"PETE."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 860, 5 July 1910, Page 6

"PETE."

CLARKE AND MEYNELL DRAMATIC COMPANY. . "Pete," a drama iu four acts, by Hall Caino and Louis N. Parker. Cast:— r Pete Quilliam 11. 11. itolierta i l'hillip Christian ...... Conway Wingjield ; Boss Christian Harry Sweeney Oaesar Cregeen Jolui F. Forde JJiiit-K Tom A. E. Grccnaway ■Jonaiquo ■ Jelly .Richard Oswald The Jiayor of Douglas...Chai'les Benson Br. Mylcchreest .... VJ. J. Montgomery Nancy Lorna. Forbes Mary- Elwyn llarvcy Grannie : Katie Towers Meg Ethel Hashford Sarah Mary Laing-Jtecson Kate Crecgan Beatrice Day .-Mr. Hall- Caiue's novols' enjoyed at one time quite a vogue among readers of fiction of tho hour, and, of the series in which he gave more than a mere impression of tho old world customs of life in- tho Isle of Man, none perhaps is letter known than "The Manxman," which •story has been utilised most effectively in the drama "Pete; " produced by Clarke and Meynell's Dramatic Company, bended by Mr. It. It. Roberts and Miss Beatrice Day, at the Opera House last evening. Whilst admitting the novelist's power of sombre narrative, he is laboured ol'ttimes in matters of inconsequent detail, "The Manxman" made good reading, but ill the case of the play these qualities, standing alone, do not satisfy completely. "Pete," ably written and constructed, is a prolonged ache from beginning to end. Throughout the four acts there is no relief from the rending tragedy which assails the houso of honest Pete Quilliam, embittering every situation, and dragging each of tho . chief characters down into a morass of woe. Light touches are administered here and there, • but they only serve to accentuate the blackness of the outlook. . Notwithstanding this, "Pete" must bo classed as a strong play, which needs most careful treatment, and that it certainly received at the hands of the players last evening. .So well is "The Manxman" known that it is almost superfluous to retail any but the briefest sketch of tho story. Pete Quilliam has left the Isle of Man to seek fortune abroad, leaving his sweetheart, Kato Creegan, in the care of his friend, Phillip Christian. Intimacy between these two ripens to love, and when a report of Pete's death is heard thero is no halting in that love. Thej* Pete returns, a jovial honest sailor lad, to claim his sweetheart, creating a problem for Kate and Phillip to work out. Tho latter has been rising steadily in life, and, seeing the position of Deemster within his grasp, cannot bring himself to tell Pete the truth, and marry Hate, and so allows the marriage of the two to take place. Misery is the handmaid of deception, and Kate, becoming a mother to Phillip's child, is wracked with torturo at Pete's tender devotion, bears it to the breaking . point, then leaves her home. Knowing nothing, l'ete is distracted, but to preserve his wife's good name, he dissembles by pretending that she has gone to Liverpool for her health's sake, and actually goes as far as to write letters, and scud presents to himself and the baby. Kate's grim old father smells out. the trouble, and attributes tho cause of it to Ross Christian, Phillip's butterfly cousin, who, though unconnected with it, is just as bad as he is suspected to be. Phillip becomes Deemster, well-meaning, but consciencestricken, and, on tho eve of taking his seat on the bench for the first time, is waited on by Kate, who, in an impassioned scene, threatens to expose him in the Court, if he arrests her for stealing her own child. He begs her not to do this for the sake of all concerned, and she, relenting, promises silence. She, however, does return to her homo for tho child, and is there surprised by | Pete, and in a painful scene confesses her guilt. Next morning Pelc, urged on by Cregeen, is about to seek out Ross Christian, when Phillip, tortured by conscience, arrives and denounces , himself as tho guilty one. In his horror at the discovery of his friend's treachery, Pete is about to strike with an axe, but his hand is stayed by Cregeen. Pete asks Phillip if he will marry Kato should ho release her, but Phillip answers that he cannot. Then he • turns to Cregeen and. asks him if he will take bus daughter back, but, the old man is adamant. Pete then declares that he will take her back if she will only say that she loves him better than her betrayer, and she, hearing tho whole of the scene from the stairway, utters the words that brings her to the honest lover's arms. Such a play, though pn.intcd in dark colour, could not be uninteresting, and it was made a good deal more than that by the all round capability of the players. _ Mr. H. R. Roberts gave a strung realistic portrait of the cruelly-wronged Pete, infusing an appealing vein of tenderness into his scenes with Kate and the baby, and a fine depth of pathos into his dissembling. He was particularly effective in his assumption of heart-break-ing gaiety when he hands the Deemster the letter which-he pretends he has ri> ceived from Kate and gets him to answer it. .His acting was highly meritorious in those scenes where Kate .confesses and finally when the Deemster clears his conscience. The part is well suited to Mr. Roberts's pleasing personality, and must be accounted of the best he has given us. Miss Beatrice Day has a very difficult role to enact in that of Kate Cregeen. Like Niobo 6he is all tears throughout the Play., and this serves the purpose of showing her high capabilities as an emotional actress. Her impersonation fitted well into the picture, and her acting was consistently able throughout. Another excellent performance was the Phillip Christian of Mr. Conway Wingfielil, whosa sincere acting in the struggle between a desire to do the right thing and still climb the social ladder was highly commendable. He was notably good in the scenes with Kate and Pete in the third act. Mr. Harry Sweeney made Ross Christian a bright and interesting vour.g sprig, who showed up prominently against the gloomy background of the play. Mr. John Forde made Caesar Cregeen a stern old humbug of a particularly obnoxious kind. Other parts were capably sustained by Mr. A. E. Greenaway, Mr. W. J. Montgomery, Miss Lorna Forbes, Miss Elwyn Harvey, Miss Katio Towers, and Miss Mary Laing-Meeson. "Pete" is admirably staged in cvery particiilar, anil detail is made a. feature in the stage appointments, which include a delightful live baby. The drama will bo played nightly until further notice.