Dramatic And Musical

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 147, 25 April 1903, Page 7

Dramatic And Musical

By Footlight.

THAT thrilling drama 'The Chnstlan," as played by Mr. Williamsons fine company at the Opera House, has attracted immense crowds, who have probably felt a desire to see Hall Caine's great characters, John Storm and Glory Quayle, represented by people who can do their subjects justice. Hall Came's John Storm xs not a person w horn one can like. The ohaotic selfishness, the fanaticism of the character, are not the qualities that appeal to the public om the look out for someone to hero w orship. • * • Mr Cuyler Hastings' faithful rendering of what the dramatists, intended to convey is entirely praiseworthy, but the clever actor is handicapped by having; to play a part in which spontamiety and naturalness are almost impossible. The brooding, gloomy "Christian/ 7 fighting against the flesh and Glory is fine, but ome< wants to kick the author's John Storm all the time. The scene in whioh the monk John Storm, cast out from the order of the Brethren of Gethsemane, finds the house of gaiety in which Glory is singing and is flesh enough to resent with, his hands the imputation by Lord Ure against her purity raises John in the opinion of the audience, and the feeling "in front" is ■wrought up to thoi highest tension w hen the fanatic, meeting Glory in her room, tells her "God has sent me to kill you, Glory." Magnificent is the word to describe the passage when Glory, aware of his intention, implores the man she loves to spare her. The throwing off of her cloak the uncoiling of her hair, the imploring gestures the querulous sobbing out of her old childish sone, "D'ye Ken John Peel." is the strongest thing in the p]ay, and Miss Chevalier and Mr. Hastings- have left a, Picture that will be hard to efface. The awful purpose seen in the face of the cleric, the gradual weakening of the sitrint at the bidding of the) flei4i, the fall, if yon will, when Glory with a final entreaty says "Kiss me John," and John yields, is fine . finer than p. combination of all other scenes in "The Christian." -. * * Mr. H. Hamilton Stewart, as Lord Robert Ure, was almost the most satisfying character. This clever actor invested it with such natural ness- that one almost liked him for his bold profligacy, his polished libertinism. Mr. Stewart ib Lord Ure for three hours, which is sufficient praise. The Hon. Francis Drake, of Mr. Lumsden Hare, is a part requiring the most careful handling. His entreaties with Glory, her consent to an unhallowed alliance, and his "Good 1 God what have I done what was I thinking of," as hie banishes the intentions from his mind, is unquestionably strong. • ♦ ■* One feels glad that the fashionable and hypocritical cleric, Canon Wealthy, is not. required for very long during the progress of the piece. Mr. J. B. Atholwood, the character's actor, does full justice to it The Splat* of Mr. Edmund Gwenn is a bright bit of comedy, and his interpretation of the character of Sir Max Cornelius is also good. Standing out in very clear relief is the excellent work of Miss Mabel Lane, who aa Miss Chaillender, the matron of a foundling hospital, glories in the part of a shrewd Scotch l'adv. indispensable in the unwinding of the story. • • * In the long list, of capable people in the bill there is no one who does not faithfully pourtray the character entrusted to him or her. As the heroine. Miss Chevalier is above praise. Glory Quaylp is a part to which she is eminently suited. The volatile, lovable, passionate girl, starved for love, is, for the time being, merged into the person of the clever lady. If one is not satisfied, the sentimnet of the thing, and not its interpretation, is the reason. * * * If you happen along in time to crow d into the Choral Kail, you will find that as the weeks roll by Fuller's Entertainers are gathering in the people, and gaining golden opinions. The "turn" of MoKisson and Duval is a good showin itself. McKisson is a compound of mirth and indiarubber, and as a simian gentleman, without any perceptible bones, he manages to do one of the best

acrobatic and contortion acts seen for many moons. Must have taken him some tame to learn, how to climb a perpendicular pole using his toes and fingers only or to hop on to a piano like the missing link. • • • Blutch Jones and his rumble bi other Bill roused the audience to a pitch of mafficking bv their clever sketch, "The Rich and Poor Man." Remarkable faculty of expression, coupled to vocal powers of great magnitude, give them a right to a first place in the Fuller firmament. Then, there is' that rattling five minutes w ith the mandoline® of Miss Ada Duval and Mr. McKisson, the choice and charming combination of kicks and melody supplied by the Phillips Sisters, the abandonment of merriment infused into the show by Jack Steele and Alex. Reid, and the ■ Bones" of the inimitable Blutch and "Will Jones. • < » Johnny Fuller occupied the centre on Saturday night vice Mr. Cyril Iredale, absent, and he shows that the vocal mantle of the elder John may descend on him yet. Coon melodies and dashnio- dances, funny farces, and pathetic duos, serio-comic Bono's and merry mimicry chase each other in quick succession. The show helos you to regard your enemy w ith benevolent eve, and you may even forget that the Corporation makes no provision for theatre crowds, and that unless you live 1 in Thorndon you may have to walk home. "Current Cash," at. the Theatre Royal, deserves the' crowds it has been getting, for it is, a drama of the good, old-fashioned kind with all the concomitants that have made this type of stage story 'so eagerly patronised. What matter that the story is wildly impossible as long as the harrowing details are worked out with nice: exactitude by capable performers? The rather stupid, officer, who "thinks he hears the retire' sound in Afghanistan," and duly retires, and is sentenced to death, the equally unbusinesslike signing of a forged will, which his enemy draws up w hile the condemned man is aw ay saying good-bye to; his wife, the improbability of his survival after a file of soldiers have shot him with Martinis, failing, of course, to bury him, so that he may escape, and track his enemy to has doom' Yet it ma.kes a pretty tale. The villain, gets the hero's money, and lives unhappily on it. The hero's wife, with the persistence of heir class, goes to live on the villain's estate, and he is for ever trying; to clear her out. A man with one eye, always arrives with a ten-pound note, and the wicked landlord doesi not score. The unknown benefactor is really the "dead" husband, and after a great deal of w orry he rushes* into a court, presided over by one gentleman, who listens wildly to several statement® made by anybody who wants to speak, and does not give any opinion, the constable immediately fastening on the villain w 7 ho is evidently condemned by public opinion only. • * « As the will-forger, Major Gordon Challis, Mr. F. B. Francis, is highly successful, and his deadly hate of everything except, current cash is well rnctured. The heiro, who was> not killed with thei Martinis and who went aw ay and got taken prisoner for nine years, is strongly played by Mr. H. Grattan,

who, in, his impersonation, of "the unkno« n" is successful m hiding his idemThe requisite fun is obtained by tlie cleve. comedy of Mr. J. H. Martin, who as the Rev. Lincoln Green, is as ve>rdant as he can possibly be. Miss Kate Gair, as the go-ahead fiancee, is bright and winning, and Mr. E. Hill, w ho gets a chance to sing a song, makes love to her, and actually wins her hands down. Ned Bowles a comic Tommy, who witnessed the forgery of the will, ajid who subsequently harrassed the villainous Major foir money, is a vivacious comedian, and the hero's: wife and daughter are capably represented by Miss Nellie Neilson and Miss Ada Rochefort. the last of w r hom, in the character of the siuoposed widow, gives a highly satisfactory rendering of a nart inquiring more than ordinary dramatic ability. * * * Stated that "ZaZa" is to be cut out of the Mussrove repertoire for New Zealand. Supnosed to be ai compliment to the nice feelings of sinless playgoers in these islands. (Continued on page 20.)