THE JULIUS KNIGHT COMPANY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 671, 23 November 1909, Page 6

THE JULIUS KNIGHT COMPANY.

IN. 'THE BREED OF THE TRESHAMS." ■"Tbo Breed' of the- Treshams;" a. romantic; drama in four acts,,by B.M. Dix and E. ,li. Sutherland.-'. Cast:— y.. . :.'■' ; Lieutenant ......... Mr! Julius Knight, John Hungerford Mr.. Sydney .Stirling Colonel Sir Clement Hungerford'■' Mr. Beynolds Denmston-' . Colonel Sir Heniy Curwen '.:•'■. , : .■: . Mr. Georgo Chalmers ; Colonel Bagshaw .............;. Mr. .Edgar, Harris;: Captain Stanhope ..Mr.'Stanley Walpole > Captain Easuleigh ......1......;.... -Mr. Winter Mall Lieutenant Willoughby... ;Mr.:Gcorge Treloar Cornet Francis Tresham ' ,: ■.-'.'' ,Mr. George' Mallalieu; Oornot Kit Peyton '. Mr. Leslie Victor ' Corporal'Lumsford' Mr. Rupert Julian Bitty ...Miss Millie Leropriers. : Mrs. 8ag5haw..:............' .'Miss' Katie Towers: Helena Herrepont. .....'. Miss Ethel Phillips , Margarot Hungerford ... Miss % Guilford Quin ,;■ The authors-of "The Bfeed'bf;the.Treshams'?. had little need to obscure thpir identity, as they, originally did under • the:mame of' John Eutherford, for they contrived a play, of; certain merit—a'strong story told in good plain, language,- which rings with the clear, note of: purest' romantic -drama.- ■','All': romances- are not' pretty-jthis one is extremely ugly,.but as Gilbert has. been known to say, there is beauty even in ugliness, and so there, isi in, Messrs.' Dix and-. Sutherland's play," produced for: the 'first.time in Wellington by. the Williamßon Dramatic Company/ headed by Mr. Julius Knight, last evening, at the. Opera House.; It is hot a romance of roses, wine, l and'whispered love speeches—it: is ■ a rom ance of the stirring, days "of the/Roundheads and' Cavaliers; when' an idle• word often meant a'leaping sword, and the flick of ,'aj glove a fight to the death. It is a tale of treason and treachery, •mado abhorrent with the blackest perfidy and.'.thesear of.'the burning iron eating into: the flesh. There ,is no. comedy worth the name, and the merest colour':of a. love' affair.. -Yet '-this' sombre play, is so well written 'and constructed, the'characters. drawn with such.: a nice: hand, and the situations ate so harmoniously in order: that it grips hard, and one does not care to loso.one line of the dialogue.. The story surrounds the doings of Lieut., Reresby, known as "Bat" Reresby; a bravo, loose-living soldier: of fortune, a. traitorous "devil with the. soul of a poet, and stubborn: to the dcath--a,curimisly-cpntradictary: 'character, .'whose' '.very' vincohsis-': tenci'es,,carry is!a>Royalist,\who':for. mere dev'ifinent 'orexcitenient.is plotting •to .• deliver pver,the town df'Faver-' sham: -to'tho; enemy.'inJ- which'/inattor he' is : working under orders ,froin Col. Hungerfoi'd, the renegade'officer- in charge, of the regiment arid governor.■ T ofFaversham.:.V]Tho plot is under way. when the: Colonel's sisteri" Mistress Margaret/Hungerford, just, released,, from a.conventin France,/ appears at .the castlo,: as does' also Francis. Tresham, who is the natural.sonof Rcrosby's- father, Lord Tresham, and therefore 'his' half-brbther: •; The' ■ two new-comers, have . travelled together,' and even . in'such : a* .'short :time .have -, learnt.: to. love/the: colour Of' each other's eyes!. ./Francis takes .umbrage-at' Reresby's loose talk ■■ about their mutual:father,' and they quarrel'before-each finds the : other's fibre,;' but from; the; outset- the "Rat" shows V deep. reverence;for. Mistress..Margaret, '■ whose' clear, innocent eyes and the soul behind :them remind,him of- one. he had,loaf;long.:before. The charming; faith- and: disingenuousness. ofthe'girl: works'for good. -He resolves to' dobetter, but is-caught .red-handed' on the'return from the/rebel's camp—the last .visit-he intended, to-.:make.< An .incriminating 'document- is found in .his boot'.Mt is/in "cipher, with the *name of the,ohiof:conspirator■;' in: cipher—"No. 10."; He will. not', toll/who tho man'is, though. Cph'Hungerford-plays the dog's part throughout, owing to-the:disgrace that would be brought on'his 'sister.' 1 Reresby is,.pubtp the .torture,, and,' When, about to confess, Margarejt appears,. reviles .the torturers, and plehds with the tortured -. to ; confess, 1 , little knowing what it would mean to her: He refuses. At-the court martial'.succeeding the resultless torture'.scene,..Reresby is 'about', t0.., be condemned to be. hanged, when'the loyal little raggamuffin,' Batty,: whom the. "Rat" has befriended, produces papers which prove'that "No. 1 10" is the traitor, .Colonel Hungerford, the son of . the president,' John Hungerford— Viscount. Dorsington. With a stern sense of duty tho latter,:tells ,his;'son that the 'papers ensure him the hangman's rope.' At this Reresby : whispers to'.Batty; to re-secure the papers, and' With', them he/lights his pipe.. He, pleads for'mercy for-Margaret's sake, and the stricken' old .j viscount, orders his traitor., son to leave England at'pnce, 'and at' the same, time gives'Keresby his liberty,;and his consent to Margaret's marriage" with .Francis Treshani. > .■'■■!..■■■:■;:' '.:■-, ■•.':. ■..-.. ::/.;:;

