ANDERSON DRAMATIC COMPANY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1218, 29 August 1911, Page 6

ANDERSON DRAMATIC COMPANY.

"THE CHANCE OP A LIFETIME." "The Chance of a Lifetime," a sport- > ing melodrama in four acts, by Mr. Nat Gould. Cast:Dick Douglas Mr. Kenneth Brainntou Hon. Itobort Lovctt Mr. Clivc Farnham Mat Lawson Mr. Victor Fiuherbert Cant. Francis Clinch «... Mr. Jl. Leigh Joe Itobson Mr. Fred Coapc Jim Ames Mr. Walter Dalcleish Ben Blower Mr. 11. J. Oswald Abel Ascho Mr. Percy Thorpe Lady Betty Lovctt Miss Ethel Bashford Mrs. Edgar Miss Fkrcnce Kichter Diana Miss Lilian Lloyd After tho pantomime the return to the Opera House of legitimate melodrama last evening was not by any means unploasing to that large section of the ploy-going public, which likes its drama writ fair and largo in uncompromising black and white. Nat Gould has written many novels, and in Australia at least has the honour of being one of the most-read authors of the day. Tn "The Chance of a Lifetime" he gives us a rattling good talo of the turf which is unusually i;ee tiMin impossibilities, and is positively refreshing in its lack of those thickly piled horrors which tend to ridicule the stage as an intellectual vehicle for the conveyance of reasonable ideas. Here and there crudities in slagc management crop up, and whilo these may be accepted as matter for merriment, they really concern incidents, in the representation of which the stage has its limitations. On tho wholo the story is well told, and the characters limned by the author aro clean cut and natural. Moreover the company is capable, and the mounting fairly _ satisfactory. Tho story concerns the limping fortunes of Dick Douglas, the scion of a good family, who, finding himself pressed has to realise a portion of his estate to satisfy his creditors. In his stable he has the promising racing mare Trixie, which is catalogued for sale. The thought of parting with the mare, which stands an excellent chance of winning the Ascot Gold Cup, almost breaks its owner's heart, especially as a cynical rascal, Captain Clinch by name', will be tho probable purchaser. At the last moment his friends secret the mare in an upstairs bedroom, and when the auctioneer announces tho mare for sale it is found missing, but despito this ruse Trixie is put up, and is bought in at the reserve by the owner's friends. Baulked in his desire to secure the mare, C'aplain Clinch proceeds to, great lengths of villainy to win the Cup with his own horse by foul play. He first attempts to steal Trixie from her stable in the middle of the night, but is frustrated by Mrs. Edgar, the trainer's niece, who, however, is prevented from exposing the attempt, by the hold Captain Clinch has over her on account of an incident in her past life. Unfortunately she is seen emerging from the stable by Dick Douglas, who has also been • roused by the sound of voices, but manages to explain away her presence by her anxiety for the safety of the mare. They sco that Trixie is all right, but discovered together at such a time and place by the trainer, Mat Lawson and his daughter Diana (to whom Dick is affianced) an ugly view is taken of the circumstance, which parts the lovers for a time. Then conies the day of events— the race for tho Cup. Clinch has made a big _ wager with Dick that Trixie will not win the race, and Dick is so sure of his candidate that he bets that they shall all drink the mareVhealth out of the gold cup the night after the race. Immediately before the big event, Clinch nearly succeeds in getting Trixie's jockey to "take a pull," and but for the intervention, of Mrs. Edgar, Jim Ames would have dono so; further, Clinch arranges with one of his touts to steal the gold cup. Ames rides straight, and, though lie is struck by Clinch's jockey in the straight, manages to get home beforo collapsing, and there is great rejoicing until it becomes kifown how badly tho jockey has been hurt, and that the" cup is missing. The cup is cleverly discovered by Mrs. Edgar in Clinch's apartments, where she has gone to inform him that she has resolved to tell all about herself and Clinch's wicked past. At the dinner party Clinch is jubilant at not having to pay up owing to the absenco of the cup, when to his consternation it is produced. Douglas gives Clinch twentyfour hours to leave England, and tho rest of the good people join hands, and look happy. Tho new play introduces Miss Lillian Lloyd, a young and charming actress, whom one would like to see- in work which would make a fuller demand on talents. That she would succeed was evident from the grace, refinement, and girlish freshness with which she 'invested the role of Diana Lawson last evening, ner speech is pleasant to listen to, and her poise is always correct. Mr. ■ Kenneth Brampton, who acts with spirit and sincerity, made a very likeable Dick Douglas, and Mr. Herbert Leigh, who played Captain Clinch capitally, worked on quiet reposeful lines, introducing an acceptable vein of cynical humour, in keeping with the character. Miss I'lorence Richter was satisfactorily placed as Mrs. Edgar, and Miss Ethel Bashford made tho most of talkative Lady Betty Lovett. Old trainers are always congenial parts to tho capable actorj and Mr. Victor Fitzherbert's Mat Lawson was a quiet dignified study of quite a superior type of English horseman in appearance and speech. Mr. Prod Coape, as Joe Robson, an honest uncultured bookmaker, filled the requirements of an uncut diamond of the ring, Mr. Walter Dnlgleish did well as Joe Ames, and Mr. .Clivc Farnham presented a clever little dude study as the Hon. Robert Lovett. Trixie was intelligently played by an animal whose blood may be questioned by exports. Still sho climbed tho stairs with great success in the one scene, and ambled, home an easy winner in the Cup. "The Chance of a Lifetime" will bo repeated until further notice.