AMUSEMENTS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11499, 4 February 1903, Page 8

AMUSEMENTS.

THEATRK ROYAL

Leaving the historical play the Anderson Company last night returned to the primrose path of ■melodrama. In "Ths Worst Woman in London" the playwright lias evidently anxkavcurcd to mabi a. record as to the "number of sensations which it is possible to crowd into four acts. No cruno is too great for the villainess, and murd«sr is cvidtctly an amusement with her ac she coolly plants the removal of the various people who stand in the way of her worldly aivwEccmeat without as much excitement ns tihu advent of a miw dress would cause to an ordinary woman. All the principal characters in the pax» make their entrances and exits to nnisie of differing character, slow and staccato for the villain and the woiFt. woman, and light, and joyous for the liero and lieroine, and the comlo servant, who plays an important .part in the piece. The hVroir.o makes her i-scajpj from the burn in p house by a sntiooid glidj. along telephone wires, which, if attempted in roal life, would rno.vt certainly result, in a serious accident. M.ss Heicie tfurdtite played Frances Vere. the villaines?, with a, greuji amount of spirit and a, fuil roiogniticri <■( the* utterly b;:U character of the pur:-. Her struggles with the madman and with the 'heroine in the lust act are cairrki »vi in the nicwt :tpproved f'.yle of melodrama. Miss Ida Oie.yham was appropriately tearful and con*U>.r.l in lovo to the hero, and won the hearty appreciation of the audience accordingly. Miss Katie Towers, who was the comic servant girl, playtd the pa:t vith v. good <!'ea:l of success, -ur Diver— perhaps because he wus fresh from, playing the. heroic part- of Lord Nelson —did not yeem to take kindly to the character of Vincent Lyle, t/ae assistant in the nefarious schemes of th* worst woman. Mr Piimnver was appropriately tearful and repentant of his imaginary crime in the character of fthe hero, Jack Felton, and Mr Frnnk Ha\vthorT.e ably aided and abetted Miss Towers in lightening th?. gloom of the picco by what is known tie comic business. Little Miss (.l!ad,vu> Hiij?kc3 gave a bit of characttr actic.s as a refractory 'Anietit, and Mr L'na.lir.ers —though it wiss somewhat regretful to .see good acting thrown away upon .sutlii a part—made quite a hit as the drur.keii father of the Worst Woman. Mr Dugg-an as James Milford, and Mr Dalgltifh Philip A'.imstrong, fillfd thj reijpeotive p'.trtia well. The piece was exeelkoHly put ou the stags. It will be repeated tihis evtnirg.