"TIGER ROSE."

Star (Christchurch), Issue 20043, 4 September 1920, Page 8

"TIGER ROSE."

NEW PLAY AND NEW STAR. "Wednesday next, at the Theatre Royal, will see the first production, hero of tho new J. and N. Tait attraction, “ Tiger Rose.” The box plans tor the six nights season will be opened at The Bristol Monday next. Tho locale of “ Tiger Rose ” is laid in the great North-west of Canada. There, some years before the play starts, one M’Collins, a genial Scotch factor for the North-West Company, has adopted Rose Boscion (Tiger Rose), played inimitably by the dramatic star, Mario Lika. Ho becomes humorously perplexed to find, when the child grows up. the proverbial “ Box of Mischief.” At eighteen she enjoys alarming encounters with the gentle Rather Thibanlt. Robert Purdie, another newcomer, makes good as the priest. Another responsible part, that of Dr Cusick, is tellingly outlined by deopvoiced John Waller. Dr Cusick is on tho trail of one Clendining, who eloped years before with his wife'end then deserted her. His murderous intentions are anticipated by Bruce Norton, who shoots tho miscreant on sight for somewhat similar reasons. The Royal Mouuteds are at once out after the criminal, who is Rose’s lover. He lias the audacity to seek refuge in Uic factor’s house, and after midnight Michael Devlin, a, straight, athletic'six-foooter in a scarlet coat, as strongly impersonated by Ethan Allen, a. loyal Irishman, sternly intent on duty, come hot-foot to the living-room in search of him. Ihis_ is the scene also of n, cleverly realistic thunderstorm. Tho meeting between the impassioned lovers, Frank Hatlierley delivering with spirit the difficult, because brief and detached, passages which fall to Bruce, and his flitting from one hiding-place to another, with Rose’s agony of grief, furnishes an emotional situation which touches the audience. In tho last act there is a sunrise effect in tho deserted cabin, where Michael surprises the lovers, trios to handcuff Bruce, and is forced at the point of Rose’s revolver to remain there all night, whilst the offender rides away. But Bmoe surrenders at last, and there is a. happy ending in sight when the curtain falls.