THEATRE ROYAL.
*■ "MICE AND MEN." " One feels, after an ovening at this performance, as if one had walked through an exquisite little gaa-den close, with the flowers in full bloom, rare perfumes to enchant the senses, and everywhere a profusion of colour that is restful and grateful to the eye." This was the verdict of one of America's responsible cities when Miss Ryley's delightful romantic play, "Mice and Men," first saw the stage on ilie big continent. The eulogy will find an echo here, for it is very long since any play vested with such infinite charm has been presented to a Christchurch audience. I_ is such an admirably-constructed play that it is difficult to believe that- it is the work of practically an amateur, for Miss Ryley confessed to nothing bufc occasional excursions into literature before she penned her play in response to Mr Forbes Robertson's now historic challenge to undiscovered genius to come out into the open. Save for an occasional touch of the academic and the too frequent use of the arts of soliloquy and of making confidences to help the progress of the piece, there is little to betray the prentice hand. Although the theme is fresh and new, the developments are a little conventional, bufc ifc is in the treatment that tho play scores. Ifc has almost a literary flavour at times, but ifc is handled with a. _ brave delicacy and a consistent daintiness which make it one of the most enjoyable pieces possible. It is clean, wholesome, sweet and very human*, and yet its qualities are never obtruded, but are held in check with a subtlety of reserve that is always suggestive of- strength, and its quality of wit never degenerates into farce, its quality of pathos never touches the too-frequent anti-climax, and its quality of passion is never tatter-torn. Here and there occurs perhaps, a false note of femininity, if such • a thing is possible in thafc inextricable complication known as a woman's mind, bub even these appear to bave been introduced maliciously as foils for 'the obtrusion of the subtleties "of her nature. The play calls less for sturdy superlatives than for a quiet bufc emphatic appreciation of its artistic refinement and its consistent wholesomeness, qualities which come as a positive relief to those whose tastes have nofc been* diverted from themes which have mere loveliness by the prevalence on the stage to-day of ruder and stronger things. As art and as literature, and as human history, it is worth a dozen of such dramatic artificialities as "Sweet Nell of Old Drury." With regard to the actual production of the piece, ifc may safely be said thafc it was a good deal more even in its presentation than its predecessor. Miss Nelly Stewart gave a sympathetic presentation of the part of Peggy, investing it with all the winsomeness and the fragile charm that could be impacted to a counterfeit presentment of the playwright's creation. It is a iplay* of rapid alternatives of light aud shadow, of sfun'slhi'Qe and rain, which she was called; upon to supply, and she brought a quick and) refined intelligence to bea-r upon ter task. She madte the part live 'by the excellent taste of !her discrimin.r afcion and -her grataa. No less distinctive was Mr Harcourt Beatty's performance as Mai.k Embury. Indeed, consideri-nig the more restricted natae oif 'his -enaraoterisati'on, "his was -peribaps th© more clever work. Tba- part calls for an al'm.ost cruel reserve, and its -whole stirenig-lh lies in a quiet tut impressive quality Of suggestion. This Mi> Beatty 'hadi always ready; 'he never ofo'truded, but Ihis personality ' waa always a force during his .presence on the stage. Mr E. B. Russell mad© a. finis- 'bluff Roger Goodlake, and "be was particrularly happy where the pretty pUay ran its cqurse along the lijglhter lines. Something the same may he said of Mr< Alfred Tapping as Kit Barnister, and of Miss Emily Levettes as
Mrs Deborah. Mira Minnie Sadler's Joanna, Go-odlake ivas a consistently good study, till© weight of inbich wis particularly nicely gauged. Mr Sydlroe-y Stirling's Caiptain Lovell -was less satisfactory. He vr0.,3 a I'hick and unconvincing- lover of pTOTniiscuo'US tendencies afc beet, and continually suggested! that lie wooil'-d have shone far 'bright &r as t'hie villain in a melodrama. The -rn'ounting, iha soeaieiy aaid Ifo© dr-ess-ing were uipon Mr Musgrove's usual lavish scai?, a.nd i-n> this ■gie-raeral brilliance, the beautiful -s>ett-i,n,2 of -tlbo last act calls 'for special cornmeiidlation. "Mice and Men" will bo repeated to-night.
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Bibliographic details
Star (Christchurch), Issue 7699, 7 May 1903, Page 4
Word Count
752THEATRE ROYAL. Star (Christchurch), Issue 7699, 7 May 1903, Page 4
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