“FAST OF SUEZ”

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 12022, 27 December 1924, Page 6

“FAST OF SUEZ”

A FASCINATING PLAY SUCCESS OF MURIEL STARR, AND FRANK HARVEY. Last night the curtain at the Opera House rose for the first presentation of “East of Suez” by a splendid .T. C. Williamson company, in which Miss Muriel Starr, the popular emotional actress, and Frank Harvey, so well ’ known as the leading man, play the “ principal parts. It came to Welling- ' ton with a great reputation on the other side of the Tasman, and that re- | putation has suffered nothing in the ! transfer to this Dominion. If the orj iginal of “Daisy” in the story was but half as charming as was Muriel Starr 1 i in tho role last night, that of the [ I daughter of English and Chinese par- [ | ents. a half-caste, it is no matter for ! wonderment that a white man. nay, [ two of them, fell under the charm of , her witchery. Yet it demonstrates | i the truth that lies at the back of ICip- ' | ling’s two lines which proclaim against : the mixing of the blood of East and , West. It is. of course, very strong . drama, and it is in work of this ebar- ,, acter that Muriel Starr is literally a . star. Her fascinating personality capr tivates the heart of Harry Anderson, I (Maurice Tuohy). whom she weds, even - against the emphatic wishes of George s Conday (Frank Harvey), who is ac- , quainted with her past and is at first . determined that she shall not wreck : the happiness of his lifelong friend. > Even his objections are overcome, the - wedding takes place, and then the t troubles begin. Harry loves Daisy and 1 Daisy loves George Conway, and with r an admixture of Eastern complications i there is ample scope for powerful drai ma. t Somerset Maugham’s story is based - on the Relations of the Chinese with , the white races, yet one ponders over ■ the thought that the' daughter of an 5 English merchant and a low-easte Chi- > nese woman is permitted to triumph ‘ over the Western ideas of morality and ’ honour. There ie a world of meaning • behind the words of the rich Chinese » lover who in level tones of finality tells ' Daisy that, despite her love for a white ' man, the Chinese blood of generations I in her will prevail. “What power have | you to swim against that mighty current ” ,‘ie asks. “You can wear Euro- [ pean clothes and eat European food, j but in your heart you are a Chinawoman. China will close in on you.” It is a strange study in ■ psychology, ' and the character of “Daisy” is a de- . testable one. Having been sold by her I mother to Lee Tar Cheng, she leaves L I him for an American lover. When , I the play opens it is the prelude to her , | marriage with Harry Anderson, al- : | though it is George she loves. Cheng ■ and her Chinese mother plan to kill , 1 Harry by causing cries of “Help!” to. be shouted outside the house. Harry j rushes out, but in the confusion it is •, George who receives the knife-thrust , and is carried indoors, and Harry cap- ,; turcs the miscreant. The Chinese me. II thcr releases the prisoner while his back is turned, and there is a touch of Igl im humour in her oft-reiterated '■statement that she has been baptised I five times and is a “good Klistian wo-

I man.” Then Daisy sets herself to j break down Conway’s resistance, and 1 so strong is the force of her personality that he gives way. although he realises his falseness to liis friend of a ■ lifetime. * Daisy is prepared for anything. t.o do anything, if she can eni fold Conway in her coils, and Oonj way’s downfall ends in suicide. This ; does shock the. half Chinese-half English woman, and in the closing of the final scene she surrenders herself to . the Chinese blood in her, even as ; Cheng foretold that she would. At ione period in the storv Harry tries to i get his wife to leave Peking, where the ! story is lived, but Daisv does not desire to leave. Her Chinese mother ' does, however, and invokes the aid of j |“Budda,” of whom there is a larjje j model behind a screen, and the Amah : is seen on her knees praying for the i god’s advice. It is a strange, weird j scene, thoroughly Fostern in its atmosphere and surroundings.

