ENTERTAINMENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 12023, 29 December 1924, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS

“EAST OF SUEZ” A DRAMA OF CHEAT POWER EXCELLENT ACTING. As great a number of people as the Opera House can accommodate was for three hours on Saturday night absorbed into the atmosphere of Peking during the presentation of Mr Somerset Maughan’s remarkable play, “East of Suez,” played by Miss Muriel Starr,. Mr Frank Harvey, and an excellent company. It is a'play which pone who sees it : Will forget, for its subject is the conflict; of two great civilisations —- the "one: to which wo belong,' and the civilisation of China which flourished while the European peoples were savages. The central character is the conflict is Daisy, the beautiful, seductive, passionate, incredibly merciless Eurasian, bred in England, pitifully eager to remain English of the English, but claimed by the inexorable land of her mother’s ancestry. “I don’t" know duty, I only know 10ve,”,: Bhe. .exclaims when a friend urges her’to “do the right thing,” and in that exclamation is revealed the core of her character;' . Associated .'with ■ her' in ; Peking 'are ;her husband, 'blindly in love with , ber.tand George. Conway, -an officer of the Corps, a liberal, tolerant'man, and a great friend. .- His. honour,r his ambition, -his , friendship with’ Daisy’s;-husband are thrown into ' the scale against' her own lov e -for the Eurasian,' 'and through four acts of the play the audience watch the conflict. The wqjnan fights to the end, even after site confesses herself beaten, and the audience are gripped by something close to terror as they behold the man restricted by the code of European morality, slowly succumb _to the onslaught of a woman hound by no code, regardless of opinion of " her own safety, of ; everything" but the object, other consuming passion. Gradually i there comes the realisation, to the audienos and to Conway, that for him! therb can- he only one decision, one ‘‘way out.” He takes it, and then—but “East of Suez” is to be played many times more in "Wellington, and the betrayal of the nature of the last dramatio movement would spoil the enjoyment of the hundreds of people who wIH yet see the play. , The first act of “East of Suez,” as played oh Saturday night, established the fact that* the present company is a strong one. In the succeeding acts came the realisation qf the magnificent performance of Miss Muriel, Starr, who gives life, if not humanity (that is impossible) to the malign,' yet incredibly fascinating character of ’Daisy. On the costing of Daisy depends the success of . the play. It is a difficult part, and Miss Stafr is sufficient to it. The general, wholesome personality of Mr Frank Harvey finds considerable eoope in tha character , of George Conway. No better • exposition of /the character of a typical Englishman, desperately endeavouring to _ “play fair” with everybody, could be imagined. Mr Harvey’s acting is always eomvratent, and frequently excellent; in this play it is seldom less than excellent-. Next must he jnentioned Mr Harvey Adams, who is in the part of Lee Tai Chung, a Chinaman, who knows his Europe—and hates ifn-and he shows himself an actor who in a few words ecu strike terror into the breast of her audienoe. Lee Tai Chung is a -man ♦,! few words, and the audience is glad when he has uttered them. - There are .feuF; light- moments 4 in,-the pkty,. and Mr Roger Barry l* responsible for dearly all of them. " The-carefree, blase young Englishman (Wodehouse version) is a popular, stage type, and Mr Barry ie “it.” Mr Maurice Tuohv gives distinction to the-character of Henry Anderson, Daisy’s unfortunate husband: Miss Jessie Page makes the most of , the thoroughly ‘detestable character of the Amah, whose secret’is revealed at last; Mies Sylvia Knox is ‘fairly convincing in the part of the inexperienced English girl; and Mr Fred Coupe Is the- unobtrusive likeable manservant. ...The production of the play (by Mr .George HA Parker) is uniformly excellent; nothing so strikingly artistic has been seen here for Jeaxe. The same may be said of the orchestral prologue, without which the play would lose much of its power. “East of Suez’ ’ will he repeated tonight and every evening until further notice. The box plans for to-night's and subsequent performances will vbe opened.at the Bristol this morning,' “TH^,GARDEN OF ALLAH” i NEXT THURSDAY NIGHT. I The thousands- who Have read Robert Hichen’syfamoua novel; “The Garden of Allah,” will have a chance to see the dramatized version of the book on its appearance at the Grand ppera House 'em Thursday .evening dext. Something of the mystery of tne Orient has been| imparted to the play, and/the colour of! the atmosphere effects on the 'Sahara, , the beauty of the dreeses,. and the pic- ] turesqueness of Arfib haik' and burnous are all strong features of'the produc-, tion.. In its effects the piece is not un-! like Robert HkdfenV othef Eastern ro- | mance, “Bella Donna,” but in this the) dramatic‘interest ie much stronger. In' the preparation of the play for the stage, Robert Hichen had the assistance of the famous Mary Anderson, who, after a long success on the stake, has taken to play-writing. She was in America when she helped Robert Hichen with the drama, but since then has acquired a beautiful farm in Warwickshire, which she has made quite a financial success. In this famous play Miss Muriel Starr will appear as Domini Em filden, and Frank Harvey as Boris Androvßky. The piece wilT be staged for five nights only, for which the box plans will open at the Bristol to-morrow morning. For the last two nights of the season, “Bought and Paid For” will ‘be revived. • . queen’s Theatre' ■ “UNGUARDED WOMEN.” A fascinating romance of a man’s struggle to redeem a woman’s soul is told in “Unguarded Women,” the star feature this week at the Queen’s Theattre. The story is full of the .intrigue of the Orient, and 1 the vivid charm and colour of the* East, both in ' costumes and setting, makes a most delightful background. These advantages,' allied with flawless photography, go to make oneof'the finest films' screened in Wellington for some months past. . The picture allows Bebe Daniels rmple scope for her talent, in which she is amply supported by Riohard Dix. The minor pictures, are of more than usual interest, and include a Burton Holmes’ travelogue, a gazette, crammed full of topical subjects, and a real laughterraising comedy, “Stay Single,” The well-known Queen’s Orchestra, under the baton of Mts W. Wright, will render a real holiday programme of music. The box plan is at the theatre, where 1 scats may he reserved by telephone.