KING’S THEATRE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1384, 2 November 1916, Page 32

KING’S THEATRE.

“MARY LATIMER, NUN.”

Drama has settled down comfortably at King’s Theatre, Newton, and patrons have expressed their satis faction with Mr. A. Brandon-Cremer’s selection of plays. “Mary Latimer, Nun” was presented on Saturday night to a large audience who left no doubt as to their interest m the production. The story concerns one Lord Pierpoint, his son (the Hon. Alfred Pierpoint), and his niece (the Hon. Clarice) who is betrothed to the latter. The Hon. Alfred, however, loves elsewhere, his heart being given to a coster girl named Larky Stubbs. Clarice resolves to nip this mesalliance in the bud, and concocts a plot to inveigle the unsuspecting Alfred into a marriage with herself, but by the intervention of the nun, who, at the critical moment bestows her fortune of £12,000 a year on the coster girl, the said coster appears simultaneously at the church with Clarice, and after a peer coster family conclave, the bridegroom’s choice falls cn Larky. Then the latter s troubles begin.

Clarice, baffled of her desire, makes Larky unwittingly sign over her fortune to herself and uncle. Through a misunderstanding, the coster bride leaves her husband, becomes the mother of his child and goes into vaudeville. But the villan —or in this case, villainess —- st : ll pursues her, and after failing : n an attempt to bring about Larky’s death on the stage, seeks to compromise her with Frank Dayton, music-hall manager. The nun again comes to the rescue. Foiled again the saturn ne Clarice tries to poison Larky’s son and once more her plans are frustrated by the Sister of Mercy. Piquant situations meet one at every turn, but in the end villainy has its downfall, and the curtain falls on the re-union of husband and wife. Larky has a vivacious counterpart in Miss Katlileen Arnold, evoking plenty of merriment with her good humoured raillery, and hearty sympathy by her earnestness in later scenes. Miss Clarice Warner, as the venomous schemer, portrayed an out standing part with distinct ability, and earned the compliment of the hatred of the audience. Miss Alice Rede, as Mary Latimer, acted the part of the gentle nun with quiet dignity. Miss Biddy Hawthorne did praiseworthy work as Grace Dayton,

wife of the music-hall manager. Mr. George Henderson, as the latter, acted with fine judgment. Mr. Fred Francis as Lord Pierpoint, proved himself a ready backer for his niece’s villainy. Mr. W. J. Coulter, a .veilknown veteran theatrical, gave an ad mirable study of the part of Sam Stubbs, of Seven D ais, and with Mr. Frank Neil as cheery Dicky Stubbs, raised many a laugh. Mr. Maurice Tuohy, as the Hon. Alfred, and Miss Abbey Taylor as the Mother Superior, fitted satisfactorily into their respective parts.