"MARY LATIMER, NUN"

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3089, 21 May 1917, Page 7

"MARY LATIMER, NUN"

BY THE BRANDON-CREMER COMPANY "Mary Latimer, Nun," a. melodrama in ' four acts. Cast-George-Hill Robert, Lβ Key ' Lord Pierpoint Edgar Keuna ' Hon. Alfred Pierpoint ... Maurice Tuohy Ka.m Stiihljs \\ : . ,|. Coulter Dicky Stiilbs I'rank. Neil Frank Dayton George Hendersou Mary Laliiner Alice Hedo Larky titubbs, Kathleen Arnold Hon. CJa'rico Pievjwint .. Mabel Hardingi) Grace Dayton Biddie Hawthoriio Mother Superior Annio ijymoiie Melodramas of the type of "Mary Latimer, Nun," are a recrudesconco of a past, and not a very regrettable age in our theatrical history. It in designed more to aniuse than to instruct, and such were its crudities and obvious improbabilities on Saturday evening that laughter' prevailed where it must havo been, the intention, of the author to make a different impression. It ie like a. fourround fight, between a. bold, upstanding vice, winch with, groat regularity goes down at tho end of each round as A result of the crashing blows delivered straight from the shoulder by the healthier virtue- The' latter is personified in Mary Latimer,, a i sweet-faced, placid-toned nun, who usurps the usual function of the hero l,y always being on the spot to vanquish vice and succour virtue in distress. The virtuous one iii this case is Larky Stubbs, "a hard case, who succumbs to the wiles of the Hon. Alfred Pierpoint, and, through the beneticenco of the Sister of Mercy, weds him. With tho money that Larky (of Seven Dials) obtains from 'the Bister, she cuta a dash until her husband's unscrupulous father, Lord Pierpoint, and his sm-ifl-orusted aieco and coadjutor in.crime, Ihu Hon. Clarice Pierpoint, attoinpt to Swindle her out of the fortune (a mere .£12,000 a year), but they reckon .without Sister Mary, wlio turns up at an opportune moment with tho explanation tnu.t she had tied the money up quito safelyFancying herself ruined, Larky lakes w> the stage. There My Lord and his female, partner in crime endeavour to kill Larky by bribing the man who works the trap through which she makes her entrance in the revue, but Larky , ? father (hearing Sister Mary give the. warning) rushes on in time to sa.ve his child. Another vein, in this queer story follows the life track of Mrs. Dayton (Lord Pierpoint's daughter), whom he has disowned, and nextjlrles to kill. Needtee to say the pretty pair of Pjerpomts get their'jusfc deserts in the end, and all the good ones are made happy for ever. _ Miss Alice Bede ™s quite appealing as tho Nun, and so reposeful and intelligent was" her acting that the audience almost forgot the incongruities of tlift role. Tho address i and fine elocution ot Miss Annie Symonds as the .Mother Superior of the convent cannot be passM over. Miss Mabel Hardinge went tho whole way in gloves-off villainy. The character called for bold vulgarity, and Miss Hardingo appeared to be perfectly well, aware of the fact. Mr. Maurice Tiwhy as the Hon. Alfred bad a colourless role, but Mr. Edgar Kenna, as Lord .Pierpoint, was quite a respectable-look-ing old sinner, and never lost grip of the old blood even when ho was bribing a stage-hand to put his'daughter-in-law out of action. TVIr. W. 3. Coulter filled the -part of Sam Stubbs to bursting point, and Mr. IPrank Neil was snappy and alert as Larky's brother, Dicky: Mise Hawthorne represented the jaded, unfortunate His. Dayton with fidelity, and Mr. George Henderson made Dayton a sleek and healthy reformed thief. The melodrama wee well produced. Music was supplied by an orchestra under the direct of Mrs. Abbie Taylor. "Mary Latimer, Nun," was -pferforrjietl both on. Saturday afternoon and 'evening. On "Wednesday "Tile Bad Girl of the Family" will be played.