j Miss Muriel Starr filled the part of ' the scheming Daisy with tho skill that l is expected of her. Her interpretaj tion of Daisy is vivid and convincing, i especially where Conway is nearly murdered in place of her husband, and also jin her intriguing arguments with Conway. Frank' Harvey’s part is by no means an easy one, that of a man desirous of following the path of honour and caught in the web of a scheming woman with all the cunning of the East at her command. He enacts the part with wonderful reality, the regret [of the man who sees his folly and feels i helpless to escape the consequences. The husband of Daisy. Harry Anderson, personates the part wtih considerable skill, hut if he does not degrade himself to the extent of the original in the story, the impression gained is that the stage version goes far enough. Misn Jessie Page discharged the part of the odious Chinese mother with marvellous skill, for despite the horror of her character it was very realistically done. Harvev Adams was a real Oriental as Lee Tai Cheng. Daisy’s lover, and Wn was the stolid Chinese manservant, played by Fred Coope. Sylvia Knpx (Marjorie Hardy) was the only white girl willing to grant, social recognition to Daisy, and Harold Knox (Roger Parry) expresses himself from first to last as against such unions.

The play is produced by George D. Parker, and the various scenes are very artistic, not the least striking [ being that in which the appeal to Bndida is made. The storv begins on the I premises of the British American Tojhacen Connanv ; it ends in Anderson’s apartments, where Conwav has just shot himself, and Anderson rushes in to find that Daisy has entirely gone over to the Chinese hlood shot is in hr-r. and b» bids her farewell for ever. Th“ incidental music is light and effective. Miss Muriel Starr’s gowns and dresses are beautiful creations, repe more so than tho evening dreßS of ole! cold end the Chinese rnhe. Hi” Pb-epllencv t.j,e Governor-General (Sir Charles Fergnsson). and Her Excellencv Lady Fergusson and suite, were present at tho performance. oc-enn-ring the centre seats of the dress circle which was draped with Union .Tacks.

At. tlm close of the performance a hp-rt-e ovation wa s accorded Miss Muriel St4frr.' for ■■whom a charmin'/ hououct was handed over the frioth-Ma as an ernressioo of appreciation of her excellcut wovk. “fash of *Ol tex” will he rereatcfl to-nic-ht and; eyerv evening until further nof-'ep The hox plans for to-night's oerfer-mance ore on view at the Grand fior-fertionerv. P'ans for subsequent net-rormianooe will be opened’ at tlio Bristol on Monday morning. .

