"A SCRAPE 0' TEE PEN"

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2547, 23 August 1915, Page 7

"A SCRAPE 0' TEE PEN"

DELIGHTFUL SCOTCH PLAY

"A Scrape o' tlio Pen," a. play in. thrive acts, by Graham Moffat. Cast: Flora M'Gilp ;... Margaret Noble Wee Eppie Phllim Munay Beenio Scott Clyde Agnes' M'lntyre Mrs. Baikie Gertie Henderson Geordie Pow —• Alhb Barkei Hugh Menzies Ai 60- ,• III J C I Leezio Inglis Mrs. Graham Moftat Martha Inglis ...... Graham Moffat Jean Lowther Mattie. Maclellan Peter Dalkeith David U-rquhart Alec Inglis Robert Mrs. Scott Maggie Dowio

A delightful Scotch play, written by a Scotsman and. interpreted by a Compaq of sound Scotch players, is 'A Scrape o the Pen,"- produced by Mr. Graham Motfat at the Grand Opera House on Saturday evening and witnessed by an audience that enjoyed every line of it. Mr. Moffat appiars to have the faculty 01 introducing Scottish character, or widely diverse types, as they really are. He may exaggerate nov: and again, in order to make the character "bite," but it is legitimate exaggeration and both the play and the audience benefit by it. Whilst in most plays tlio action of the narrative itself is given the greatest pi'Offlilience, it is not so in "A Scrape o the Pen," which is episodic in character, aim the trail of the dramatic point ot the play is almost lost for a time in the diverting scenes that reflect so iaithiully the rites of a rural Scotch wedding an<l the demands of hogmanay, but the diversion only serves to show what an experienced'writer and rare judge of .theatrical values Mr. Moffat is. Without depreciating the merit of Mr. Moffat's delightful money-spinner, "Bunty Pulls the Strings,", and having in mind the fact that it has been his greatest success, the writer is one of those who are of opinion that Mr. Moffat has gone_ farther and struck a more sincere note in 'A Scrape o' the Pen." There is not a weaTisomo moment in the piay. Every lino is a good lino, no matter by whom spoken, and even tlio bark of the'collie dogs jnvos the "auld. far-boose" an air of authenticity.. Of course Scotch people are not employed the whole time in. saying clover, 6inart and caustic things like tho characters in this play no more than do tHo populace of Mayiair speak in the brilliantly.epigrammatic dialoguo of Oscar Wilde, but it is a just tribute to the author of "A Scrapo o' the Pen" to acknowledge thor seem to-have the facility naturally, l'ho title of the play is Jean Lowther's promiiso'to Alec Inglis to remain true to him whilst ho id aw;ay, and it is not regarded as a marriage then and there, though according to Scotch lav; it is, the dooument having been witnessed by Flora M'Gilp and GeordiePow. Alec, however, is found to bo tho father of Effie Oliphant's child, and Jean finds a worthier 'lower and husband in tho manly Hugh Menzics, manager of old Mattlia Inglis's farm. Whilst Jean and Hugh are the happiest and most .contented young couple in the wide world, old Mattha and his wife Leezio are bickering from morning until night, and on occasions they are not on speaking terms, though actually very fond -of ono another. There is a fine appeal to the heart in the scene where Jean with much sweetness and tact heals the breach" between the old couple, But oven whilst the eye is becoming glazed with emotion, the old ones are at it again, dhd the andienco is screaming with laughter. Very beautiful soothing, and, to many, reminiscent, is the lullaby scene in the middle act, where wee Effie has como downstairs in her "dangi" to beg to bo allowed to stay up to see the new year in. Jean takes the bairn in her arms simply and naturally, and seated there in the glow of the big kitchen fire sings very sweetly, the old Scotch bed-song, "Wee Willie Winkie," and then. "The Auld Hoose," until Eppie fades into dreamland, and big Hugh bears her away ever so quietly to her oot.' It was all so intensely human—so unstrained and true, oven to Jean's nod to inform the lady that the croon-had worked its charm, and the motion to tell the old man to get tho plaid diawl for the wee one. On tho other hand, the Bible-reading scene was wildly comic, as Mattha has arrived at the sixth chaptor of Chronicles, dry enough with genealogical superfluities anent tlio sons of Levi to send the auld wife to sleep, a, fact which rouses tremendous indignation on the part of tho old Scotch farmer. The hogmanay scene was a rare entertainment. Kissing is the order after the old- year lias been counted out, and oven old Lcezie looks for her share. 'Complaining i slio says: "Mfittha gives mo one kiss when tho new year comesin that has to dae us for a twalmonth!" To this Mattha contemptuously replies that "kissin's guid eneuch for tho English!" The introduction of the professional mourner, who dodges the Bible-reading because "lio is on a holiday," and who becomes very drunk at "first footing," was the wildest comicality. The final act sees Alex. Inglis return, and, lileo Enoch Arden, ho finds another has his place. After a struggle and, the sight of wee Eppie, Alex, does the right tbiiig, and burns tho paper by which lie could lawfully claim Jean as his wife, so all ends happily after all. '

The acting was of a uniformly, high level. These Scotch players are so very natural that they do not seem .'ike player-, folk at all, and show how grossly incompetent is the average portrayal of Scottish character on tho stage. Mr. Graham Moffat, as tho testy old guid nan, and Mrs. Moffat as Leezie, were cK .rccters t'hat lived. Tliero was novel 1 a strain for effect, never a false tone,or emphasis—they were just natural. A very charming performance is that given of Jean Menzies by Miss Mattie MacLellan, a sweet and gracious actress of much natural refinement. She was ideal from whatever angle her performance could, bs viewed. Mr. Alex. Hunter made a fine honest and robust person of Hugli Menzies, and Mr. Abie Ba,rker was perfectly suited to the comedy role of Geordio Pow, who becomes lost in the slough of domesticity long before the play ends. Mr. David TJrquhart exercised his gift of unctions comedy as. Peter Dalkeith, the paid mourner, and Mr. Robert Purdio was prepossessing as Alex. Inglis, the prodigal son of tho last act. Miss Gertio Henderson as Mrs. Gailtie was the one Englishwoman. in the play, and Miss Margaret Noblo was rich in character, touches las Mora. M'Gilp. Little Ihillipa Murray [acted with rare simplicity and naturalness tho rolo of Weo Hppie. Tliero are only two scenes in the play, the big homely kitchen at tho Inglis farm and'.the crainped-up scene at the village cross at Minniehive, where all tho houses seemed to be crowding in 011 the cross. No detail in stage appointment was missing, and the play wont smoothly throughout.. '. "A Scrape 0' the Pen" will be played up till Friday evening, and 011 Saturday noxt "Bunty Pulls the Strings" will be revived for one night only.