" THE AMATEUR GENTLEMAN."

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18889, 3 January 1927, Page 7

" THE AMATEUR GENTLEMAN."

A ROMANCE OF THE REGENCY. everybody's, to-dat. Perhaps there is no period of Engh.-h history as fascinating and romantic as the Regency. It was a time of worldly pleasures and daring intrigue, when great ladies vied with each other for social leadership and dabbled in diplomatic affairs with great eclat, and every young gentkraan was miniature Beau Isniinmcll and the Beau himself quite the grcate.-t exquisite "ho c\er strutted down tho Slraud or loifd about fashionable Bath. A bra\e . , jl of hcart-achc and misery beneath its bnl liunt exterior. Perhaps there « no noveli.n who has more cotuplutolj i Biva spirit of that i<enod than JeScrjl rnol, whose story, "The Amateur- i man," brought to the screen, wi' . he l- r sented at £veryt, U dy' s Theatre this when a fragrant, stirring. c\eutf«l from English history wi.l he whisked back from the past. I'arnoi delights m P ol '™.?'"* pugnacious gentlemen, clangeious, ° who v.-hip out a tword under any probation, but who are all in a quake pair o; soft eyes. Thus the Amateur gentleman is drawn, who breaks into-the se.ee,. circle surrounding the fat hegent and m intains his place there throug.i his introdution of a new and exquisite picturo is gay with all the gilded dispA»., and vain splendour c« that time; it Dnetles with bold intrigue in which the famous Lai? Holland figures prominently; it is breath ess with unadorned drama, particularly when tho Gentleman stands shorn of his pseudo | feathers and even the exquisite cravat is forgotten; it is tender with tho. romance of all the ages, and in the end love conquers a:l things, even a noble lady who loved the very amateur gentleman. It is a romance, this story, in every eenso of tho word, showing the influence of al] tho best fiction upon the author's style, and adhering well to the old-time type of colourful melodrama. The picture never suiters for action, a vastly exciting steeplechase, a duel with pistols, and plenty of encounters in steel keeping the story at a merry pace, and the brave attiro of the dandies lending the production a brilliant and picturesque effect. Tliere is comedy in the picture, sometimes of a faintly satirical nature, but always amuaing, and tho rounded phrases and precise diction of the Regency, plentifully interspersed with tho robust ''swear-words v/hich were deemed to be part and parcel of a gentleman's outfit, lend the story a quaintly genuine atmosphere. England was very rugged in the days of Beau Brummell, and one has nMr Bernard Shaw to thank for re-introducitig to tho theatre the very effective phraseology of the period. The cast commands considerable interest. In the title role is Richard Barthelmess, than whom none better could be found for xhe character of Barnabas Beverly, alias Barty. Once again this actor is a lighting blade, a decidedly comely figure in his fine costumes, and a very perfect, gentle knight withal. The Prince Regent, an ambling, tyrannous fellow, iB admirably played by Gino Corrado, and Nigel Barrie, Dorothy Dunbar and Billie Bennett enact roles with pleasing grace and dignity. The' second picture on the pragremme is different in every respect from the premier offering, being "Lovey Mary,'' a Boquel to, or to be precise, the cousin that charming and philosophical comedy, "Mrs Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch." Mrs Wiggs again struts her hour and spoaks her lines, with aims akimbo and scathing tongue; but she is a loving soul, and one ignores her incongruities. "Lovey Mary" has that same wistful pathos and whimsical humour as its more famous predecessor, as well as an invigorating Bpeed and action, to which the buoyant personality of William Haines, as leading man, particularly adapts itself. Bessie Love, petite and appealing, plays the title role,, and creates an instant and phenomenal success. Other players in the cast are Eileen Percy, Mary Alden, and Russell' Simpson, Tho "Select" Orchestra, under the direction of Mr W. J. Bellinghaui, F.S.M., will play a special orchestral programme, including the following numbers: Overture, "Martial Moments" (Alford), opera "Rigoletto" OVerdi), song suite, Popular Songs" (Schubert), suite, "Cendrillon" (Massenet), symphony, "Surprise" (Haydn), entr'acte, "On the Riviera CWilber), partsong "The Snow' (arranged by Lund), selection, "On with the Dance" (Finck). The box plans will bo at tha theatre during tho holiday season. ■