"THE BOOMERANG"

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2914, 28 October 1916, Page 3

"THE BOOMERANG"

A LOVE COMEDY OF QUALITY '"The Boomerang," a comedy in three .acts;.'by Winchell Smith and Victor sialics. Cast— • Dr.- Gerald Sumner Halo Hafnilton Marion Sumner Matteo Brown Emile John De Lacey Virginia Xelva Myrtle Tannehill Mrs.. Woodbridge , Celia Ghiloni Budd Woodbridge Donald Bowles Gertrude Ludlow Violet Wray Grace Tyler Nancye Stewart Preston de Witt ...Leslie Victor Hartley '. Charles Wheeler Mr.. Stone' Edwin Lester

Tliere is a puro breath of the springtime of youth permeating the fun fabric of 'The Boomerang" the delightful comedy by AVinchell Sjniith and Victor Mapes, which was produced last evening by Hid Williamson Comedy Company at the Grand Opera House. After the boisterous fun, and, to'our mind, somewhat sordid, argument of its predecessor, ■ the comedy came as a clean, cool, wholesome delight, giving that sense of , complete . satisfaction and pleasure that is only realised on the conlemplation of good workmanship involved in the development: of a whimsical idea that must appeal to every lover, past, present, and to be.- All the world loves ■a lover, and it is impossible notf"to love tlio group of young people, who become so amusingly involved with, one another, as they pass -under the ingenious playwright's miscroscope. Whilst one can emilo at the cause and effect of those invisible germs with which Cupid's arrows are tipped, the writers of "The Boomerang" have .managed to foTgo a bond of sympathy between the characters and the audience, and it is all done 60 delicately and yet so humorously and originally that the sense of appreciation is whetted to the finest edge. The dialogue is crisp and cryptic, there is plenty of room for the imagination, and no one is expected to talk like un auctioneer in ft hurry. Dr. Gerald Sumner is a young, wealthy, and very sophisticated medico without patients, supremely satisfied with himself and his knowledge of human nature. To this young man, yawning in his patientless rooms, lira. Woodbridge brings her son Budd, a nervous, highlystrung youth, who has been unable to sleep and 'cannot cat. The doctor sounds the youth, to find him sound, then chatting to him as he feels {lis pulse he discovers the truth—Budd is in love. With his knowledge of the world, and the love game, Dr. Sumner prescribes' treatment, which embodies plenty of exercise, hypodermic injections daily, and an exclusion from his cocial associates, including, of course, Grace Tyler, tho girl Budd admits ho is madly in love with. In this treatment Dr. Sumner enlists tho aid of his pretty . attendant, " Virginia Xelva, who is coached in tho use of tho needle by tho doctor, -and-very -interestingly performs her. first operation before the audience. Budd's mistake with Grace has beeu too much "heart on the sleeve," and the medico pretty well guesses that a- little -less attention to the girl, with something to divert tho .young man's mind, will bring about results. It does. Graco begins to write to Budd, and the doctor dictates aggravting replies for his patient, who in the iucantime becomes ■ a nice biddable youth in tho hands of Miss Xclvn. Dr. Sumner, 'finding that Budd is still in love with Grace, resolves ou a coup, and arranges a surprise birthday party for Budd, carefully coaching Alius Aelva to appear a little nioro than interested In her patient, while he instructs Budd to be bright and ully, and not tho least jealous of anything ox anybody concerning Grace, who is one ot tho party. Tho young lady, who 13 really in love with. Buud, resolves to win back her straying suitor, and the.party pws the chance of a perfectly aeligutful love scene, in which Dr Humner, unseen by Grace, instructs Budd in" dumb '. show how 10 behave, and at the-right moments fires the-youug lady's jealousy by introducing Miss Xelva. The result is that Budd and Grace light for each other, and both win, while tho doctor laughs at his own skill in arranging thd.g'anie, as ha.calls,.it. ...But,,even as. he laughs the boomerang comes whirling back. Unconsciously Miss'' Xelva ...has, 'made horsolf indispensable to him, and' when- Budd innocently tells him how thick his nurse is with Preston De "Witt (really a lawyer, who is seeking to bring .Miss Xelva into touch with a wealthy organ) the medico begins to experience all the pangs of jealousy that Budd hue suffered, and his manner changes from buoyant hilarity to savage moroseness and violent impatienct with the whole world, with screamingly funny results. Of course Dr. Siimner finds his fats in Miss Xelva, and a blithe . old man patient is allowed to twiddle his injured fingers in the operating chair whilst the lovers lose themselves in a rose-pink dreamland peculiar to such j moments.

Mr. Hale Hamilton is breezily ingratiating: in his assumption of the role of Dr. Sumner, and his infectious gaiety is exhilarating throughout.. As Budd Mr. Donald Bowles was again as amusing as he is artistic. In his characterisation there is .never any stra.n for effect, he is natural, yet quaintly eccentric in his methods, and is always slightly magnetic. Miss Myrtle ■Tannehill was an unalloyed delight as Virginia Xelva.. Her sweetness,. refine-ment,-and absolute repose are attributes that go with her instinctively sure touch and prepossessing apearnnce. Grace Tyler is a spoilt flapper, but Miss Nancye Stewart made her rather unnecessarily loud and "catty" in manner, almost to.the total elimination of girlish sweetness. Miss Celia Ghiloni made Mrs. Wccdb'ridge a sweet, fussy old lady, rather too. prosy in lior inflections to be quite natural. Mr. Leslie Victor was polished and genial as Preston De Witt, and Miss Matteo Brown romped round exuberantly as '• Marion Sumner, whoso friend Gertrude Ludlow. (Miss Violet Wray) was evidently somewhat careless in style, and defective in colour sense. The comedy was capitally mounted. Lovers of good clean comedy should not miss "The Boomej-aiijr"—it is comedy in the pure. . '''•'.