PRINCESS THEATRE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2240, 4 February 1897, Page 39

PRINCESS THEATRE.

I " THE WAGES OF SIN." I Mr Alfred Wooda'n dramatic comp&ny gave their firsb ohange of programme at the Princess . Theatre on the 28th ult., producing Mr Frank Harvey's sensatiooal drama " The Wages of Sin," whioh was played here a few years ago by Mr Holloway's company. The piece is, in the i main, of a eombre character, but there are j occasional touches of humour which brighten it j up somewhat, and co prevent a surfeit of sad- j ness. The interest of the play chiefly depends upon the fact that the audience are led to ! sympathise largely with two women who have j had the misfortune to be the dupes of a villain. ! The scoundrel having betrayed one woman, ! succeeds by a vile deception in gaining the hand, j elhhough not the hearo, of the other. Then, having married the second woman, he squanders her motiey, and leads her n life of misery. Eventually, however, a brighter day dawns for her. Her husband meets with death as tho wages of sin, and she becomes united to the man whom she had always loved. The play, | besides being well mounted, was carefully and j capably produced, and the audieoce manifested their approval of the efforts of tbe performers by frequent aud heat by applause. Mr Alfred Woods aoted natnrally and effectively in the character of George Brand, a curate, the part being sustained throughout in a manner whioh betokened careful study. Miss Mmd ■ G wynne was very well ctst as Ruth Hope, the ! unhappy wife, who is induced bo marry Stephen Maxlor, the villain of the piece, through the lubber having porsaaded the woman whom he had previously betrayed to*- make Ruth believe that her betrayer was the man whom Rath herself loved. In many passages Miss Gwynne's acting was somewhat powerful, and at no time was it ineffective ; indeed, she created a decidedly favourable impression, and the audience accorded her a very sympathetic reception. Mr Alfred Boothman had a part whioh admirably suited him as Stephen Marlor, the villain, and ho did full justice to it. Miss Ethel Grey capably repreieated the character of Barbara Dale, the woman who was betrayed by Stephen Marlor. Tho humorous element of the play was well sapplied by Mus Marion Medwar and Mr E. G. Coughlan. The former, as Mrs J.eremiah Bloggs, created a considerable amount of divarsion ', while Mr Ooughlan a* Ned Drummund, a friend of Stephen Marlor'e, was also decidedly amusing. Mr P. J. West (as Josiah Dean), Mr Walter D»lgleish (aa Harry Wentworth, a lieutenant), Miss Violet Desmond (as Juliana Bloggs, an actress), and Mrs Roberts (as Rosa Dean) filled their parts with varying degrees of success; while a numb&r of minor characters were also well represented by other members of tho company. "CALLED TO ARMS." A military and spectacular play, when produced by a company that is at all capable, may generally be depended on to take well with the theatre-going public. The Alfred Woods's j Dramatic Company had consequently &o reason ', to complain of the manner in which the opening performance of tbe piece on Monday night was received. Not only wore there frequent demonstrations of approval during the progress of the pl«y, but the curtain also had to be raised more than once at the conclusion of each act. The play, although somewhat loosely i constructed and containing, like most melodranns, numerous improbabilities, possesses I home features that ere calculated to make it very I popular. In the first place there are a sufficient number of thrilling incidents introduced to satisfy thomostardent lover of sensationalism. Then there are nonie effective spectacular displays of the kind tbat never fail to prove attractive to many ; while running through the piece is also a broad vein of comedy, which serves to keep an audience in a thoroughly good humour. " Called to Arms" is a tale of love and war, and, as ia often tbe case, two men are in love with tho same woman. The one ia a brave soldier, tbe other a villain, and tbe latter endeavours by foul means to make an end of his rival in order that he may marry the woman. Entreaties and threats, however, fail to make her promise to give her hand or her heart to the icoundrel even when, as more than once happens, bo me very dreadful alternatives are put before her. Eventually, after going through many danger* and experiencing cruel separations amid the terror of war, she lands safely in her lover's arms, while the villain, his raicality exposed, dies tho death of a spy— an end which he bad treacherously contrived to make of another. Miss Maude Gwynne filled the part of Rita, the heroine of the piece, and did so very effectively and to the entire satisfaction of the audience. Mr A. Woods was castae Claude Deveraux, the soldier who was in love with Rita, and whose bravery , in his encounters with the Egyptian troops earned j for him the appellation of "Dare Devil Dick." i The part was on* which Mr Woods made tbe most of; and whether fighting strenuously to save the British colours, or making love to the heroine, he appeared equally to advantage. Mr J. P. West reptesented Colonel Atherton, who was known in his regiment as "Crusty Ned"; and the way in which the character was por. trayed left little to be dcair<d. The part of the villain, Silas Clayton, an army contractor. | was capably filled by Mr Boothman ; and i Mr Dalfjleish was a good representative of j Christopher Phiups, a partner of Clayton's. ' who also possesses a matrimouial partner, of 1 whom he stands in great awe. Mist Ethel Grey ; made a stately Countess Foacari, while Miss Lily Roberts, as Clara Seton (a friend of Rita's), and Miss Eva Leete, as Polly Dawse (a maid of the Countess), both sustained small parts satisfactorily. Mr Gsorge Melville gave a capital representation of the character of Corporal Pat Maguire, . and afforded the audience a considerable amount , of amusement by his humorous acting. Mr E. i

\ j CDUghlan, as Aby Moss (a Jew), also ha<\ o , comical part, which he ll'lcrt nHI; and Mis* ■ Marian Mednrny \Y»t rewonsihiu lor a good j deal of hilarity in tlie part of Mrs Joaephiue j f'hipps. A number of subordiuate characters ; completed the cast. The p!ay, it may bo said, is ( vtry well mounted, some of the scones being i i exceedingly effective. One of tbo most sensational is that in which a regiment of British soldiers storm an Egyptian fort, in which two English women are prisoners, a blaze of musketry being kept up for a considerable titue. This wm received with enthusiasm ; as also was the sennatlonal dive into the river by Claude Davereaux. In order that the military spectacle might be produced adequately a corps of l>cal volunteers were iutroduced into the play, and their presence, no doubt, helped materially to make tho production a success.