HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 831, 8 February 1906, Page 18

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE.

“ MONSIEUR BEAUCAIRE.”

After a week’s run to good business “ The Darling of the Gods” gave way on Monday to that most charming of plays, “ Monsieur Beaucaire.” It is about a year ago that it was first played in Auckland, scoring an instantaneous success, and now the Knight-Jeffries Company have repeated theit former triumph. It is a fine acting play, full of stirring scenes and bright dialogue, while tne period is that picturesque one when the women wore powder and patches, the satin suits of the men were as radiant in colpuring, as a bird of paradise. The City of Bath in those days was what Homburg or Carlsbad Is to-day— a. place where fashion gathered, nominally to take the waters, but in reality to indulge in all sorts of frivolity and amusement. It was the time that ephemeral production of a curious age Beau Nash ruled Bath in his capacity of Master or Ceremonies, and when in the Pump Room were daily to be found not only many of the leaders of society, but hundreds of those whose one object in life Was to obtain a foothold in the charmed circle. Booth Tarkington, in his romance has, it is true, not confined himself to historical accuracy,. but has perhaps done better, for he has succeeded in making his story absorbingly interesting. It gives Mr. Julius Knight a great chance, and to say that the actor fully grasps the possibilities is but to half state the case. Mr. Knight’s Monsieur Beaucaire is perhaps the finest of all his impersonations, not even excepting his Marcus Superbus in “ The Sign of the Cross,” which many consider to be his masterpiece. In the hands of a less versatile artist the part might easily be overdone, tne effect of which would be to irretrievably ruin the play, but not so with Mr. Knight, whose impersonation is so fine, even down to the smallest and what might be considered by others unimportant details, as to make it almost above criticism. There may be better Beaucaires, although I take leave to doubt it, but we cannot hope to see them here, neither is the. desire particularly strong. Miss Maud Jeffries resumed her old role of Lady Mary Carlyle, making a very sweet-faced heroine, who, however, gives but little evidence of being “ the proudest woman in England.” If blemish there was, it consisted in the inartistic drawl which with Miss Jeffrie is

becoming more pronounced thar -

Mr. G. P. Cary, as the Duke ol Winterset, did sound work thro a h ■-.at, while Mr. Harry Plimmer nv . < a very manly Major Molyneux, is:.., description of the duel being a , ticularly fine piece of elocution. Mr. Frank Sterling appeared to enju/ the role of Mr. Rakell as much a . did the audience, while all the othe. parts were well filled. ‘ Monsieur Beaucaire” has drawn good houses during the three nights of its run, but to-night will give place to “A Royal Divorce.” The popularity cf this Napoleonic drama has been simply wonderful, it has been played on more than one occasion here, when the business done has proved simply phenomenal. The record has been the same in the South, where people have had to be turned away nightly from tne doors. Mr. Julius Knight will, of course, resume his old role of Napoleon, while Miss Maud Jeffries will enact the part of the Empress Josephine. The three fine tableaux depicting “ The Return from Moscow,” “ The Battle of Waterloo,” and “Alone on St. Helena” will again be repeated, and in every respect the production will be on the same scale as before. Those who have not seen it should on no account miss this stirring play.