"THE SILVER KING"

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2355, 11 January 1915, Page 7

"THE SILVER KING"

1 THE STANDARD IN MELODRAMA "The Silver King," a. melodrama by Henry Arthur Jones and Henry Herman. Cast:— Wilfred Denvor Julius Knight Daniel Jai-kes Eardley Turner Cissy Philippa Scheidel Ned Dorothy Hardwick Captain Skinner Frank Harvey Geoffrey Ware Jlartiu Lewis Henry Corkett Leslie Victor Samuel Baxter H. J. Bentley Elijah.'Coombo George Chalmers Grippe James Hughes Mr. Parkyn Charles Morse Gaffer Pottlo Messenger Bellis Tipsy Passenger Raymond Lawrence Olive Skinner Dorothy Gumming l'abitha Durden. Emma Templo Susy Bertha Ballenger Mrs. Gammage Florence Leigh Lndy Passenger ;. Alma Phillips Nellie Denver Irene Browne Just how many times "The Silver King" has been produced in Wellington one cannot say off-hand, but it has never been revived without achieving a lively box-office success. As far back as November 17, 1886, the old Manners Street Opera Houso was opened with a production of the melodrama under the management of Geo. I.eitch and Jas. MacMahon, and even then it was billed as a revival, so that the original production must have taken place approximately thirty years ago. This fine play, so ingenious in its construction, so swift in action, and logical in its story, may be said to have been the joint work of Messrs. H. A. Jones, Henry Herman, and Wilson Barrett.- The first-named gentleman, who, up till the time "The Silver King" was produced, had only the single one-act play "A Clerical Error" to his . credit, has never again 'produced a play like it in character; Henry Herman (who was Barrett's business manager) is said to have only suggested the murder scene; whilst the late Wilson Barrett himself, when in Australia, claimed to have had a good share m the authorship of the play. There is no reason to doubt Mr. Barrett's statement, as subsequently he wrote alone an equivalent success in "The Sign of the Cross." Saturday's performance by the Williamson Company was on tho whole a very good, if - not a great i one, and served more than to satisfy the audience that packed the theatre from the back of the gallery to the orchestral pit. The play, which thirty-two years ago set a standard in its class that has not been surpassed, played as interestingly modern as one could wish, and the same flutter of clandestine handkerchiefs could he detected among the ladies in the cathetic scenes as when Geo. S. Titheradge, Walter Bentley,' and Wilson Barrett played.the title role. The Wilfred Denver of Mr. Julius Knight is not an unknown performance in Wellington. It is a very sound and sincere piece of work, restrained, effortless and resourceful. At' times ho was almost too untheatric, as, for example, in the'dream speech, which the old Silver Kings used to declaim aa a speoial elocutionary effort in order to "bring down the house." Mr. Knight spoke the lines naturally, and never forced the climax, and did not "bring down the house." He was at his best in tho scene where he fancies he has murdered Geoffrey Ware, as the sailor at "The Checkers," and in the later scenes with little Cissy Denver and old Jaikes. It used to be traditional for Denver to return from Nevada with long white Eair, jack boots, and a fur-trimmed overcoat. Mr. Knight 6ticks to the coat, but abjures the other picturesque appendages as illogical. The actor's disguise as "Deaf Dicky" "never 1 deceived anyone for a moment. Nellie Denver was consistently played by Miss Irene Browne. The; role is scarcely, the best lW for. Miss, Browne's, style, as she was never"-in-' tended for emotional tear-stained roles. Her voice has some beautiful low tones, her Titian"hair one can admire, and the hobble skirt of the final act was a thing to marvel at, but the heart and soul of Nellie Denver was lacking. Mr. Frank Harvey made a somewhat nonchalant "Spider." , He missed tho polished malignancy and cool devilishness of the role that made Mr. E. S. Willard famous. A remarkably well-played part was the Elijah Coombe of Sir. George Chalmers, who mado this delightful old humbug a vory amusing and quite convincing character. Mr. James Hughes was sufficiently loud and forcible as Cripps, and Mr. Leslie Victor, both in his oomio and serious aspeote, was an entertaining Henry Corkett. No character part is more, important than Jaikes, and no part was more sincerely and appealingly played ion Saturday evening. Mr. Eardley Turner is always conscientious and 'satisfying, and the pathetic bravery with which he invested tho faithful old servant was a factorin many of the emotional scenes. Mr. Martin Lewis was clean-cut and positive as Geoffrey W.are, and Mr. H. Bentley figured as Detective Baxter. Little Philippa Scheidel acted with bright intelligence, and 6poke her lines olearly as Cisßy Denver. Miss Dorothy Gumming made a handsome Olive Skinner, and Miss Emma Temple a delightfully garrulous Tabitha Durden. A host of small parts were all well played, notably Parkyn (Sir. Morse), and the dnmken passenger (Mr. R. Lawrence). The play was mounted with every attention to detail, and several of the scenes, particularly the garden set, were pleasant _to look upon. "The Silver King" will be played again this evening. 1 .. . ...n