THE THEATRE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7720, 1 June 1903, Page 1

THE THEATRE.

THE PLAI AND PLAYERS.

(By PROMPTER.)

George Musgrove is apparently well satisfied with his New Zealand tour, for he ha= booked th© Theatre Royal for two seasons lasting froni Sept. ,7 to 24 and). Dec. 26 to Jan. 8. This probably, means " The Fortune Teller" and "A Midfeusnmer Night's Dream." , ,

: In relating the fracas which occurred at His Majesty's Theatre, Dunedin, on th« second night of the Fitzmaurice Gill Company's season, it has been inferred (says "The Witness") that a certain member. ol the company was to blame for the trouble by refusing to allow. Mr Abbott or his representative to handle the box office receipts. As a matter of fact, Mr Abbott was the original cause of the disturbance, for on the previous night he retained posseseion of the whole of the receipts, amounting to over £90, returning es Miss Gill and Coi's share £9 and a few odd shillings. As per agreement, Mr Abbott's share was only 40 per cent of that suon— 6o per cent, should have gone to Miss Gill and her company. So annoyed was Miss Gill's manager at Mr Abbott's action that' when that gentleman presented himself at the box office on the second night high words, followed 'by blows, ensued, and Mr Abbott was refused admittance and. to have anything to do with the receipts. As the parties could not come to an amicable settlement,. the matter was jratdhto the hands of lawyers, Mr A. Hanlon representing Miss Fitsmaurioe Gill and Mr S. Solomon Mr Abbott- Since the trouble arose, and up to and including the last night -of the season, . two lawyers' clerks, representing each side, met at the theatre nightly and apportioned the receipts. :

Mire Madeleine Lucette Byley's new play, " The Altar of Friendship," was produced last month at the Criterion. It must be confessed (says " The Clipper's " London correspondent), that the piece shows a distinct/falling off from the excellent standard SfrMrs Ryley's other plays, and it is ej-

voeedmgly' doubtful if it will run aay longer ■at th^^Critwon than "A Glean Slate," its predecessor. The cardinal faults of the, play are its staginess, its empl,oyment of the old devices and traditions of melodrama, and the pur poselessnees with which the acts dragged. The story hinges on the j "ruin of Mary Pinner, but the only persons | who seem to take this episode really seriously are herself and her father, just released from penal servitude. Our sympathies are enlisted entirely on the side of Morence,; the innocent young girl who, '^ame| '•{igwold Winifrith, the aeducer j ; FJpr^ic*^ -brother, Richard, who takes, i«^b|ji)t:j)s?n enjarely upon himself, and .American • cousin, Sally, !iwhp^BK|ving Richard gujlty,. breaks , off- : her engagement with hint. Such sacrifices on the altar of friendship as Richard's do not occur often in life, though on the stage they are common enougih. The first act takes place in Richard Arbuthnot's chambers, and is devoted to explaining what a good fellow he is, and) to the development of an intrigue betfreen his poor typewriter, Mary /Pinner, and his friend, Arnold Winifrith, a thundering cad, and getting Bidurd engaged pro tern t» Bwj fl*rt«r» t

just to satisfy her father. . In the next act ' Winifrith is getting married to Richard's siater, and Richard has fallen, in love with Sally. ' Suddenly, like a bombshell, Pinner pere turns up, confronts Arbuthnot and Winifrith, fixes the guilt of his daughter's disgrace. on the wrong man, who assumes the blame for his sister's sake, and throws cheques . and letters about in a violent, fashion while the wedding guests arc conveniently chatting in an adjacent room. Act 111 is taken up with scenes between Sally and Mary, Arbuthnot and Winifrith, etc., etc;, in which the -conversation is always cut short at, the. moment of revelation. Eventually, of course, everything is satisfactorily cleared up. Despite the poorness of her theme," or rather, despite the fashion • in which she has handled her theme, there is much that is bright and witty in Mrs Ryley's lines. The acting was all round excellent. ; Paul Arthur and Misa Ellis Jeffreys played Arbuthnot and Sally with much humonr, restraint and dignity; Lillian Braithwaite was moat sympathetic, and H. B. Warner made the most ( pitiful scrwndel .of Winifrith. Janet Alexander played Mary Pinner prettily, and William Mackintosh was effectively melodramatic as her father.