THE MARLOW COMPANY

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1438, 13 May 1912, Page 7

THE MARLOW COMPANY

"THE MOTHER OP HIS CHILD." "The Mother of nis Child," a melodrama in four acts, by Arthur Shirley. ; CastDavid Grailt Cecil MaiinorinK Fred Carsmdiiic Herbert Linden Major Trigg Gliun Godfrey Cass Rasper Fleece I'. Vincent Scully K.-nest Diuule •!. V. O'Xeill Hob Blare U. Stevmrt (lamer ilr. DoxtiMe Cros'me Ward .Mary Ilolford Jjouise Hampton Louisa Ilolford (lame Ireland Jouo Buckram ....'. Alice Dcorwyu Adinilting that the average run of modern melodramas lire from an artistic or even rational standpoint at a low ebl>~and of that there can be no que.'.-tiou—Mr. Arthur Shirley's play "The Mother of His Child," is not without its merits. It is, for example, a very much better play than "The Luck of Roaring Camp" played here last week by the Marlow Dramatic Company. While it is trite and conventional, even tediously so in places, the author has abjured the lillra-sinsa-tional, and has substituted, not unskilfully, emotional for physical turbulence as the means for holding his audience. In one respect the play is decidedly original. Jt is without the usual beetledbrowed villain and his derisive "Liu, ha!" At least, he is not the type which "moves his slimy length along and lays in wait to strike a friend." Jn fact at the end he becomes quite a virtuous person, who is only prevented from doing the right thing by the factious fickleness of the lair heroine, who with an air of extreme virtuo admits that though she has squandered her love upon and sacrificed her honour to the repentant, bad man, she loves another. A new feature, ten. is the absence of those electric clashes between the male representatives of vice and virtue, who do not meet in the play until live minutes, before the curtain' descends finally. So the intelligent playgoer will recognise grains of originality in Mr. Shirleys newest play.

It was distinctly wrong of Captain Fred Carnadine, of tho 18th Lancers, to trifle with tho affections of the poor but attractive Mary llolford, and it was inevitable that having done so he should refuse for family reasons to marry her. Shamed for ever Mary leaves her fond sister Louisa and the humble cottage' to tramp London's streets in bedraggled black. Carnadine is far from easy in his mind over the nlt'air, ami her absence from homo and his inability to iind the jjirl he lias dishonoured sharpens his affection into something akin to love and when she falls, faint from hunger at his feet as he is leaving a d'2o-per-head banquet, he places her in a mansion, but she makes a very sad and blighted bird in a " gilded cage as Carnatline is still shy over a marriage service. "In the meantime David Grant, :> Salvation Army oliieer, and a dear friend of the Holford family, is breaking his heart in search of the lyissing Mary, and he appears now and again to lecture Kasper Flc-ece (a wealthy stockbroker) on (ho evil of his. ways. These denunciations are really very fine in their way, and were welcomed by the gallery. Finally, Mary is discovered by Loai.-a and llio Salvation officer, and the latter being lot* a power of money, provides the sisters with a home. Mary's desertion bring- f'aiuailina to his knees, but on offering "honourable, legal" marriage (he cniphii-ises the adjectives), the girl, who has for three hours been making herself and everyone ulse in the play, miserable becaur-e f'arnadine has not. married her. refuses him, and declares tha! David Grant holds her heart. This is distinctly mean, because Louisa lias more than a sneaking regard for David, and Mary has never hinted at such a love until the Salvationist comes into his fortune. So the curtain falls, leaving the audience with grave' doub'ti as to whether Mary is really the heroino or a designing little minx. Miss Louise Hampton, an actress of experience, and not without charm, does very well as the contrary Mary. Her methods arc quiet, restrained, and natural, and while the character does not lend itself to impressive treatment, it was well played without affectation or artificiality. Mr. Cecil Mauiiering's assumption of David Grant, the Salvation officer, increases one's respect for his ability, lfp is full of earnestness and sincerity, and Lis speeches against loose-living were declaimed with admirable force and conviction. Mr. Herbert Linden, as Carnadine. hardly had the bearing of an officer of a crack regiment., Mr. Godfrey Cass appeared as the hard, cynical Major Glinn, and Mr. Vincent Scully bragged arrogeally enough as a modern Croesus. Tho comedy, which was thin and tedious, was of the vegetable order. It dealt, with the. woes of Ernest Dingle, who woos and weds a staunch vegetarian in Jane Buckram, who forces her creed willy-nilly on her beer-drinking, beef-loving fiancee. Marriage and a consequent pair of twins siibssqueutly effect a change in Hi? family d ; et, and brief much j-iy to Pigde W bis spouse. Mr. Stewart Garner, as Bob Blare, a cav "bounder," nlso contributes to the lighter side. The melodrama is well-mounted, ami a sound little orchestra under Mr. Percy Kchoe, makes acceptable music. Three morn performances of "The Mother of His Child" will be given. The melodrama "Driving a Girl to Destruction" is Hie next attraction.