THE FLAG LIEUTENANT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 711, 10 January 1910, Page 3

THE FLAG LIEUTENANT.

WILLIAMSON DRAMATIC COMPANY. "The Flag Lieutenant," a naval play in four.acta by, Major W. P, Drury and Leo"Travers. Cast: . : - Eoor-Admiral tho Hon. Sir Berkeley Wynne. ■ . ■ K. 0.8. Mr. George 8. Titheradge John Penrose ;... Mr. h. Hardtngs Pilchard Lascolles ...Mr.; Thomas. Kingston Christopher Ncate .:. Mr. Eoland' Stavely -William Thesiger Mr. Oyril Mackay Walter Orutchley-' Mr. A. E. Grconaway Horatio.Hood Miss Marjorie Murray Edward Dormer-Leo .........-Mr. Hedge Carey Thomas Kteelo .; ....;... Mr. T. \V. Lloyd Joshua Borlace .........:.. Mr..Eardley Turner James/Sloggett' Mr. Fred Oambourne. General Gough-Bogle ....;. Mr. 0. Morse Colonel M'Lcod .....;....'.'...:... Mr. Boyd Irwin Miohael Palliser.....;.' Mr. Gregari. M'Mahon. Memeti .Salos (Bashi-Bazouk)' ' .Mr. Prank Harcourt Lady.:Hermiono Wynne—Miss Nellie Calvin Mrs. Cameron ;.... Miss Ethel Warwick Viola Hood .................. Miss Elwyn Harvey Mrs. Gough-Bogle ;.......i Miss Emma Temple For some inscrutable reason : the; management of the Williamson 'Dramatic Company .has, elected' to keep the- best of its. goods until the end of the season.

