“FRIENDLY ENEMIES.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12570, 6 March 1919, Page 4

“FRIENDLY ENEMIES.”

; A PLAY WITH A .MESSAGE: / “ Friendly Enemies,” the play, that brought President Wilson to his feet in his box at ■ the opening .production in Washington, is promised to Christchurch audiences for Thursday and Friday evening. President Wilson said, “ I hope the sentiment of this beautiful play will soon grip the whole world.” The artist to whom the task of “ connecting” with New Sealand outposts has been entrusted is Air Nick Adams, of Potash and Perlmutter celebrity. Ho lias been playing in London during the war, and the realities of the struggle have come home to him* Yet the play is a'comedy-drama of great sparkle and wittty dialogue, and .the two outstanding characters are retained, with Mr Adams in a cast that gives the widest scope for his powers of pleasing. The plot itself is not very devious. There are two old Germans living peacefully in America, one clinging to the belief that the Fatherland can do no wrong, and the other with his eyes unsealed to Hie realities. Carl Pfeiffer,, the former, is played by Nick Adam^, 1 and Henry Block !by his co-paxtner, Waters.' Pfeiffer has a son and Block a daughter, and naturally there is a match brewing. Then one day young. Pfeiffer comes home a recruit for Unde Sam, and a stormy scene ensues. Pfeif-, forks ultimate conversion as the result 1 of German atrocities is most artistically drawn, and the whole play gives Dir Adams the opportunity, which he alone can make the most of, to run tho whole gamut of human emotions. .. . In conversation with an interviewer yesterday, Air Adams said that while lie loved the original character in Potash and Perlmutter, the part of Girl Pfeiffer appealed to him os no other* part had done. The lines were, brilliant, , and the squabbles of the two old friends were in the last degree laughable. Describing the finish of the play, Mr Adams said that it was very pretty, and he paid a compliment to the work of Maggie Moore, whom he described ■aptly as Australia s sweetheart.