"THE MUMMY AND THE HUMMING BIRD

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2420, 27 March 1915, Page 8

"THE MUMMY AND THE HUMMING BIRD

A PLAY THAT GRIPS ''The Mummy and the Humming Bird," a drama in four acts, by Isaac Henderson. Cast:— . ■ Lord Lumley Winter Hall Signor D'Orelli Harry Plimmer Lord Ronalds, R.N. ...... Vivian Edwards Guiseppe H. W. Varna Judson Harry Halley Markham Paul Latham Thomas Harcourt Hare Mrs. Ruth Thornton Nellie Calvin Cumminga Marjorie Soper Lady Lumley Beatrice Day All women who fancy they are neglected by their husbands and all husbands whom the needle-point of conscience reminds that they neglect their wives should make a point of witnessing "The Mummy and the Humming Bird.' The moral in Isaac Henderson's strong virile play presented to an enthusiastic audience last evening at the Opera House is one that is carefully calculated to make the rough places smooth and maybe prevent many needless misunderstandings and their consequent heartburnings. Apart from the lesson people may derive from the' embodied moral, the play is a Bound one. ; It is well written,- is well packed with intensely interesting, scenes, and was soundly acted by. the capable PlimmerHall Company. It- is easy to imagine how a man with a scientific kink like lord Lumley comes to neglect his young and fascinating wife. After the first paroxysm of joy, he settles down to his work, and, becoming enthralled with an invention that is going to revolutionise warfare, he leaves his wife to find her own diversions untramelled by his attentions. She becomes flattered and ai length impressed with the attentions of a. gay butterfly in the insinuative person of the Count D'Orelli, who is regarded by Lumley as an amiable nonentity. He is awakened- from his dream in a manner startlingly novel. Lady Lumley has gone off to a dinner, leaving Lumley to His pestle and mortar, when the latter is disturbed by the music of a barrelorgan. It is snowing hard outside, and in the freak of the moment he orders the butler to show the perished Italian up to his rooms. There he wines and feeds him, and incidentally by signs and broken Italian words—a cleverly-conceived scene—learns how the Italian lias travelled from Sicily to London in search of one who has desecrated his hearth, Poor Guiseppe's mimicry of the miscreant is so faithful that Lumley is half convinced that the man wanted is D'Orelli. Guiseppe is shown the Count's portrait, and immediately recognises it as that of the man against whom he has sworn a vendetta. Lumley warns his wife against the man, and departs for Italy on a mission to the Government, taking Guiseppe with him. On his return, he finds that liis wife has disregarded Ms warning. There is an impassioned scene, and that evening Lady Lumley foolishly visits the Count 8 rooms. Guiseppe has detected "ite> movements and informs Lumley, who at onco repairs to O'Orelli'e clambers with a six-shooter in his hip Socket.; On hearing of his -approach I'Orelli secretes lady Lumley, and receives the Count blandly. By a ruse Lumley gets D'Orelli out of the room for a few minutes,- and in that lime calls for his wife if she would prevent murder. She is permitted to depart without D'Orelli's knowledge. The aftermath of tho scene is doubly interesting. Lumley threatens D'Oreili with death at the hands of Guiseppe, but the Count, knowing the former's fear of a scandal, fancies he holds th'o trump card, and flaunts his conquest in Lumley's face. ■ Afraid to meet her husband the next morning, Lady, Lumley, now repentant, leaves for Pans, taking Guisepps with her as evidence that she lhas not gone with D'Orelli, but the erstwhile organ-grinder contrives to advise his patron of their whereabouts, and thither the distracted peer, dragging the craven D'Orelli with him, repairs. There are explanations and a reconciliation. D'Orelli now abject with, fear- at the proximity .o J -.Guiseppe, -is .shown ,up in his true colours, and is given a few minutes' start of Nemesis, and one and all hope that Guiseppe 'did afterwards settle the account in lus own peculiar way. ■The cast was a strikingly appropriate one, which made the play distinctly entertaining. Miss Beatrice Day so cleverly limned the part of the erring Lady Lumley that she succeeded in gaining the sympathies of the audience against all logical inference, and her emotional qualities found splendid opportunities in those scenes which so ingeniously enlighten her of her folly. ■ ■ Mr. Winter Hall presented, a capital study of the distracted Lord Lumle.v,, and that measure of repose and quiet strength that is inherent-- m the actor were of value in every scone. Mr. H. W. Varna was a capital Guiseppe, and in. the first act, particularly where he. tells his story by signs, was very effective. Count D'Orelli was capably characterised by Mr. Harry Plimmer, who adroitly showed' the subtlety of the Italian mind when in a hot corner. His scene with Lumley in the final i act was one of the most convincing ifc Good work was done ■by Mr. Vivian Edwards as Lord Ronalds, R.N., who brightly suggested the breeziness .of the naval officer, Miss Nellie Calvin, was graceful and intelligent as Ruth Thornton, and Mr. Harry Halley as Judson was in the picture. The play, which was produced by Mr. Plimmer, was very beautifully mounted, and the frocking of the lady characters was in the best of good taste, At the close of the performance, which was witnessed by a large party of members of the New Zealand Natives' Association, Miss Day presented a New Zealand ensign to Mr, Charles M'lntyre, secretary of the association, for tho interest he and his association had taken in the season. The canvas hem of tho flag was autographed by all the members of tho company. Among those present were the Prime Minister and Mrs. Massey, the Hon. A, L. Herd man (president of the Natives Association) ana Mrs. Herdman, and a large audience. Tho season will close this evening, when Tho Mummy, and the Humming Bird" will again be produced. The members of the Wellington Patriotic Society will attend in force. "*

Messrs. Plimmer-Hall ■ acknowledge further donations to the fund sent to Miss Day;— Anonymous," .£5; "Anonymous," 10s,; Bank jNoSouth Wales clerks for auction one ticket, 12s. 6d.; Hon. Jas. Allen, »£5. The} request that the few small amounts still outstanding by buy-auction-be remitted at once to Mr. Staveley, Grand Opera House. Tothe Patriotic Society, at the end of their day's labour, will witness the finalperformance of the "Mummy and t -n i Umm '?® The company play at Palmerston on Monday and Tuesaay; Marton, Wednesday; Taihape, Thursday.