NELLIE STEWART SEASON

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 587, 16 August 1909, Page 4

NELLIE STEWART SEASON

"SWEET KITTY BELL-AIRS." ' "Sweet Kitty Bellairs," a comedy drama in four acts by David Bclasco., Cast:— / Sir Jasper Slandish....'. Claude King. Col. tho Jlon. Henry Villicrs Frederick Moves. Lieut. Lord Verney ... Langhoruo Burton. . Clip to in Spicer' : .Templor Powell. Bishop" (if Bath and Wells James Martin. Hon.-Tom Stafford'(Lieut.)... A. J. Patrick. Col. Kimby M'Fiontain'... Harry "Ashford. Capr. Denis O'Hara ... Comvay Wingfiold. Lady Srnndish (Julia) ....'.. llosslyn Vayno. Ludy Mary Pridcauz Harriet Trench. Lady Bab I'lyto Madeleine Meredith. Hon. Mistress Beaufort... Marjorie Chard. ' Mistress Kitty Bellairs ... Nellie Stewart. When D.wid Bclasco, that virile and most prolific Now York playwright and master producer, selected tho pleasant-aired novel, "The Bath Comedy," by Agnee and' Egerton Castle, as the vehicle of ono of> his latest plays, ho had his ear to the ground. For a long time the romance and gallantry that infected Bath/in ■% days of George 111 wore neglected as a- field for dramatic speculation, yet What a wealth of colour and theatrical opportunity is revealed in tho Castles' pretty story, in Booth Tarkingten's attractive play, "Monsieur,Beaucaire," and tho Baroness Orczy'-s "Beau Brocade." -Belasco has seizedupon the essentials in "The.Bath Comedy; and with his facile pen has sketched quite delightful comedy, reflecting picturesquely tho spirit and manner, of the ago. All this is as charmingly conveyed to the 'senses as the eye is refreshed in "Sweet Kitty Bel- ' lairs," which' delighted a largo audience at the. Opera House on Saturday evening. Perhaps on this occasion the play was not altogether "the thing." Miss Ncllio Stewart, Australia's own particular idol, and an immense favourite in the Dominion, heads the company, and trips onco rnoro into the illuminated focus"of the playgoer's eye as lutty Bellairs, the belle of Bath. Miss Stewart received an ovation on entering, and could'not proceed with her opening lines until she had smilingly curtseyed.six or eight times. "Sweet Kitty Bellairs" makes no pretence 'to be more than a pretty play. It. plumbs no great depth of emotion or passion, but though it lack's qualities that impress deeply, it is sufficient in its many prettinesse3 to inoculate olio with n keen pleasure in the little love pageant it presents. The plot is tissue thin. Sir Jasper Standish, a beau of spirit, with, the head and oword of a Cyrano de Bergerac, believes his wife (Julia) is fiirting with Lord Verney (a young officer who has taken the fancy of the mercurial Kitty), and a duel is arranged. Masked, Kitty visits Veniey's room to beg him not to fight. ■ She'is there compelled to unmask, and at length Verney's promise not to fight is given. Then Julia, who has been waiting for her friend Kitty in'•the hall, rushes into the room—her. husband is .coming.. The two women hida in' a covered old-fashioned bed, and Sir Jasper outers, to explain that there was a misunderstanding, and to make peace with Vorney. All would'have been right but for the intervention of some officers of \ erney's regiment (51st) and their guests, the InuiskiUings, who have been carousing, also of Captain Spiecr r an admirer of Lady Jtab Flyte, ex-belle of Bath, .displaced by Kitty. 'Spicer has'been in the next room, and he hints at the presence of .a woman m Veri ney's. Julia's shoe is discovered, Sir Jasper is "again in arms, but Kitty, sacrificing herself j emerges-from.tho bed and claims. tho, shoe. Julia escapes .detection, and V erney seeks to cover. Kitty by announcing that she has promised' to become Ins wito. Lady Bab,- informed by Captain Spicer, industriously spreads the scandal. . Colonel Villiers (Verney's uncle) will not hear of tlia, match,, and demands that ho, will give up Kitty,'or resign his commission. He chooses the latter, just as,a dispatch arrives ordering the regiment to the wars. While he is desponding at having lost his chance of glory and promotion, Kitty, seeing hpw matters stand, resolves that-Verney shall'go to tlio war, and, in order that he,will not be bound by any scruples on her. behalf, declares-that she-has been "fooling.with him all the timo, and had dono it all for a wager. Verney, half-bolipving, and goaded by Captain Spicer as' a' white-livered cur. for deserting on the cvo of action, domsin'ds his' sword back, and marches away to Bristol, leaving his brokenhearted Kitty' belifnd. -. Thero . is just , oiie niore scene—an old-fashioned'.hostelry, on ; tho road ; to Bristol..•"':■ Kitty is there, bound for Dublin, under escort of the liuiiskillings. bo is Sir Jasper, who has been., indiscreet enough to take' a midnight ride with tho immaculate Lady Bab. They have, however, been-followed by Julia; who, by this means, gains an ascendancy over her susceptible husband. The drums and fifes of the passing regiment are heUrd, and Verney, having learned- of Kitty's i self-sacrifice, dashes in" to'hug-her once more, and rosetint tho future. The last scone is unique. If is'the door, of the inn, and at it the greygowned figure of Kitty is seen waving bet handkerchief. tp tbo regiment marching off in the rain—a, genuine downpour of - real rain.

