HIS MAJESTY’S.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XV, Issue 863, 20 September 1906, Page 16

HIS MAJESTY’S.

(By

“Footlight.”)

THE MACMAHON DRAMATIC CO. “THE EXECUTIONER’S DAUGHTER.” The second production by ‘the MacMahon Dramatic Company was the fouract play “The Executioner’s Daughter,” a dramatisation from the French by Mr E. Hill-Mitchelson. The story is well worked out and is a particularly interesting one the piece on the whole being much ahead of the opening production. It tells of a Monsieur Roche, who is the executioner of Paris, a fact which he has entirely concealed from his family and friends. He has two daughters, Annette, a woman in a hundred, and Felice, who is rightly described as a disgrace to the name of woman. Annette is secretly married >to one Felix Marius, a ‘thief and gambler, who, besides countless other villainies, has in a fit of rage, crippled a child of his by a former wife. Marius is anxious to get rid of Annette, of whom he has tired, and of the child, in which he is aided by Felice and one Vivan Ormonde, a tool of his. To the aid of Annette comes Paul Rouvell, who loves her, and Tom Holmes, a telegraphist Also they are assisted by* an old man named Kretch. Marius robs Monsieur Roche’s safe and discovers the secret of his calling. The old man finds this out and Marius is denounced, and in defending himself betrays Roche, and at the same time announces his marriage with Annette. The thought of their own father being the much-hated executioner is too much for the family, who all ‘turn from him with the exception of the crippled child Christina. Next Marius is detected cheating at cards and on being accused murders his victim. To save himself he puts the police on the track of Paul and Annette, who have eloped, and the latter is charged with the crime and condemned to be guillotined. The father is then called upon to execute his own child, but refuses to do so, whereupon Marius, who is the sheriff of the district, is about to carry out the sentence, when Paul and Tom Holmes save her by means of a forged reprieve. All return to Roche’s house, when Marins and Ormonde again attempt to rob Roche, but are frustrated by Christina, who locks them in the strongroom they are robbing, where they are caught by ■the Gendarmes. Christina, who has been a witness of the murder, denounces Marms, her own father, whose prospect of meeting his fate at the hands of Roche, the executioner whom he has so wronged, seem very certain as the curtain descends. The story told in brief seems over gloomy, but there are many bright spots in the play itself, the comedy element being fairly strong. Miss May Granville was cast for Annette, in which she proved successful, although somewhat lacking in the vivaciousness which is such an essential attribute of the French woman. Miss Helen Fergus made every possible point tell as Felice, a woman who sticks at nothing to gain her own ends. Miss May Renno was amusing as ever as Sally King, a domestic from the East End of London. Little Miss Sinclair did exceedingly well as Christina, the cripple, a special point being her clearness of utterance. Miss Oriel Hotson and Miss Stephenson, as a Parisienne and a Sister of Mercy respectively, were not given much chance to distinguish themselves. Mr Charles Blake as the hero Paul Rouvell, gave an exceedingly natural representation of the part, his work all through being most consistent. Mr Alfred Boothman proved as thorough going a scoundrel as could be wished, but why he should speak in broken English was not obvious. All the characters would be speaking French in reality, and as the present is an English version, presumably all should speak correct English Otherwise Mr Boothman’s interpretation left nothing to be desired. Mr E. B. Russell made the most of the part of Monsieur Roche, the pathetic scene where he refuses to execute his, own child, being a very effective bit of acting. A clever character study was that of old Kretch, by Mr S. A. Fitzgerald and this was one of the

best hngs in the piece. Most of the fun of the evening was caused by the efforts of Mr E. Nable, a servant, telegraphist, etc., who in an impossible character and in an absurd make-up, succeeded in getting roars of laughter from •the large audience Mr M. Lynch was somewhat colourless as Vivan Ormonde, while Messrs Coape, G. A. Preston, W. Ell'son, H. Walker, N. E. Clifford and others helped to complete a long cast. The piece was most effectively staged, all the details being properly attended to So good was the all round quality of the acting, and so s’trong the dramatic interest running through the piece that perhaps the Company might do well to make : t their opening production during their Southern tour.

“THE PRICE OF SIN.” To-night the management produce on a scale of exceptional lavishness, the third dramatic novelty of the season, when Mr Hill Mitchelson’s (the author of “The Executioner’s Daughter” and o*ther equally successful London productions) cleverly constructed play “The Price of Sin,” will be presented for the first time in New Zealand. Another drama new to Auckland entitled “The Galley Slave,” being underlined for early production.