"IN OLD DONEGAL"

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2529, 2 August 1915, Page 3

"IN OLD DONEGAL"

THE ALLEN DOONE COMPANY. "In Old Donegal," an Irish-American comedy-drama in four acts. CastGerald O'Donoghue • Clive Farnham Mary Donovan Ethel Bashl'o.'d ??£ ovan , i ' rank Cullennne Patrick 0 Donoghue Tom Buckley r??-' y fvrl' ova 'l ... Allen Doon'e Katie 0 Donosliue F i( l na Kce!ov Maurice Lynch Little Inn . ..; Connie Kyte Peter Callaghan J. Vincent White Callaghan .... Onslow Edgeivorth Williani Summerfield Boss Crengh "eddy Phatts Barry Connors

Disciples of such distinguished Irish playwrights as Lady Gregory and Mr. u • iJ - Yeats would probably hold iii scorn sucli plays as Mi*. Allen Doone piesents, as being unfaithful reflections ot Irish character and maimers. It. may be true that they make no pretence at probing into, the psj'chology of tho Irish people,' nor do they attempt to dissoct under the microscope their effervescent emotionalism, poetic instinct, and native wit. Plays that go to such analytic lengths are even to-day held to bo sacred to the "little theatres." (where cults are especially catered for) and the study. With shrewd business perspicacity, Mr. Doone fights shy of the highbrow Irish play, giving preference to tho simple, _ homely, and healthy, with an aggressive heart interest, and lashings of broad humour, and, naturally, those whose story centres in the experiences of some "broth of a bhoy" which serve to display Mr. Doone's appealing talents. "In ■ Old Donegal," produced at the Opera House on Saturday night, is a fair sample, though no:, the best, of Mr, Doonojs plays. It has a delightful first act, in _ which Mr.'Doone, in a domestic setting, is seen, to the very best advantage. As Larry Donovan hemakes love to sweet Kate O'Donoghue in a deliciously humorous fashion, wooing his-audience as he lays siege to the heart of the schoolmaster's daughter. Trouble comes to Larry's family in the usual Irish way—a rascally squireen (Peter Callaghaii) gets old Morris Donovan into his' power by advancing him money to drain a bog on condition that his daughter, Mary Donovan, marries his son. But Mary loves another, and with Larry and the rest cordially detests the CallaghaiiSj root and branch. When Peter Callaghan attempts to apply the squeeze ho is defeated in his object by. Larry, who, by disguising himself in a tam-o'-shanter and & red beard, las wormed himself into Callaghan's confidence as one Shaun- In this role ho learns that there is money. coming, to him (Larry) from his fatlier's deceased brother in London. Shaun is put up by Callaghan to impersonate Larry, and so get away .with the money, and still leave the Donovans in the bog. But as Shaun is really-Larry, the game goes the other way, and the Callaghans fined themselves in prison as a golden future dawns for the Donovans arid the O'Donoghues. The play strains the imagination here and there, and has a rather wobbly oentre, but it is,pulled through by the facile invention of Mr. Doone, who is always around with a timely line or song when a sag is imminent. There is something mesmerio in the soft, [soothing blarney of Mr. Doone's velvet I voice, gurgling humour, and handsome appearance, and Saturday's audience fell under the spell with eager alacrity. His disguise was good, as Shaun,, a well-sustained character, wlio should be subsidised by the matchmakers for ' his business extravagance in that regard. During the play he lifted up his tuneful and sympathetic. voice. ; in .-'-the-', songs - "Kate O'Donoghue," Doolie's "Rose Song," and "The Tunes Wo Love to Hear on Paddy's Day." Miss Edna Keeley made a sweet ; winsome lass of Kate O'Donoghue, simulating the coy kittenisTmess of sweet seventeen with no small success, i Mr.' Tom Buckley, .was quite admirable as Patrick O'Donoghue, a kind of Irish Vicar of Wakefield, with a heart of gold and a Latin quotation for every incident in life. The hardness and meanness of Peter Callaghan were well delineated: by Air. J. Vincent White, and Mr. Onslow Edgeworth exaggerated in a farcical manner the foppory of Bryan Callaghan. Miss Ethel Bashford was sweet and wholesome to lopk upon as Mary Donovan, but the : Irish brogue halted on her tongue, and occasionally was quite forgotten. Mr. Clive Farnham was stiff and uncomfortable throughout as Gerald O'Donoghue., His was as bad a •misfit as Mr. Frank Cullenano as Morris Donovan was a good one. ' Mr. Maurice Lynch was. farcically effective as the rascally Lawyer Waddy, and Miss Connie Kyte was misery personified as the lawyer's ragged _ factotum. The play is set in the 1 Georgian period, when "square-outs" and "shorts' 1 were the order. The costuming lends a picturesque touch to the play, whilst tho musio of Mr. Percy Keogh's orchestra never permits one to wander out of range of the Emerald Isle. The play will be repeated this evening.