'As Kitty Bellairs,'MiSa Stewart gave- us another of. those delightfully roguish character' studios that call for exceptional talent. Kitty 13 'Irish—and it sticks out all over. It is not a mere lady-like suggestion—it is Irish, in the thick, and very charmingly does it fairfrom Kitty's lips.' Her tion of,her nationality in the teeth of her detractors is.one of the happiest moments in the play, and there were many. " She managed her-first scene with the bashful \erney very cleverly, and the advice she continually dealt out to Julia kept the audience in a ripple of laughter. Sweet and touder, too, was her acting in the more serious passages towards tho end of the bedroom scene and in-{he ballroom; and the-little--grey.figu.ro in the inn was over so pathetic. Kitty ,Belloirs must rank among the best characters the' cleror actress has given us. During ,tlio .evening many floral tributes to Miss Stewart ■were passed over the footlights. Mr. Langhome Burtqn, as Vcrriey, proved himself to be a forceful,'if not very sympathetic, actor. Ho was rather a negative quantity in-the nrst act, but won his-way steadily-into-favour by his restraint and reserve force in the arduous bedroom scene: Mr.-Claude King made .an ideal Sir Jasper. He, has a personality tnat reaches out over the orchestral pit, .and acted naturally and with high intelligence. Another excellent' actor is ' Mr. Frederick Moyes, whose Colonel Villiers was a capital bit of work—an officer and a gentleman, cherishing honour before all, and boasting a genial appetite for punch,. There was no Better played part; than Captain 0 Hara (the Irishman.with a hopeless passion for Kitty) as sketched' by Mr. Conway Wingheld. The author' made him a brave, warm-hearted, generous officer, and the'actor emphasised overy' attribute most admirably. Mr. Harry Asuford, as Col. Kimby M'Fiontaui, alsogaye an excellent characterisation of a stout old soldier of the Georgian era, but Mr. Templer Powell was hardly heavy enough to make an ideal Captain Spicer. Miss Kosslyn. Vayne was 'delightful as the tearful Lady Julia Standish. In everything she did keen intelligence, allied to experience was apparent. Miss Madeleine Meredith as Lady Bab was quite sufficiently obnoxious to merit the sniffs of all really nice girls, and Miss Harriet Trench was , perfectly suited as the acidulated Lady Mary Prideaux. Miss Marjono Chard, who looked very handsome, appeared m the minor.roio of tho-Hon. .Mistress Beaufort, and.spoke the lines of the novel prologuo very prettily. Tho play is lavishly mounted, and' the dresses are gorgeous in stylo and colour. The scenery, too, is good. .The ballroom at Prideaux Hall, a daintily-designed apartment in. white and gold, was as handsome n stago setting as has been seen m Wellington for a long time. Terney s lodgings, and tho Bear's Head Inn were two attractive interiors. . An effective orchestra, under the baton of Mr. Fred Qumtrell, played a number of selections throughout the evening, and contributed to Hie play a running accompaniment of melodious Irish airs. '■'Swoet Kitty Bellairs" will bo played throughout the week.