increasing interest and attention, the strain only being relieved by slight punctuations on' tho part of tho audience of applause. "The Power and the Glory" came here, however, ivith a reputation largely for the beauty and completeness of its staging, and for these it was received with emphatic and demonstrative approval. The mounting was splendid, even extravagant, and, it is safe to say, equal to the best ever seen in Oamaru, The tableaux "illustrating the Mansion House, London, and that representing London from the top of the Monument are more than pretty, or even effective, they become almost convincing, which is the highest test of such excellence. The piece closes with a transformation scene, which is truly gorgeous; it is developed from a tableaux in a pantomiuio, . and as it gradually unfolds tho beauty and splenqur is suoli as to provoke the warmest tributes of approval. Tho interest of the plot we bavo already stated;. suffice it to say that its strength is displayed in the degradation ' of all tho characters from the highest social position to the lowest, and its ascription to the wickedness of tho ] woman Muriel Criterion and her comtrue to nature and to fact. The acting is a most important factor in t the success of tho production. The part of Muriel Criterion was taken by Miss Rose Conroy with considerable dramatic power, and her acting was 1 quite a feature of the evening, Her companion in evil is Ferdinand Crayle, who rejoices in tie title of King of the Mobsmen. Tho part is sustained by Mr C, R, Stanford, and his performance proved him to be an actor of no small - parts, The manner, in which ho reprepresented the declensions from tho ' luxurious rogue, who carries out his ] robberies iu tho most refined manner, to ] the druuken vagrant, whoso skill has beon sapped by excesses, is sufficient 1 proof of real histrionic abilities, Mr Frank Hawthorne is cast in the < part of Harold Medwiu, and he too exhibited skill in acting a diffioulfc | part. Mr C. B, Westmacott's efforts, as Morris, were such as to make one wish to see him in a heavier character. Miss Ida Gresham, the unselfish innocent woman on whom tho dislike of her eneay was visited with such tragical results, aotatl with tender feeling in several scenes, and Miss Pearlio Hellrnrich established herself in warm favor < with tho audience, as did Miss Katie Towers, Miss Roland Watts-Phillips, Mr J, P, O'Neill, and Mr Frank Harcourfc, who supplied the humor necessary to thp prcduotion. Other parts Were also taken in such a manner as to prove that the combination is a strong one even to tho smallest part, To-night the piece " Shall iYeForgivo J Her" will be staged, the company hav- ■ ing found it impossiblo to put on the : one formerly announced. It comes • with a liigli reputation, having been 1 played for lengthened seasons in the . cities of Australia. There are in it great literary merits, and it should attract a bumper house, ,