THE MYRA KEMBLE SEASON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9403, 9 January 1894, Page 5

THE MYRA KEMBLE SEASON.

\ "THE PROFLIGATE." It is a pity that ■ Miss Myra Kemble kept, the production of "The Profligate" until so late in the season, though had she started with it there would perhaps scarcely have been a chance for any other item in the repertoire. So great was its success last evening, at the Opera House, that it is questionable, when the merits of the piece become more widely known, whether the management will be able to adhere to the resolve to run it for only three nights. One of the best pieces Pinero—that prolific, versatile, witty, and dramatically clever writer—has produced, it " took" yesterday evening as few pieces have taken in Auckland. Not only was every situation - applauded, though that occasionally broke continuity, but every line , was awaited breathlessly. The production undoubtedly will prove the success of the season. The; story, one as true to Nature as Nature is to herself, is told without exaggeration. All that is in it tells of the " whirlwind " which comes to those who sow the '• wind" and who when the reaping time comes would give the world to save those whom they love from the effects of the crop which they , themselves are compelled to gather. In none of the pieces produced nave the company been seen to greater advantage than they were yesterday evening. At the end of the first act all the principals were recalled and the splendid impression then : created not only lasted until the final fall of the curtain but was intensified as the night progressed. . Mr. Edward Saw as "punstan Renshaw," was superb. A whole world of remorse was conveyed: by him in; the : sentence, "And yet, God help me, my wife thinks me without) fault," And, then, . when after the paßt is known and he is bidden to "go;" when that. command has wrung his heart;j and when his wife, in her purity and love, dawns upon him, as a vision of forgiveness, i in his darkest momenta be says, as though scarce believing,'' Is it you," wayward human nature, with its longing to get back to that ! which it had lost, was laid bare. Miss Kemble, who had - the equal part (that of Leslie Brudenell) to Mr, Saw, was equally good, Every-character she has played in; Auckland has been better than that which; has gone before, - Last night, however, she was far beyond anything in which she has been seen in here. She was truly womanly, j And what more could be said for such a part—that of a woman who, a month after marriage, finds to her horror she i has married a man " with a past," and who yen, in his great love fop her, would sell his ufe ; could that , par be undone. , 188 j ,® me ; was perfect, and hard would indeed be the heart that. she. did, not touch. She con▼eyed no excuse for the one who had sown, his wild oats;. only an whelming pity; for one who struggled for the belief, in him, of one good woman. Mr. H. Plimmer played Hugh Murray without fault; he had- a difficult part to fill, but he filled it admirably. He was perhaps best when he, not knowing that Leslie was present, and in an impulsive moment, confessed his long love for Leslie— love which be had. con* -while working for her reconciliation with Dunstan. There, are many other character* all interwoven I into the play. Not the least of .these were Miss Halket's Janet and Miss Gwynna's Irene, which were always worthy } Mr- Maieroni'« Lord Dan-: gars and Mr. Scott Inglia r Ufred, During the' play Mr, Jvemey sang "Santa Maria most effectively,-; m The Profligate" will be produced again to-night. No lover of a play which combines artistic conception': and renderings and ; which has all that) ; which iis * natural in its surroundings should mist seeing it. Upon the merits of the piese end the way in which it is pro, duced the Opera House should be crowded for the week.