"THE MAN WHO STAYED AT HOME"

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2538, 12 August 1915, Page 7

"THE MAN WHO STAYED AT HOME"

A SPY PLAY "The Man Who Stayed at Home," a comedy drama by Lechmerfe Worrall and J. E. Tarold Terry. pastJohn Preston, J.P Arthur Cornell Fraulein Schroeder .Florence Gleeson Miss Myrtle Tomne Pigott PercivaJ Pennicuik ...Kenneth Brampton Daphne Kidlington Mattee Brown. Fritz Leslio Victor Molly Preston .Dorothy Gumming Christopher Brent Frank Harvey Miriam Leigh ;..Violet Paget M rs.. Sanderson Emma Temple Carl Sanderson Austin Milroy Corporal Atkins Charles Morse

"The Man Who Stayed at Home" is the type of play that is bound to create interest at such timo as the present, and when presented before a crowded Opera House last evening held tho audience quite securely until the final, and to all present satisfactory denouement. . In character _it sihacks of: the flavour of "An Englishman's Home," presented here some seven years ago, but instead of being a preachment against military unreadiness, it is rather a merry homily for those who are apt to misjudge the' man who stays at home in preference to joining tho colours. The story is thin, but it sorves as a strong enough peg on which to hang the author's intention— which, broadly, is to distrust every German no matter in what innocence their mode o£ life might cloak them.. The play is brightly, written, has. a pleasant subsidiary love interest, and affords 6cope for. some clever character drawing, which is taken .full advantage of. Christopher Brent is'a boarder.at an English seaside boardinghouse, kept by a Mrs. Sanderson, whose son, Carl, is a British secret service agent. .Other boarders are John Preston, iI.P., a stupid irrascible . old gentleman; Molly, his daughter, who. is m love with, and. is loved by, Brent; Fraulein Schroeder, a naturalised German woman; Miss Myrtle, Miriam Leigh (Brent's accomplice), and Fritz, a German servant,. posing os a- Dutchman. When the play opens Brent suspects Mrs. Sanderson, her 6on, and tho German element of being spies, and under an energetically flippant manner that approaches the asinine, is concerned ■ m ferreting out how they are assisting_the enemy. Whilst so acting, he is gibed' at and positively insulted by one -or the other at his evident reluctance to go to the front. One . enthusiastio female patriot actually presents him with a white feather, with which lie lmper'terbably cleans his pipe, and old Preston declares him to be a coward, and altogether ■ undesirable as a-son-in-law, but Miriam Leigh, who hears, all, and the audience, know better. Poor Molly cannot make; her lover out, but is inclined to trust him, whilst holding Miriam in deadly The dramatic interest is fired by Brenffi discovery of a wireless . plant behind the fireplace m the common sitting-room. 'this, makes his. erspiciong certainties. He listens to the enemy; (arranging a submarine raid,_ and lays his plans accordingly. The signal from the skies for the submarines to enter the bay is to bo a flare to be caused bv burning down the boardinghouse, but that i 3 cloverlv circumvented by Brent, who through tne Admiralty, has arranged for a couple of oruiserg to be round. A signal is sent to the submarines through Brent's agency, up they came, there is a play of searchlights and a few significant reports of cannon to indicate the. success of the ruse at eea, whilst in the odour of domesticity" the wily Miriam haa gained a full confession from the Sandersons by posing as an agent of Germany. The end of' Carl is marked by a conventional bit of gun-play between him and. Brent, ending, of course, in the latter's favour, whil® the humble Fritz is seti-led by a British "i'ommy" on guard outside. "The Man Who Stayed at Home" is played in ono scene, everything occurring, in the sitting-room of the boardinghouse. ,'l'he wireless plant in .the fireplace looks quite realistic, -and in other ways the setting is very complete. Williamson, Ltd., has selected a first-' rate lot of, players, who fit the characters with fine fidelity. Mr. Frank Harvoy does excellent work, as Brent, wlio is seldom pff ; the. stage • longer than, a minute or two. His resource and versatility were admirably illustrated in the contrast between ■ the giddy ass he J>tctends to be and tho cool, brainy, virile man he • is. Mr., Harvey completely, effaoes himself in tho part, and played, throughout with an ease and finish tliat were delightful to witness. Miss Violet Pagot merely had to look picturesque until the last aot, when she has' a showy scene, of-whioh she makes the most.- Miss Florrie Gleeson returns after a long abscence to give Teal life to the rofe of Fraulein Schroeder, a. little faded' woman of no style, in whose breast burns a deathless loyalty to the Fatherland, and to whom evciry word spoken against Germany is,a stab. Her broken English, typical appearance, and subtle methods was# fully appreciated, and one regretted that tho pari; tailed off 60 long before the curtail fell.- Mr. Arthur Cornell was in his element as bluff, silly, talkativo John Preston. Mr. Leslio Victor's proficiency as a character actor of rare talent is admitted. His Fritz adds another faithful portrait to the gallery of treasured memories. Miss Dorothy Cumming, a tall, maidenly girl, made a charming and a very sincere Molly Preston, and Miss Tempe Pigott, as a severe spinster, was distinctly amusing. Mr. Kenneth Brampton was well suited in the somewhat colourless part of Percival Pennicuik (the "Tommy" who settles Fritz), and Mr. Austin Milroy stood out in bold relief as the somowhat theatrical spy, Carl Sanderson. Miss Emma Temple as Mrs. Sanderson was as oapable as ever, but, never euggested for a moment the origin of the character's birth. She just presents a dear old English lady, who would keep a comfortable boardinghouse at the seaside. Miss Mattie Brown as the "white feather" girl, was nicely in" the' picture. The theatre tfas gaily decorated with flags; and the portico was given a warlike appearance by the presence of. lifesize cardboard "Tommies;" and imitation machine-guns. Among the/ audience were some of the Australian nurses (ex Willochra), who received enough boxes of chocolates from -different people to stock a small shop with. "The Man Who Stayed at Homef will be played for the ensuing week. His Excellency the Governor and party, the Prime Minister (the_Bight Hon. W. F. Massey.'the Finance Minister'(Sir Jo.seph Ward], and other political attend this evening's performance.