fiieuteuant," from the joint pens; of; MajoVW.' P. -Drury' and Leo. : Trevor,, is quite-an interesting drama of ', a distinctly; refined school—the type that smells- sweet;.in the nostrils;of"the■ at-; ' tehtive playgoer! who'takes tho trouble to' study, the intellectual in .a -play (not, perhaps,'; a deeply ingrained - habit with' tho. average theatre-goer). Though not ,a play, remarkable -for .the strength of its. story,. "The.Flag,. Lieutenant"' is -imbued with an air of;.refinement that'ap- : . peals* to, pnb ; as almost daringly delicate when' precedent : in -~ naval drama is considered;. -But its construction,. its crisp; and nicely-planned . situations command .respect and admiration in the same, degree as its-novel, setting;is consistent in/its visual,charm'J Mas-Lieu> tenant ,"Dicky" Lascelles, E.N.,. and Major; Thesiger, of the; Royal.Marines, are ideal-"pals"— that is'insisted on throughout- the' chapter. Dick is. the youngersmart, clever, dashing, yaj; so pleasantly and'continuously frivolous that none will take: him seriously,'■ less even when he in- ' herits' a: fortune .which- doubles his popuparity;'. Thesiger,.' years', older,- has: been- ; .unlucky; in the', service. ■; Chances have, not-come-; his. way, and, beuig dependent . on his pay,; he,' though, the best of good fellows,: is just :a.: little at odds with his ;'f ate, 'more,so because the woman has' arriyed'and he-dare not open his arms. This 'is. told; as-the.-flagship ..Royal ,Ed- v ward liesj'at ;;, Malta;, in.;/:, the; . calm) of • a Mediterranean. summer., A ball .is: in' ; progress 'oil -board, when a destroyer arrives in L hot'haste, from Crete, bearing : nbws that Colonel - M*Leod, of the "Campbells,'' anda handful of men—"a law and order squad"-' in a , land ';of - brawls, are hot pressed by, a ,'horde' of'Bashi-Bazouks at ..Kandia.; Rear-Admiral "Wynne; orders a gunboat, 'with.'-troops ./under-Major .Thesiger, to. proceed-; that uight to. Kan-dia'-'ondj/orders are given for the fleet 1 to fbl]pw"'it daybreak.' 'It is.the chance Thesiger .has ached. for—to dp something; iascblles - lias. .also ,'begged to : ' be allowed; . -to..'.' go,: - pleading his .knowledge of .lan-, guages to : overcome the admiral's .scruples , :Over losing his;'flag-lieutenant/.,.At Kan:, . dia",'tho : British' troops are' in"a pretty tight :: fii, ' and are only helped out tern-, ■porarily- by- the;, ammunition'; and ;men. Thesiger brings. along,' for fearing that matters -might; bo'precipitated, the;; ad-, miral-;lays .some miles : away- 'down the coast.. '.Having-' stopped some pretty hot rushes of the' Bashi-Bazbuks, -; it is; borne;, in upon ; :Thesiger:,that,if .something.des: .perato' is; not-done,, they .will bij; wiped put.;'. What: to/do 'is tho/questioii.;: It-, is ;ariswered;' : , by,.. a ~dead . ■-.Bashi T ßazouk. ;.Thcsiger" ebneoives , the idea of ..through' the -Moslem;' lines to'a' 'pro-' iitecfed-'telegraph station a mile away with' ..the.; object •of sending./a ,-;.messago to,the;Adiniral.7:,He dons/.tle dead-.;ma'nfs clothesj.and'is just'about.'to lower him'-; self over the. wall,of the fort the troops are;holding,: when he is -.'Tsnoclied/silly" by a' : half-spent ball.' 'Lasc'elles'iioizes 'the tb; : .try'the' same bsrperiineht,' 'and is successful,/though- fleshed by, 'bullet, in -the.:.attempt..;, 'He.;.returns- to. -find.' tliat- he "has .'been urgently needed to , interpret/a'.'.'m'esiage'.'lfrom a iriendl-y'' Bashi,. and out-of., sheer, devilment gives as an/excuse : for,;;his absence' that.ho/has been \ asleep ;an';-.embrasure. ; -,,' 'Dicky, howe'yer;'makes:'a confidant of the' doctor,; •telling-him- what he,has done.-andi'they - both lament that- Thesiger' has .'once .more* . lost-his-chance. •Poor.:TheSiger!-: ; He had- - always .been' such' a .pal,, and ;-Dick, ; owedhim a. debt."A glorious, means to payi-it occurs .to : LascelTes; 'to give'.';''but that Thesiger- had run; the gauntlet;to-the telegraph station,' and give him:/' whatever honour was'.: attaching to .'the act' The doctor demurs; Dicky, pleads, pointing out:that it was.Th'esiger's idea, and now- that ;he; (Thesiger) iliad'-'lbst. his memory '.(through l being struck,"by; tlie half-spent bullet)., the .. deception'.-■• would .never,be -known.;'So, .'oh, .the relief of the.. fort by;. the,, squadron, - Thesiger, becomes' a."hero, - ; iB, feted,..promoted, : and gains -the' ;.Svilling.' hand ;of., ; thb coveted Mrs.;Cameron.. things' go -amiss.;/. His "stupid .answer, about being. asleop ~;.when; . ...wanted.:' gets.' whispered abroad, "and,,; in'going the rounds, his action-, is .given an--ugly twist,- until it becomes, -meat, and drink to'tho scandalmongering "set at Malta, where'.'the fleet liesohoo more.: stock falls-rhe is looked at" askance, even' by Thesiger, • in' whom he; ; of course, 'ennnbt-confide.,' The end -comes./.with'■'■ the casual appearance! on board' the: flagship of Michael..Polliser ■ (of •-. the Eastern ./Telegraph .Company's service),'-;the officer. 1 who/took Las-' celles's-.snouted- message: at Kandia; He hears .Flag-Lieutenant:Lascolles giving orders, andarecognises the' ,voico of the man, who • gavei : him - the fatofnl message. Meet- ; both/officers,'.ho drops-to -the,fact : that somethingV'is amiss,: and while,: pondering over,;the matter-is- sharply' cross-: examined: by . Mrs. Cameron; who 'breaks' upon /the,', troth. ..Confronted /with it,- , Lascellcs confesses, but implores-tie lady; : not;,to. make, the ;truth known—he-would be accused.:of'making a,fool of .his-best : friend, and,'it, would kill Thesiger.-Mrs. Cameron is-insisting on',the whole, story, being .made/known, in. order that .Dicky's name.inight/be cleared: when the Admiral ; arrives:on deck..--He .'has heard all' . through/the opeh." skylight of his 'cabin; He.argues ; that, the truth must bo-told; but again Dicky pleads .special "circura- : stances,; and. begs; for silence. 'Here is thp great weakness in the'play. The Admiral .;.. consents. ■'. That/ Th'esiger's ,'char- ; acter,, standing, .and whole- life's .outlook should, however,' unconsciously .'be left! ' dependent. upon the, absolute silence of so' many, persons,-is ; (to'-'plagarise ' the Admiral in the play) 'too: severe a strain;: ; The play:,-is;..very:, beautifully"mounted, and there is a 'correctness in detail and a finpitbuch.'of: naval glitter,.that makes' a special. appeal right' tlirough' tho play. - -The gun-deck.: of the ("flagship .'was a superb piece of stage:mechanism. ,'-"' ' Mr.. ..Thomas',. Kingston 'is at '.his:, very best. as'.. Flag-Lieutenant' Lascelles, -, capi tally suggesting in,uppearance and manner the flippant young -naval 'officer, to - whom ; red tape has, no. existence, and. yet who is capable; of doins things.' • His loyp . scones'with- '.Lady'.Hermione ;wcro char- : mingly handled, and in/ the- fort scene his. merry recklessness and' freedom from any trace. of, theatricality'-. won for the . actor' the good, opinion ■ of: tho audience. ■ Mr..Cyril MackayVwork is always sound, 1 ; and', never a certain attractive- . ness native. : to'-.' his pleasing personality. . His Thesiger is .quite an admirable performance ~ in : every, respect. ..Another faultless performance was that of Mr, Geo.'. S. .Titheradge as Rear-Admiral, tho -Hoh.Sir Berkeloy Wynne, a strong,, dig- - nified, yet kindly, old .man of.'polished manner and linfinitb tact.. .It jvas quite like; old times to see this. cultured actor in-a part that ,'gavp,scope to. thoso qualities which hayb for a quarter 'of''a century kopt him. in.':'.thp forefront of dramatic artists. • Miss Ethel Warwick, in-vested-tho. part'of■Mr6,,Canicron with tho ■ air of a refined wortan of the wprld, one who is not.avorso to, tilt at conventionality when tho truth is in danger. , Her prepossessing appearance, low, musical voice," easy elocution, and graceful deportment air conduce to'achieve the desired result;in. the part. A.-.couple .of perky midshipmen" were capitally, represented by Mr. Redge Carey and Miss Mar-, jorie.Murray,' the young lady, being particularly good in tho come'dy that fell' to -hor•' lot. That pleasing actress,. Miss i Ethel Calyiii, was rather set and formal .;■ in manner as Lady Hormoine and Miss , Elwya was altogether too kit-' , tenishly"' affected as Viola Hppd. The • wprk of Messrs. T. ,W.: Lloyd, Eardley ■ Turner, Fred Camboumc, A. E. Grcen- , .away, Grcgan M'Mahon, and Boyd'lrwin • : 'should: not'-be. overlooked. ••■.'■"The Flag • Lieutenant", will be.- performed until i Wednesday night. On Thursday it gives : way to. "Tho Silver King," .with: Mr. Geo. S, Titheradge as, Wilfred Danver,'