THEATRE ROYAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13637, 3 July 1908, Page 6

THEATRE ROYAL.

."A ROYAL DIVORCE."

The Theatre Boyal was again packed last-evening, when'the Ju'.ius ivnight Lompany produced "A .Royal JJivoice," a drama that only fust class actors and ae*ie sts can touch, and, make a succus of, for. it is one* demanding an accurate pourtrayal of some exacting parts, paitieularly those taken by the star puioimers, Mr Julius Knight., and Miss Ola Humphrey, as Napoleon and the JimpreiS Jibuphine" respectively. > The story of the play deals with Napoleon's divorce of his wife Josephine because there was no issue of the marriage and he, being ambitious of founding a large and powerful empire and a royal family defended fiom himself to rule this empue, took another wife, Marie Louise, an Austrian, who became the mother of his son. But from the day Napoleon cast, off his first wile his lucky star deserted him ; and the lout at and retreat from, Moscoiy, the defeat at Wa'erloo and finally hi& incarceration on St. Helena showed thi<> only 100 ioicibly. The opening scene of the drama depicted the actual divorce—a pathetic 'Scene, showing Jotepinncs U'fusal at first to believe the limiouis to the effect -.hat her husband intended to cast her off, her subsequent consent " for the saKe of Prance" and all thiough showing her deep love Si.r her husband. Mis.- Humphrey excelled herself in this pait. .She came intoi the- play seyeial times latei—when Napoleon, finding that she had lemrned to Prance, could not resist looking at her in hir sleep; when, in the garden of the Tuilleiitft, t>he caier->ed the boy King of Koine, and subsequently when she warned Napoleon of a,. traitor and bade farewell '(,O him on a-Biitish battleship. Mr Knight «',•«, conspicuous all thiough, and u lemamrked that he made an ideal Napoleon, and he was ably supported by a large c.tste. A feature ot the play \wiu the sems of tableaux, showing tiie reheat fiom Moi-cuu, the advance and lout at Wa crloo and the lonely sentinel of St. Helena. The diama was one which the large audience appeared to iippuuiate gieatlj, and ayting of all dicw forth from tiine to lime rounds of applause.

FRANK THORNTON'S FAREWELL

It is four and a half yeais since Mr IhuriiLon last appeai-ed at Timaru. Tonight under the direction of »Mr Edwin Geach, he makes hie iiiial appearance, being on a faiewell visit to Australia and New Zealand with the - greatest success i in comedy: that has yet beeii introduced. Mr Thornton as a comedian has probably no equal, and has always been a gieat favourite here. His Charlie's Aunt and the Private Secretary associated his name with some of' the 'world's successes. According to Press reports from all parts of the Commonwealth, and Southern towns, Mr Thornton quite excels in the ;harar:ter of Sir Guy de Vcre anything that he has - yet done, which means that there is something in store for. the large ludience that is'sure to assemble 'to-night, and when the curtain finally falls it is anticipated there will be a great send-off :o the artist and theatrical idol, as Mr Thornton has always proved himself. Th<scenery is of the very best, while the costumes are said to be magnificent. Altogether there is but little doubt that to-night's farewell performance will be a, great success in cveiy way. The plan is- open at the Dresden and day. sale of tickets is at Kingbbon'b, Theatie entiauce. KUBELIK. - Of Kubelik, .the -noild-famed Molinist, who is if>- appear at the Theatre Royal, Timaru, to-morrow evening, Wille Jane, a prominent musician and ciitic, writes in the "New Yoik Woild " of November 22nd 'last, that he listened to his promuch akin to awe. "There is no other, violinist on this planet of ours," he writes, ■ '.' wio can be mentioned in Ihe same breath with this dark-haired, swarthy-complexioned youngster from Bo- I hernia.'' Kubelik is a great musician as j

I • well as technician. But I wonder .whether the audience last night realised what wonderful violin playing it )Was hearing'/ ' Think of playing a programme of this 1 kind without even an approach to a wrong ' ' note ! Why, it was simply astonishing, maddeuing, driving any one of us poor l second and third-rate fiddlers to everlasting despair I And then again that beau--5 fiful tone, throbbing with life and f warmth', drawn by an arm so steady and 1 so absolutely under control that one almost ached for just one, if ever so 1 slight, mishap. But it never ; came." * The artists assisting the star are Mi.s Erria Mueller, mezzo soprano; Miss Emily Dyason, solo pia,nistj-and Hen--1 Ludwig Schwab, accompanist. The box 5 plans for the guinea and half-guinea Beats t are on View at the Dresden, when :5s aiid 3s tickets are also: on sale. \ Kubelik T created' the wildest enthusiasm a't Christ- - church last night, Such glorious playingB (says a special correspondent) has iieyeiv ' been heard in the colonies. The seats' for Friday's concert, are' practically holdout. wmmmmmmmmmimmm—m