AMUSEMENTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9193, 24 March 1908, Page 1

AMUSEMENTS.

THEATRE ROYAL. " A MODERN ADVENTURESS." Those who are fond of sensationalism, and like to experience it in its wildest flights, will find -»n almost limitless source of gratification and pleasure at the Theatre Royal as long as Mr Edwin Geach's company plays " A Modern Adventuress." The season was commenced last evening to good audiences, downstairs and in the gallery, and a fairly good one in the dress circle. There is a large section of the Christchurch public that appreciates anything in the form of a sensation, and the piece staged last evening should, therefore,, be well received in this city. It is hard to believe that the sensational drama could be carried further than in "A Modern Adventuress." She is a beautiful^ bold, bad, unscrupulous, deceitful, and clever woman. She utterly outrivals Lady Macbeth in ambition and daring, and she is bad in a way that Lady Macbeth was not. She is, in fact, an impossible woman. She compels a belief that she has no existence off the stage, unless it is in the pages of the "Family Herald." She is the centre of infinite crime and misery. A sea of murder, forgery, fraud, deceit, avarice, and jealousy surges round her. It is a very *

*■— —_-__—»»■_ __■___ _— . _____* ___MMi _M____M____J_W_^___» wicked world that comes on to tie stage at the Theatre Royal. A few of frail humanity's better aspirations are depicted, but they are kept in the background. All that is' bad seems to have been brought to the surface. The frankly wicked nature of the piece, indeed, is its saving point, and it is a '/relief to realise that the plot and most of the characters are quite unnatural and very unreal. Mr H. H. Diver's inclusion in the cast will be welcomed by theatre-going people. He takes the difficult part of Pietro Donelli, a hot-blood Italian sculptor, whose sweetheart is taken from him by a less aastbetic Englishman. The Italian's rage, jealousy, and magnanimity are very cleverly depicted by Mr Diver. It is a part that might easily be overdone, but Mr Diver does not overstep good taste,, even in the most impassioned passages. Miss Helene Burdette is a " modern adventuress," and she also plays her part well. Last evening she increased her popularity with the audience as the piece advanced. In the last scenes she was very successful. If serious faults are found with the adventuress, they lie more in the drawing of the character than in the acting of it. Mr M. Lynch took the part of William Delby, a wealthy mining speculator, who adopted the adventuress, and who was murdered by her at an early stage of the performance, fortunately. Mr K. Hunter took the part of Delby' s muchwronged soi_,with success, and he was ably assisted, by Miss Rosa Brownrigg, who represented his wife, Vinette. Mr R. H. Longford makes a good villain in the character of old Delby's treacherous manager. The humor of the piece, which is genuine and good, issupplied by Mr Wilton Welch, as John Compton, an honest Yorkshixeman, and Miss Mabel Lynne, as Sally Hodges, a maid of all work. Miss Lynne dances a very dainty skirt-dance. Mr Diver and Miss Burdette take most of the public's attention to themselves, of course, but the company has a fairly even standard of talent. " A Modern Adventuress" will be repeated this evening.