THEATRE ROYAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 15163, 6 October 1913, Page 4

THEATRE ROYAL.

"MILESTONES." To show in three acts the form a&d pressure of three generations is the aim of'"Milestones," which was produced in the Theatre Royal on Saturday night by Mr Julius Knight's company before a crowded and delighted audience. Tradition must bo a strong force with the dramatist, or such an obvious motive for j> play would have been treated long ago. Mr Arnold Bennett and Mr Edward Knoblauch have developed it with as much humour, observation, wisdom, and sense of contrast as anyone could desire. Unity might seem to be lacking from such IV scheme, hut it is not. It is supplied first by the audience, most c- 4 - whom can remember some quaint differences betweeu their fathers' days and their own, if they have only read about the mid-Victorians, and by the central characters who live on fronf the first act into the third, and by their attitude to change supply a commentary, the more deliciously because unconsciously ironical, on both .the : time spirit and the spirit of mankind. The play has virtually a double theme, the difference between one generation and the next, and the difference between youth and age. They were sedate folk in 1860, when the play begins. "Nifca, Juanita," and "She "Wore a Wreath of Roses," which the orchestra. discourses, are strange to ears crazed with "ragtime"—strange, but pleasant;. _ They had anti-macassars on their chairs, and the anti-macassars stayed there. Girls moved and spoke demurely, with broad flounced dresses, and their hair in ringlets. But the men were not so different, and John Rhead has the progressive spirit. He breaks up his partnership with Samuel Sibley to build iron ships, a new invention in which John Rhead has confidence, but which older men, of more experience, deride. Expect iron ships to float! One might as well expect that men would fly in the air. Jolin defies conservatism, imd wrests Rosa Sibley for bis wife, despite the antagonism of her parents. She is sweet and passive, with no will of her own, but proud to be John's "slave" after he has proposed to her in a fifteen minutes' speech—the midVictorian woman. Gertrude Rhead lis a "new woman" before her time. She gives back his engagement ring to Sam Sibley, because he will not let her argue with him.

Act 2, live and twenty years later, and the age of "bustles," sees John Rhead prosperous, expectant of a baronetcy, fiercely contemptuous of a new fad for the construction of steel ships instead of iron. Arthur Preece is a young man, anxious to exploit steel ships, and a puitor for .-.he hand of John Rhead's daughter Emilv. Formal proposals have gone out of fashion. They Eks. and ar? engaged. Sam Sibley has married a new sort of being —a typiste—shrewd but vulgar. He scorns the idea of rubber tvros on prams. Jehu Rhead virtually commands his daughter to cast off Preece, and marry a fool of the nobility. Lord Monkhurst. She romplcs,-- despite, the remonstrances of Gertruda. ;vho fears a worse ralamitv thau her own.'After all, .t'rei-co is r,ot only a . faddist;-it appear* ho u a So-a-fet. 'Word -ofhorror! The mother is still n-nss've-She has gentle ridicule for -iliei*i~sEiiTa~ticn of a hot water service intns'h'ouse' Act 11. had "The Mjlcr.rlo*'■-fAr'STs orchestral prelude- Act I[I:-'-lQl2^is

announced by "rag time." Sam Sibley's son, another inventor, is in love with Emily's daughter, the Hon. Muriel Pym, a dashing modern girl who wears a "hobble." throws her arms about, interrupts'-her elders, has views on women's suffrage, and knows more about, the proceedings of the House of Lords than her brother, who :'o a soapegrace, sporting member of it. Old Sir John, whose golden wedding is being celebrated, still ■wants to rule his children's children with the rod of iron his own respected, and they defy him. Even his meek wife, a frail old lady, is inspired to make the first protest of her life against excessive domination by the master of a household.'- Arthur Preece becomes the mediator. His first love. Emily, is now a widow and free to .marry Preece. Preece and Gertrude prevail on the old man to let his granddaughter marry Richard Sibley, and go with him to Canada, where new ideas run riot. No consent is really needed by the yourg people, but the family is happier for its concession. The plays ends with John Rhead and his old wife sitting by the fireside. "We live and learn," says John.

It will be seen that .'-'Milestones." is a play that means something. It is charming besides, and its popularity is easily understood. Mr Arnold Bennett, whose mind is most evident in its composition, does not preach directly through any of his but the lesson of tolerance and kindliness is unmistakable. The interpretation - by the Williamson Company was entirely satisfactory. Mr Julius Knight was excellent ag John Rhead. the progressive, resolute young man; self complacent, worldly wise, unconsciously tive despotic man of middle age; and tyrannical, rather querulous, but still likeable old man, convinced the world is going to the devil because it is not going as it did when he was young. Miss Mary Gould-en, as the yielding daughter and submissive wife, who never breaks away from the conventions of her midVictorian training except for one brief moment in her old ago, when every in•fluence round her makes for protest, was consistently pleasing and convincing. Miss Grace Noble, in the contrasted role of Gertrude, had a strong part whose pourtrayal was one of the chief artistic pleasures of the play. As Emily Rhead, who is afterwards Lady Monkhurst, Miss L-one Browne acquitted herself well. Miss Dorothy Gumming was natural and compelling as the twentieth century girl-prepared to think and act for herself, and Miss Emma Temple, as the ex-typiste was as spirited and amusing as the part is meant to be, without over-stressing its vulgarity. Mr Arthur Greenaway did suifieient 'justice to Sain Sibiey,_who is-foolish in the first act and pathetic in the seoond, and M r Leslie Victor was admirable- as Lord Monkhurst, who is foolish always. The parts of Arthur Preece and Richard Sibley were satisfactorily filled bv Mr Leonard Willey and Mr Ronald Macleod, whilo Mr Martin Lewis's personation of the "idle offspring of a marriage de convenanee was most lifelike. The subordinate _ parts were all well acted". Tho music, furnishings, and dresses were admirably designed to'.bring: out the contrasts'cf the'various pori-ccfe. ■ The audience did full justice to the play's merits. "MAN AND SUPERMAN." The many admirers; of Bernard Shaw will, this evening, have the pleasure of seeing.,iiis move successful piay '"Ma.-" ancUSupwnian," presented' at . the i'lieatrtt.;..,4ayal_ by Mr Julius Knight and" thoj..J:; C. Williamson new Comedy Lfljiin-any. : This -is the first, opportunity- Timaru theatre patrons will have V.iKi of seeing any »f tlic works of this snest. talented writer. Though Bernard Shaw has been resoonsible - for quite a number of works* "Man and Superman" is de-scribed as far and away his ' best effort,, and though written mostly in a sarcastic vein it is said to make a delightful play, and quite_ an intellectual treat. Mr Julius Knight _is said to have added another to his many successes by his rendering, of John Tanner, while Miss Browne's rendering, of Ann Whitfield is iu.ro highly spoken of. The assisting east will 'include such high class artists ns Miss Emma Temple as Miss Ramsden. Miss Mary 'Goulden as Violet Robinson, Miss Maggie Knight as Mrs Whitfield, Mr Martin Lewis as Octa-v.ius Robinson, Mr Arthur Green a way as Hen'ny Straker, Mr Leslie Victor as Roebuck Robinson, Mr Leonard Willey as Hector Ma'oiie, and Mr J. Plumpton Wilson as Meadoza.