FULLERS' DRAMATIC COMPANY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17325, 27 May 1918, Page 3

FULLERS' DRAMATIC COMPANY.

'•SEVEN DAYS' I.KAVK" It is quite evident, from tho attendance at llis Majesty's Theatre on Saturday r.ighc, that tho popularity of melodr-Jlna is fully maintained in Dunodin. Tlw theatro could not have held a bigger audience. ''.Seven Days' Leave," with which th? .Messrs Fuller inaugurated tho season, is billed as a submarine play, and belongs to the melodramatic order of stage productions. It is written to suit the times in more ways than one. Tliat constant topio of conversation, the war, is presented in several aspects, iho principal being submarine methods, the spy f-vstem, and the inhumanity of man to man so far as tho enemy is concerned. Then the audience has placed before it in the brightest of colours the strictly honourable feelings that over remain with the British soldier —his chivalry, generosity, courage, and devotion to cause and country. Next comes the equality of man, it being shown how, given the opportunity, one man is as good as another, no matter what the station in life tnay be. In this particular caso tho son of the vicar s old lady cook becomes a commissioned officer, while Lord Arthur Pendennis remains in the ranks and addresses Lieutenant Keys as •' sir,"' being addressed m return as "my lord." The situation certainly has the comical side it is intended to have. Fused with all this is a romantio story of love and daring, heroism and sacrifice. Tho lovers are three gentlemen and two maidens. Lieutenant Keys's lovo allairs run very smoothly; Kitty, the vicar's daughter., freely responding to his advances. and occasionally 'throwing out a suggestion as to the use of a more polished diction. Ho has no rival—not worth mentioning. It is true that tho drawling Lord Pendennis—quite a good fellow and a good soldier—does at the end " speak to papa about Kitty," but the old gentleman gives him to understand that his prospects are nil, and "my lord" retires without the lieutenant or Kitty evor knowing anything about his true feelings. On the other hand, tho course of true lovo runs anything but. smoothly with Captain Terenco Fielding and Lady Mary Heather. The captain has a rival in Stephen Darrell, who is. however, vory far from being a typical stage villian. He is, in point of fact, a man with a very fine nature, who finally sacrifices tho great lovo- of his life to make Kitty happy. It takes the whole of the fourth act to make this clear, and the members of the audiencc reach the 'trams at 11 p.m. The villainous element is supplied by Paul Lamond and Constance Morel, German spies passing as Belgians. A moment's reflection brings the conclusion that here there is an abundance of material of all shades and hues to pleaee, and even delight, a British audience, it is so entirely complimentary to the nation to which they belong, and as a corollary to themselves. "Seven Days' Leave" is written practically on serious lines, but there are at the same time many good comedy passages in it. A very fair proportion of amueement is provided by Mrs Susan Keys (thc_ lieutenant's mother), by the lieutenant himself, and Private Lord Arthur Pendennis; but these are not prominent parts, with perhaps the exception of that of the lieutenant. The more solid work rests with Captain Fielding, Colonel Sharow (of the Intelligence' Department), Lady Mary, Lamond, Constance Morel, and tho vicar. There is a good deal of tho spectacular about "Seven Days' Leave," a very effective representation of a destroyer being made at the start. It ie " screened," though not after the manner of moving pictures, and a change of lighting adds materially to the general effectiveness of the picture. Before tho curtain is lowered, to be raised again a few seconds later on the play itself, the warship throws the full strength of its searchlight around the interior of the theatro with dazzling brilliancy. Towards 'the end of the drama a submersible is shown coming to tho sur-' face of the sea, and very soon thereafter a destroyer passes across "the back scone. _" Seven Days' Leave," which gets its title from the fact that that is tho furlough of most of the military characters, is very well presented. It is exceedingly well staged and very littlo 'that is not wholly to the credit of the ladies and gentlemen engaged in its production can be said. It may be. that one or two are not seen at their best, and have created a deeper impression in a different class of impersonation. On Mr Allan Wilkie devolved the part of Captain Fielding, and ho carried out his work conscientiously and quite creditably, but he in particular has been previously eeen and heard to greater advantage, simply because he has been more happily east. It is with the threo ladies —Misses Nellie Ferguson, Adele Inman, and Marie Ney—that the chief honours lie. Miss Ferguson, as Constance Morel, played- with considerable force, and displayed a perfect knowledge of the sort of woman she for the time being represented. It was a good study. Miss Inman made a very attractive vicar's daughter—bright, vivacious, with just a tendency to be frolicsome. Miss Ney had a more earnest part to play as Lady Mary, and in some scenes, exhibited a depth of feeling that impressed the audience; notably in 'the David Garricklike scene, wherein she dismisses Lady Mary's lover, Captain Fielding, for his imagined infidelity and assumed drunkenness. Mise Olive Stevens is also to be commended for the manner in which sho played Mrs Keys. Mr Walter Hunt made a good part of Stephen Darrell, and Mr Ronald Riley was amusing as Lord Pen dennis. Mr Robert Inman, a fairly familiar figure on the boards here., gave a satisfuo tory impersonation of the Rev. John Middleton; and Mr Henri Dore successfully identified himself with Lieutenant Cornelius Keys. The Colonel Sharow of Mr Herbert Leigh was a capital piece of work, and Mr Vivian Edwards, as the spv and conspirator Lamond, put in some effective acting. The remaining characters—and there were several —were all minor. " Seven Days' Leave" will bo again staged this evening.