CRANE-POWER DRAMATIC COMPANY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11565, 31 January 1901, Page 3

CRANE-POWER DRAMATIC COMPANY.

:/'"'• "THE ONLY W.A.Y." . \ AT the Opera House last night 'the produc j tion by the Crane-Power Dramatic Company I of Freeman Wells' adaptation of Dic'iens' I "Tale of Two Cities," under the name oft "The Only Way," was attended by a very large audience. The original story is "nel which docs not lend itself any too readily | to the- pen of the adaptor. Consequently | it is the more to the credit of Freeman Wells | I that ho has succeeded in evolving a vry | i powerful play. In one or two respects the p [book has been altered, the outline in several j instances being sharpened, and the colour jj deepened, in a manner that makes a bo.nerg picture. The essential features, however, 1 I have been retained, the new incidents intro-1 | duced serving to make a dramatic contrast. I j The French Revolution in itself is a sum- I j ciently fascinating subject for a play, and I I the interesting story interwoven on such a I j background in the one under notice made its t effect most impressive. i I As Sidney Carton, Mr. Tyrone Power gavo S j a magnificent representation of the dissipated | j but noble-hearted advocate. He showed | ■ the heights and depths of a powerful charac- j | ter. His conception was not that of Dickens' ; melancholy and depressed hero, but rather of a devil-may-care and reckless kind if man, J who over has the sympathies of his audience. ! At the same time, he revealed touches of a 1 deeper nature, notably in the first act, wbe-c- ---' in he soliloquises, and shows his regret for 1 a wasted life. This was a remarkable piece jof dramatic work. In the trial scene, which, 1 by-the-by» was a vivid piece of realism, dopicting with fidelity the old revolutionary j tribunal, with its picturesque crowd of brutal i and demoralised man and womankind, Mr. I Power gave another instance of his talent. I His address to the jury, in his last great 1 scene, wherein he plays upon the passion of i the multitude with the art of a great orator, | his quickness of repartee, and the final climax |in which his concentrated force of appeal I for the life of his friend, results in the brief | triumph of his reckless eloquence—all these I went to make up the most excellent perfonnI ance that this sterling actor has given in i Auckland. Miss Edith Crane was cast for I the small part of Lucy Manette, but the im--1 portance of the character to the harmony I of the picture was thoroughly realised by the | actress, who looked and acted charmingly. S Mr. Cecil Ward, who can always be relied i upon for a performance of moro than orj dinary merit, was seen to great advantage | as Jean Defarge in the prologue and as ErI nest Defarge in the play. As St. EvreI monde in the prologue, and in the following " scenes as Charles Darnay, Mr. Cyril Keightl ley gave two admirable character studies. ] Miss Rose Musgrove, as Mimi, was pathetic, i| pretty, and well in keeping with the characi ter of the little waif, giving fresh evidence j; that she possesses the instincts of a true ii artiste. The subordinate characters were pftT well handled, whilst the dressing and I mounting of the play were of a cpmmendably | high standard. The scene depicting the hall |of tho Conciergerie, with the condemned H nobles awaiting their doom, and the final j tableau showing the dread guillotine, were E especially effective pieces of stagecraft. This I fine play will be produced again to-night for I the last time.