Mr;' Julius Knight's";Reresby must'rank with his best characters—irith,such admirable- performances '■-. as ..'his Monsieur ■' Be'aucairo' and Brigadier Gerard. He gives the • character: a breezincss. and depth tbatj accords .well with, the -atmosphere of tho play,".'and' gets every ounce.,of- effect without a."symptom- of theatricality. -. In that respect -Mr.', Knight's-charac-terisation is .'-unique,-' and ■ fine judgments may declare that of all, tho parts ho has played ho has never been more perfectly in the picture. The part, is a magnificent No-' thing could be' more exhilarating, where he has,&) face a : .dozen'.-of his'" -own' mutinous soldiers, who', 'hate him. To sava Margaret from-their hands; he. keeps them in play by assuming drunkenness, until a leader; suspects the- presence of:, tho-lady in ~tho 'tower. .He. rushes'np'to tho steps,-and is about to burst, in .the' door, .'when «Keresby shoots, and ! the trooper, rolls , from, the- -top-; to bottom 0f...- the .-;■ stairs.'. ~ .Then,..' seizing a sword, he keeps.-'the' rest'at bay' .until the-loyal troops arrive. ' Mr. . : Knight was- artistically gruesome in -make-up and acting.in tho torturescerie,. and quite: admirable in his recital: of; his- own love 'tale-a; story of : the German wars. Onthe whole,;it is;a performance ,that will go a long .way to increase, tho respect theatregoers already, have,-of. JiMr. Knight's sterling ability as an; actor of roinau-;tio'rplesi';"'.;.-'--''-'-'.''-'■■■■-,-'-'.-."t'-": •:,;-.,'.' Mr. Sidney Stirling was the- sonl of .dignity and repose as 1 the viscount; as Colonel-Hun-: gerford. Mr. Reynolds Denhiston lacked-the downright villainous characteristics that should go with such a scoundrel. Mr. Rupert Julian was quite good ns Corporal Lumsford, and his. fall down the ..stairs'was a striking bit of naturalism'! 1 Mr; Geo. .Mallalieu Wide .a likeable' sprig of .'Francis Tresham,-- and:i-Miss Guilford Quin made-a pleasant-manncrcdiiMis' tress Margaret;. ■■ Others Who 'appeared- tp ! advantage were': Miss '■' Ethel. Phillips.-' (Helena Picrrepbnt),: Messrs. Geo. Chalmers (Ciilonel Kir Henry: Cur'mon); -Winter' Hair (Captain Rashleigh), Leslie Victor (Kit Peyton),''S.tariley Walpolo.(Captain Stanhope), and' Edgar Harris'(Colonel Bagshaw)- : ... : ''.':' The scenery' was adequate in .every respect, and the. stage management and lighting were artistically attended to. - "A capable'orchestra under Mr. JJnl.'Campbell,' pluyed good music during the intervals. :'. ■','.. Among those present last;.evening-.were his Excellency tho Governor and- suite, Sir Josenh and Lady -Ward, and Miss .Eileen's Ward.. ■'■*;,"

If yon suffer from Rhomnatism, Gout, Sciatica, or Lumbago, >ou can speedily oblam robot. A bottlo of KHEILMO, tho euro romedy foL these uric acid diseases, has cured nmiiv u sufferer. Remedies, claiming to cuio nearlj o\ory disease will not giro you relici KHEUMO cures because it removes tho cause Sold at all chemists and stores, 2s, Cd. and 4s. Gd. per bottle,—Advfe, jj