THE HOLLOWAY COMPANY AT THE PRINCESS THEATRE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2020, 10 November 1892, Page 35

THE HOLLOWAY COMPANY AT THE PRINCESS THEATRE.

" THE LAND OF THE LIVING."

Afc the Princess Theatre on Saturday, in the presence of a large and uproariously approving audience, the Holloway Dramatic Company produced, for the first time in Dunedin, a fiveact drama entitled "The Land of the Living," written by Mr Frank Harvey— the author of both the other pieces thafc have been performed during the present season. In some respects the " Laud of the Living" recalls each of the plays thafc preceded it last week — ifc was, perhaps, unavoidable that this bhould be so, inasmuch as they came from one pcn — but though the plot is hardly so strong as in either of the others, the Bensation is much more highly spiced. To young New Zealand this is, of course, a decidedly gratifying fact, and the situations arouse quite unbounded enthusiasm. The climax o£ sensationalism in the play is reached in the fourth act, where the villain is foiled in a design which for downright atrocity has rarely been surpas&ed, even on the- stage. He is desirous of riddiDg himself of two persons— one his wife and the other his ex-partner^ They are obstacles in the way of his wedding the lalfcer's wife, who is herself ignorant of her hu&band'b existence — peicuaded, indebd, that

he is dead, for she has received a letter which purports to be written by him as he is dying, but which in reality is a forgery. This being go, the villain succeeds in luring his intended victims into an old shed at Shad well. The woman he drugs, and the man he handcuffs, and then for bis better security, ties up with a rope, after which he proceeds to verbally torture the latter, finally informing him that he has 10 minutes to live before an infernal machine, which has been placed in the cellar underneath, explodes and blows the woman and him to atoms. The villain is frustrated, however, in his nice design, for the woman shakes off her sleep before the critical moment and releases her companion, with whom she escapes out of the building just in time to save their lives. This is the great scene of the play, and of course it fairly brought down the house. To the better understanding of the drama, however, it should be stated that in the first act the audience are introduced to the house of Gerald Arkwrighfc (Mr C. Holloway) and his wife, Kate (Miss Constance Deorwyn), who are apparently in the enjoyment of luxury, when a thunderbolt falls upon the household in the discovery that Arkwright is, through the base treachery of his partner, Reuben Tredgold (Mr Henry Willard), confronted with ruin, and not only with that but also with disgrace. His impulse is to stay and brave the consequences ; bub when his family learn fcha,t Tredgold has fled the country they urge upon him, and he yields to their entreaties, that he also should seek fresh woods and pastures new until he shall be able to recover his good name. In the second act the scene changes to the Krasti Mountains, whither, by one of those curious coincidences of which modern melodrama furnishes such numerous examples, both Tredgold and Arkwright have found their way. The former, who before his flight, had taken good care to provide himself handsomely with raonoy, is penniless, and Arkwright, who had fled from hia home without anything in his pocket, is, through the lucky accideut of his having discovered a deposit of ' diamonds, the possessor of considerable treasure which he wears in a belt round his waist. He is pursued by several howling rulfiaus, bent on depriving him of his spoil, wherewith he trusts to regain his wife, his home, and his good name, and hunted down by them he falls exhausted before the door of Tredgold's shanty, where he is succoured by Tredgold's wife, Meg (Miss Alice Deorwyn), who, revolver in hand, plants herself above his prostrate form and puts his pursuers to an ignominious flight. So far Arkwright r has escaped being plundered, but while he is asleep — and in a dream he sees his lost wife and child in penury iv London, this picture being presented to the audience by a clever effect — he is attacked by Tredgold. A struggle ensues, in which the villain secures the mastery and the diamonds, and Arkwright is left for dead. He recovers, however, but his reason has gone, and in the next act we find him with Meg Tredgold, deserted by her husband, to protect him, suffering great privations in the cruel streets of London, while Tredgold himself is endeavouring to secure Mrs^Arkwright's consent to a marriage with him. She watches Tredgold, and is dubious respecting his assurances of her husband's death ; but eventually, for the sake of her child, who is dangerously ill, and in need of such delicacies as her suitor's stolen wealth can purchase, she agrees to wed him. Meantime Arkwright and Meg are wandering about the streets within earshot of Mrs Arkwright's humble dwelling, , and Tredgold, unexpectedly meeting them I and recognising and being recognised by i them — for Arkwright slowly regained his j reason — conceives the plan of putting them both out of the way afc one fell swoop by enticing them into a shed, on the pretext of restoring to Arkwright his treasure, and then blowing the place up. In this he Jails ; and in the concluding act Arkwright and his wife are reunited, while to Tredgold, arrested on a double charge of robbery and attempted murder, is opened up the prospect of a lengthened term of imprisonment. Mr Holloway made effective use of his opportunities, and it is doubtful whether in the whole of his career he has done anything better than his acting in the fourth act, where Arkwright is represented as a poor, demented creature. Mr Willard played somewhat weakly as Tredgold, but even as it was his villainy was pronounced enough, to have him almost hooted out of the house. • Miss Constance Deorwyn displayed great dignity and feeling in her impersonation of Mrs Arkwrighfc, and Bliss Alice Deorwyn was completely successful as the intrepid Meg. Mr R. Stewart played with capital effect the part of a young man who took the Queen's shilling because his ladylove would have nothing to do with him unless he was in a situation ; and as that same ladylovo, Miss Linda Raymond prettily displayed those airs and graces which are supposed fco become a young lady who is in, or has just emerged from, her teens. These were two good comedy parts, and others were effectively performed by Mr Oily Deering (who was very amusing in his portrayal of a contemptibly selfish old humbug), Mr G. R. Melville, Miss Medway, aud Bliss Jackson, while Mr Money appeared as a somewhat fusty confidential clerk of the firm of Arkwrighfc and Tredgold. The 6ong " Way down upon de Swanee River " was pleasingly sung, during the progress of the play, by Miss Constance Deorwyn. The staging of the piece was admirable, and the mechanical effects evoked loud plaudits.