ENTERTAINMENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7022, 10 January 1910, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS

"THE FLAG LIEUTENANT." Messrs Drury and Trevor's play, " The Flag Lieutenant," is rather inadequately described as a comedy. It abounds with humour, certainly, but there is a great deal of genuine dramatic work in tho piece, while it descends just a little in the second act into the region of melodrama. The story is interesting. Kic'nard Lascclles, flag lieutenant on 11.M.5. Eoyal Edward, stationed for tho time at Malta, has come into money, and rather disappoints his friends by his apparent lack of ambition, some even regarding him as a good deal of a clown. His best friend, Major "Bill" Thesigcr, brave and ambitious, has never had a chance, and is down on his luck after twenty-three years' service—"not even a jubilee medal." But suddenly there comes an order from the Admiralty. There is hot work to do in Crete. Thesiger gets his chance, and Laucelles, who is really a different fellow to what his friends believe, obta-'ns permission to go too. The little company finds itself in a tight corner at Kandia, defending a dismantled fort. Death stares them all in the face unless help is sent for. But between the fort and th. 3 nearest telegrapn station, half a mile away, are a thousand of the enemy, Bashi-Bazouks. A friendly' Bashi-Bazouk comes to the fort with a message, but having been shot en route, he dies with the message unspoken. Th'-siger oonceives tho idea of disguising himself in the dead man's apparel and thus reaching the telegraph station. As ho sets out he is-shot in the head, tho main result of tho injury being permanent loss of memory. Lascelles, who alone knows of the scheme, then dons tho BashiBazouk's clothes and successfully carries out the plan conceived by Thesiger. As Lascelles has money and Thesiger is poor, with all his future depending on his reputation, Lascelles, with the connivance of Dr. Orutchley, reports that Thesiger took tho message to the telegraph. Lascelles explains his own temporary absence from tho fort by saying he was asleep in an embrasure. Theseiger is promoted, and in the Birthday honours gets his O.M.G. Meantime Laßcelles not only continues to disappoint his friends, but they become alarmed by stories of ' cowardice and a pending court-martial. Loyalty .to his > friend ties Lascellos's tongue, Thesiger's memory is gone, and it is not until the telegraph officer arrives on the scene and recognises Lascelles's voice as that which spoke the message for help that tbose immediately concerned become acquainted with the true position. JEven then Lascelles will not speak, and Thesiger continues to be the hero in the eyes of the public. But there is no courtmartial.

This fine play, brightly -written, full of clever repa’rtee and smart epigram, gives ample scope to Mr Williamson’s unusually talented company, and the big audience at the Opera House on Saturday evening was delighted with the performance. Mr Thomas Kingston gives a fine presentation of the part of the flag lieutenant—a part somewhat unnatural to him, inasmuch as his intellectual face is at times out of keeping with his semiclowning. He puts a splendid touch of human nature into the difficult scenes with hia friend " Bill,” and still more difficult scenes with his other friends and his sweetheart- Mr Kingston, as Lascelles, is, in a word, a great success. Happily, Mr George S. Titheradge is cast for an important part—that of Admiral Sir Berkeley Wynne, which in his experienced hands stands out as a clear-out feature of the whole production. Dignity and artistry are always his, and are combined with perfect deportment in the scenes with the ladies. Nothing could be better than his friendly, polite, yet firm reminder to the rich. Mrs Cameron that his quarterdeck is not her drawing-room. Mr Cyril Mackay has a part that entirely suits him in Major Thesiger. He fills big uniform well, and carries out thnumerous difficulties with Lascelles and the ladies in such a way as to make the oharaoterisatfon conspicuous among many. Miss Ethel Warwick invests the wealthy Mrs Cameron, in love with Thesiger, with true womanly feeling, and a nice touch of the society hostess. Miss Nellie Calvin acts sweetly, and consistently 'as Lady Hermiono Wynne, the suffering, loyal sweetheart of the flag lieutenant. . Miss Marjorie Murray displays a lot of talent in the humorous part of Midshipman Hood, taken at short notice.. One hopes to see this gifted young lady in more ambitious work. Th© minor character sketches . given by Mr Morse as a gossiping general (or- “a genial scorpion”), Miss Emma Temple as the General's wife, Miss Harvey as Viola Hood, Sir Greenaway as Dr. Crutchley, and Mr Gregan McMahon as tho telegraphist, - are all delightfully accomplished. There is some fine frocking in the play. JThe scenery is rather ahead of the high standard to which Mr Williamson's patrons are accustomed, - each of the four acts being in its way a. distinctive illustration of all that is good in stage mechanism. " The Flag Lieutenant” is to be repeated to-night and the two following nights. THEATRE ROYAL. The ■ capacity of the Theatre Royal was strained to its utmost on Saturday evening, when the current programme by Fullers’ Vaudeville Company was presented for tho last time. This evening, a complete change of programme will be introduced, when several new artists will make their first appearance in Wellington. They will include the Duckworths, equilibrists, acrobats, and humourists; the Levatos, novel jugglers, and Lerone, trick comedy cyclist. Armstrong and Verne will figure in their new comedy skit, "The Telegraph Office.” WEST’S. PICTURES, The season of West's Pictures at the Town Hall was brought to a close on Saturday evening, when there were present a large number of . well-satisfied spectators: