"O'LEARY, V.C."

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2819, 10 July 1916, Page 7

"O'LEARY, V.C."

ENTERTAINING COMEDY-DRAMA - "OLcary, V.C.," a comedy-drama, in four act 3, by AUeu Doonc. Cast: PntTi'ck Fitzpatrick Frank Cullcnane Darcy Neill Clive Farnham Mrs. O'Shaunessy Ethel Grist Farrell Gorman J. Vincent White Mona Fitzpatrick Edna Keeley Captain M'Nevcn ...... Onslow Edgeworth Norah Fitzpatrick Connie Xyte Roderick Fitzpatrick Jean M'Goll Richard Dale Allen Doone Eily Dale .'. Ethel Bashford Alphbnso M. Lynch Madam* Victorino ;... Alino Dunne Doctor Barette : Ross Croagh Michael O'Leary, V.C Allon Doone There, is not tlio least chance of anyone making a mistake when thoy say that Allen Doone, the likable singing comedian. from America, gives the public what it wants. It is a wise manager who can judge the publio -taste to a nicety, and it goes.without question that Mr. Doone is not only a gifted performer; with an ingratiating personality that reaches well over the footlights, but he is ever so wise in a commercial-sense, in that tho pabulum he provides fills the theatre. It.way not please tho serious student of the drama, who loves to plunge into tho turgid morbidity of Ibsen, Hauptmann, or Sudermann; nor would it tickle the taste of poetical romanticists. .In a word, Mr. Doone writes (as he acts) to pleaso the masses, and he does it extremely well, providing a capital entertainment alive with clean, wholesome comedy, and huniau with emotional' touches that find a ready response in the hearts of his enthusiastic audiences. After an absence of about a year, Mr. Doone returns:.with a. hew play , from his own-pen, one, indeed, that was written in New Zealand, when ho was last in.-the country, topically named'"O'Leary, V.C.,"'which gave the ['author in one hit"an Irishman and a hero. As a speculation, the real O'Leary, ivh'o achieved a glorious :feat of arias, might have an action' for damages against 111 - . Doone for personation, as the name is only used: by the hero of the play as a pseudonym in a dramatic, emergency. The play is a'iight and airy comedy-drama, with just those touches of sentiment applied with no sparing hand here and there, to please the young folk and conjure, up memories with- their • ciders. Comedy prevails throughout; many of the sallies are genuinely witty, and all of them-were hugely enjoyed by the large audience . present.- • The ■ interest is well maintained up to the end of tho third actr-it-iS; easy to-guess-the denouement. Mr. Doone believes in happy endings. .So- do his audiences. - The comedian in the play is'Lieut/ Richard Dale, a lighthearted, lovable -fellow, - with only his Army pay ; to. exist on, and a sister, -Eily, ■who is the apple of his eye. At least she would be were- it not 'for-the wealthy Mona Fitzpatrick, • who is the sunshine of the countryside.. But Mona, has other admirers. One; of these- is Captaiu M'Neyenj whose, indication, at Dale's pretensions are amusing until he begins 'his-devilish plots. ; It appears that be-fore.-the'play commences lilily lias secretly lharried Lieut. Darcy Neill, secretly, -because Darcy would lose his fortune were it.khown-.that .he,married before he was :twenty-fivo ycars-of- age.. When war is declared, Darcy's regiment is-ordered to tho front, and' shortly " afterwards he is reported killed. This sadly compromises Eily,: and a letter.-.sho has written . admitting her plight is ; intercepted by Captaiu M'Nevcn, who holds .the secret of Eily's supiiosod ■ disgi'ace over Dale's lieatl, and only obnsent9 to withhold-it on condition that he at once- resigns, his cbmniissiOn.' Forced to consent by a chivalrous regard for-his sister's honour, this act, with - the regiment under orders, brings about a dramatic scene between Dale and Mannj' J iii which'the latter ieturns the engagement ring with the taunt of oo'wurd. The next act shifts the scene to Paris, wliere Dale and his sister ?rc living'--'in .dire poverty. . Tliero alsj il'Nevcn appears, having placed in the .same iiiiarters "ivreck of he who was at'one'time Darcy .Neill. Jl'Neven had recognised 'the r erazed man—whoso memory had been shot avafiin action—in a hos-pital'by-a certain scar upon his arm, and'-in order to feed full his .revenge on Dale he keeps'the iiews to himself. How- ■ .ever,' Dale-awl 'M'Neren meet in tho earret,''th'ero is a'fight,'and Neill (who goes by. the nain'e oi:Cric-crac) rushes in be- ' twee'n tliein, to receive the full force <f a blow'itpoii the head with a whip. The .blow, restores Ncill's memory,-' iiily embra'ces' her thoiigbt-to-be-dead husband; arid' M'Neven's villainy is exposed, not only to Dale arid his sister, but to Moua and her father:. With a clearing horizon Dale resolves-to. restore his lost honour, enlists as Michael O'Leary, performs deeds of prodigious valour, and returns to. his old homo 'in. Ireland ,' to "be hailed as a I hero. M'Neven ia .killed at tho front, j Neill gets his ■fortune,'' Michael O'Leary I V.C.) tho Mona of,his heart. L Having pictured the play, it is easy to conceive .the charm with which Mr. Doone invests the part of Richard Dale. His playful banter, ready jokes, and quiet reposeful'etyle, which;never diverges into buffoonery, was «s effective as ever. Mi'. Doone also sings. Judging his voice just as a -voice it {s not -worth a handful of shucks, but as "manipulated by its owner there, nro.'tones that aro freckled with dessicated' blarney and timbrous sympathy, and it would not bo over-stating the case to say. that tho audience va-e happiest when Mr. Dooiie was singijig. [lis songs oh Saturday evening were "The ltirig : My Mother Wore," "The Kerry Giiards, "The .Old Dliudeen," end "Tho Hams High Up in the Corner." Of these tlie "Kerry- Guards;"'with its bright chorus of children, was probably the. niost popular. Miss Ethel Bashford gave a finished and prettily human performance as-'Eily Dale. There was no better bit of mumming in tho play than that where she receives the news of tl e death of-her.husband. Miss Edna lveeley was bright and winsome as Mono. Fitzpatrick, a.nd Miss Connie Kyte, as her sister,'Norah, was as bright as a new pin. Exceedingly clover and natural, too, was the' performance of fivc-yeni'-old Jean M'Coll as' Roderic Fitzpatrick. Excellent, too, were the performances of Miss Ethel Grist as Mrs. O'Smiuiiessy, and Mr. M. Lynch as Alphonse. Good support was also lent by Mr. Onslow Fnlgeworth as Captain M'Neven, Mr. Clive Farnham as-Darcy Neill, Mr. Frank Cullinario as old Fitzpatrick, and Mr. . T . V. White as Farrell Gorman. -Mr. Percy Kehoo and his orchestra provided a riot of Irish music in tho intervals. "o'Lcv.t, V.C." will ba played again to-night and to-morrow night. On AVednesd.iy evening "The Colleen Barn" will be staged.