"OFFICER 666"

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2230, 17 August 1914, Page 3

"OFFICER 666"

NIBLO COMEDY COMPANY'S LATEST SUCCESS. ~ "Officer 6G6," a comedy in three acts by Augustin M'Hugh. Cast:— .Travera Gladwin Fred Niblo Whitney Baanefl E. Poric Bush Bateato Henry Matsumoto Police OfliccL' Phdan Robert Greig Alfred Wjleon. Sydney Stirling Walking Maurice Dudley Police Oaptain, Stone Jolrn Be Lacy Detcctrvo Kearney Edwin Lester Mm. Burton Marion Jlarcus-Clarko Sadie Small Beatrice Holloway Helen! Burton Josephine Cohcui "Officer (ifiG" is tho third course in the veritable feast of comedy which the Niblo Comedy Company has tendered to tho Wellington public during tho present season, and one can only deplore the ■ fact that influences are at work which to anappreciable extent have prevented the performances being witnessed by those who would enjoy them most. Augustin M'Hugh's eccentric farce succeeds because its ingenious impossibilities are just as humorously enthralling as are the author's boundless t capacity for surprises. At no juncture in the play can one anticipate successfully, what is going to happen next. "Officer 666" is unlike any other comedy that can be recalled, but in its lively action and flavour recalls thiat merry farce "Seven' Days," which i was produced in Wellington some ■ years ago by Mr. Hugh Ward, 1 ' though. tho story has not the slightest resemblance. . The furce all takes place in the' private art gallery of Mr. Travers Gladwin, , a weialthy young American, who, havingbeen away in Europe for some months, clandestinely returns on hearing that his j man Watkins, whom he has left in charge ] of his affairs at. New ,York,. is not proving worthy of his triist. Hardly has ho arrived back home, when, two young ladies »re announced, and one, Helen Burton, soon makes it known that she has conceived a passion for a person calling himself Travers Gladwin,, ajid means 'to elope from tho care of her aunt and marry him- that night, much to the distress of her friend, Sadie Small, who at once interests the attention of Whi'tney Barnes, Travers's friend. ■ Tfio news that someone has been masquerading under his name and actually using his apartments is welcomed as a • new' thrill' by i the 'blase millionaire, and learning that Helen Kas an, appointment there that night with: the psetido Gladwin, the real one, pretends to'do a visiting friend, and lies low to catch his man red-handed. To do this more effectively he borrows the uniform of the bulky Officer 666, who, for a consideration, retires to the kitchen ill his shirt-sleeves, to wait the development of Gladwin's joke. About .10 o'clock at night the masquerader turns up—a cool, suave, highly-cultured Englishman, in evening , dress—accompanied by the 'faithless Watkins. He at once makes it plain that he intends bo steal the • most valuablo of. the pictures, and decamp, with them and the lady to Europe. Ho has removed a Rembrandt and is cutting away at a Corot when Gladwin,- as Officer ÜBG, steps into the gallery from the balcony, and a most, amusing scene follows between the two cool, brainy men, each waiting a chance, to bowl the other out. Gladwin refrains from acting as a police officer would act because he has conceived a passion for the lady whom the "crook" has I'osciuated, and furthermore he is hot a genuine police officer, and opon action on hi's part would/mean the breaking 1 of'the officer who has obliged him. At length, it becomes' necessary to summon the police, aiid on their arrival tho "crook" adroitly turned tho tables on,Gladwin by accusing, .him and the .genuine' Officer 666 of stealing his pictures. Things are going bad for Gladwin, who is trying to shield the lady bow in the house, until Detective Kearney arrives. - In a tense dramatic soano he is struck with the "crook's" likeness to someone, and after a minute's thought he recognises him as Alfred Wilson,'the biggest picture thief in, the world. All would seem to be up with tho thief, when he suddenly switches off . tho. light, and there is a wild scuffle and much shouting. When the lights go up, Wilson'has disappeared, and the ,police have scattered through the house hunting for him. Gladwin closes the doors, sits down,-and says "It's all right, Wilson, you can come out!" Wilson half merges from a chest,, covers Gladwin with a revolver, and the curtain, descends. The final act takes up the action, preoisely where it finished in the second, aiid both men; And qualities in .the other to'admire; Wilson, it seems, is only a passionate lover of art. Gladwin' connives at his' escape, and wins tho girl ho has set his heart on. His friend Barnes finds Sadie complacent and sweet, and real Officer 6Hti, who has been sadly maltreated and threatened with dismissal, is given a pood berth for life by the generous millionaire. Mr. Fred. Niblo is refreshing in his spontanoity -as the resourceful: Gladwin. His dialogue is delivered with Nibloesque speed and clarity, yet, every word is heard and no point is missed. As, Officer, „C 66 he deceived quite a number of people for a time, which indicated that he can, on provocation, bo Otherwise than Fred. Nibfo. Miss Cohan, was suitably distress--ful as Burton, and Miss. Beatrice Holloway made a swedfc and comely Sadie Small. One of the genuine surprises of the cast was tho really admirable performance of, Mr. E. Pirie Bush as the young swell,- Whitney. Barnes. Not an easy role by any means, Mr. Bush (who is a-Wellington native) was always delightfully natural and acted with intelligence' and alacrity throughout. Th© love episode between him and Miss Holloway was a charming bit of comedy. Mr. Robert Greig was right in the middle of the picture as the real Officer 660, and some of his antics and lines caused the. loudest laughs of 1 the evening. Mr. Henry Matsumoto (a genuine Japanese) was exactly fitted as Bateato, Gladwin's valet'. One of the best performances in the cast was that-of Mr. Sidney Stirling, as Wilson. There was all the repose and polish of the artist in his work, and ono can only-, regret thaft we have not seen more of this actor during the season. Miss Marian Marcus Clarke appeared as Mrs. Burton, aind Messrs. de Lacey and H. Lester were capital as Captain Stone and Detective Kearney respectively. "Officer 666" will be played again this evening and to-morrow evening. :