DE LUXE THEATRE A STORY OF THE BOOTLEGGER. “Ours is a reckless age, and following on the war wo have entered an era wherein social ethics are changed. It is an age of frenzied finance, of njoral laxity,” declares as a preface the Universal film “Wine,” which is showing at the De Luxe Theatre this week. There was a bumper' house last night to greet the initial release of this film, and it soon became apparent that Carl Laemmle had set out to grapple with one of the evils of America—the illicit drink trade. Whether he solved it or not audiences will judge, but he has made of it a powerful drama, and one which behind its lavishness, and its gay presentation, is * moral for those who drink not wiseIn. ° U V , we M the apparently harmless beveridges of the bootlegger. The film shows the fallacy of prohibition, which permits of gross breaches of the law. Of his theme Laemmle has done all that could be done, ana last night’s audience rccognised the fact. The story is of the Warrmer family, and centres round Angela, who develops on the eve of her coming-out party into a flapper of the first water, and one who is carried away in the thrill of her new life. Angela, taken off her feet, in more senses than one, becomes entangled in parties where she first becomes shocked and then fascinated. Despite the solemn warning of an old girlhood friend that she will now he pressed by him as an ardent suitor, she prefers parties where wine flows and merriment is the evening’s keynote. In the meantime her father is embroiled with Benedicte, a notorious bootlegger, and in order to save himself from bankruptcy lends his name to his illicit trafficking. From ritous nights Angela passes to nights more riotous, until a climax is reached when the “Wild Wood Inn” is raided with the revelry at its height. Angela and her party, caught in the midst of a particularly strenuous game of strip poker, are arrested, as also is the girl’s father, who is sent to gaol for his crime. To cap everything Mrs Warriner is blinded by the evil drinks of- the bootlegger. But Shelley’s reference to the following of the winter by the spring may aptly be applied, for a very-much-sobered Angela lopks forward to a better life, hand in hand with her old lover, end with the realisation that her father is soon to commence a new life, and her mother’s sight will again be restored. As Angela, Clara Bow takes a difficult part, and is supported by an all-star cast. Her acting is realistic throughout, and she undoubtedly contributes to the success of the film. As a fitting prologue, Miss Gwenethe Walsh dances most attractively in a pretty piece entitled “La Champagne,” and gives a good rendering of a dance well suited to the following film. The orchestra, de luxe, under the .baton of Mr L. D. Austen, renders “Hungarian Airs” (Kela Bela) as an overture, and gives the Prelude to “Lohengrin’ ’• (Wagner) as an entr’acte. There is-.also the usual list 6f supports, which contributes to make up a fine programme. STRAND THEATRE ‘DESTINY’S ISLE.” “Destiny’s Isle” will be presented at the Strand Theatre, commencing to-day. It tells of an old judge’s hope that his ward, Florence Martin, and his nephew, Tom Proctor, shall he united in marriage. As Tom goes into the garden in search of Florence. t 6 propose to hor, re is shocked to find her nestled closely in the embrace, of his - rival; and flees to his motor-boat to be' alone with his ihoughts. A storm overtakes him, and re. is struck by a thunderbolt, which tnocks him unconscious. When he jwakens he is in a strange room, being lursed by an unsophisticated young girl vho • in time falls in love with him. When he is found there by Florence he leclares that the strange young girl vho had saved his life is his wife. The -ntriguee of Florence, prompted by her despondency, to lure Tom back to herself ; and, failing, to bring disgrace upon him and the innocent girl; the sacrifice of the innocent "girl to save Tom’s name; the interference of the rival and the generous spirit of the old judge when he finds he has falsely judged—are supremely dramatic passages In a picture that scintillates with stirring situations and throbs with action and romance. Incidentally, the ill-fated seaplane, Miss Miami,, was used in the filming of the picture, and is seen in several of its scenes. The other attraction, “Dr Jack.** is a delicious conglomeration of everything one could hope for in a super-comedy. And everything seems entirely new. Lloyd’s box of tricks seem everlasting, and one never knows what to expect, except tliat the next' laugh will .be louder than the first. As a fun-maker, Mr Lloyd has neached the pinnacle, but in “Dr Jack” he has also established himself as a runner-up for honours with the screen’s greatest lovers, as his love scene with Mildred Davis seemed to us to_ bo one of the most delightful we have ever witnessed. A splendid cast r>f players, far above the average for a comedy, are seen in support fef Mr Lloyd. Eric Mavne is seen ns the rival phvsician. and John T. Prince is the girl’s father. Norman Hammond is excellent ns the family lawyer. Anna Townsend, seen in “Grandma’s Bov.” appears to advantage; and other rales are canablv handled by Flo-enre Mayon Joy Winthrop, Oscar Moreau and “Auntie” Mnrkav. The comedy remains at the Stroud Theatre until January Ist. Ruimorfs include Fnisode S n e “The Purnle Riders.” Harry Avery and I his jazz hand supply the music. |

TIVOLI THEATRE TRIPLE FEATURE BILL. A. particularly fine programme has Ueen secured by the Tivoli' management for presentation this week, consisting as it does of three big attractions. “Fot Sale" is a thrilling story of New York ‘ society, featuring the beautiful blonde, Claire Windsor. The play tells of a pretty society "giri who is literal! v offered for sare to tho • highest bidder in o.rder that her parents m«v 'retain their high place in tho estimation of their sooistv friends. Naturally this leads to thrilling and complicated situations, and there is a startling denouement when it seems as though the girl is to suffer for the plot of hpr granping parents. The second feature is "Hullo;

MarmatTuike,” which comes from the Australian studio of Air Beaumont Smith, and features the inimitable Claude Daumier in- a screamingly funny role. Pampier is well-known on ‘.his side of the Tasman, and his w>rfermances are always refreshing, while his latest effort is one peculiarly suited to him. In addition there is the story of “Hin Van Winkle.'’ which has a plot everyone will ernov. while it orate pleasingly with an old theme. Tliere are also the usual supports which go to make tip a first-class programme.