HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1540, 30 October 1919, Page 34

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE.

EMELIE POLINI SEASON. “DE LUXE AN’NIE.” Hopes of seeing Miss Emelie Polini are at least realised, the brilliant young actress who took Australia by storm under the J. and N. Tait direction in “De Luxe Annie” and “Eyes of Youth” making her first appearance before Auckland audiences at His Majesty’s Theatre this week .in the former play. Miss Polini is an inspiration. Her very naturalness gets one at the offset, and makes it easy to: see why she should record a succession of triumphs. The play is mysterious and psychological. The story begins in a Pullman car, where a doctor, to point his argument that there is no such thing as coincidence, relates to fiis fellow travellers the case of De ’Luxe Annie. It is this narration that gives the action of the play. Annie, a clever “crook,” and her accomplice, Jimmy Fitzpatrick, are found in a well-furnished flat by the detectives who have long been on their track. Annie falls in love with a young architect and wants to break away from her criminal calling. There are all sorts of sensational frame-ups to “get” the “crooks,” but eventually, if not coincidentally,-Annie and Jimmy take refuge in the former’s old. home, where memories begin to flood back on her. Cornered at last by the detectives, who explain to Annie that she had lost her memory of the past through an accidental blow on the head, Jimmy persuades her to consent to an operation on the brain. She does so, and when the vpil is lifted she immediately recognises her husband, while poor Jimmy, who has loved her faithfully and unselfishly all through her criminal period, becomes an utter stranger. The last act shows the Pullman car again with the doctor concluding his strange story. The part of Nan Dellamore (De Luxe Annie) calls for the highest expression of art to carry the impersonator through the complex stages of the character. But Miss Polini’s art is equal to it, and she plays on all the strings of emotion with rare and compelling touch. Infinitely tender and loving, alluringly wheedling, and, with it all, she manages to suggest the inner conflict that goes, on between her conscious- and sub-conscious self. She gets very sound support from Mr. John Fernside as *the “crook,” Jimmy Fitzpatrick, his acting being marked with sincerity and dramatic sense. Mr. Arthur Greenaway attracts interest as the. husband, trying subtly to restore Annie’s memory. Mr. Harman Lee as Cronin, the detective, puts in quiet, forceful work that commends him • well to the audience. Mr. Charles Berta! as the old storekeeper gives a capitally humorous study, and another amusing role was that of a boarding-house keeper enacted by Miss Georgia Harvey. Miss Olive Wilton has a sprightly part that suits Ji er, and fitting admirably into the fStory by their easy air. in the Pull-' •man car were Messrs. George Chalmers, Norman Pearce, Raymond Lawrence, and that very useful actor Mr. ;S. A. Fitzgerald. “De Luxe Annie” will be replaced on Saturday night by “Eyes of Youth.”