"OUTCAST"

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3140, 19 July 1917, Page 3

"OUTCAST"

MISS KATHLENE M'DONELL SCORES AGAIN "Outcast," a play in four acts, by Hubert Henry Davies. Cast— Geotfrey .Shenvood Chas. Waldron Hugh lirown Lewis Willoiigllby Tony Hewlett Louis Kimball TayJor J. I'lum'pton Wilson Vaieutiiie „.. ilcryi Bryant Miriam luitulene MaeUonell Beamish „ .-. Audrey Worth Nolly „ Otorice liardwicke In presenting "Outcast" il must have been that the management decided that Alias AlitcDouitld should be provided with u stronger part in another mood to that of Judy Abbott in "Daddy Lung Leys," lor "Outcast"'sis a play has little to commend it. It is a sordid little story, in which -a parade is made of illicit love by folk that shy at tho marriage litniL, wh/lst entire conversations occur on tin: holy virtues that attach to the married staue. Whilst the play cannot: take rauk as a work of intrinsic dramatic merit, it is palliated by the excellence or ■ the pct'ibrniances. given by Miss MacDoiioll and Mr. diaries U'nldron,. whose finished acting accomplishes much in removing the nasty taste in one's mouth that the story engenders, 'the plausible may say time it is a page from Ifie. Ciianted that it is, "Outcast" is a grimy page that coulo bo torn irom tho draniauc volume without any appreciable loss. Tne story is that which, concerns the life of lieoiirey .Mierwood, who is discovered'at the outset to be drinking unit drugging because Valentine lias thrown him over for a rich, emeriy member of tnti Peerage. Ins claims drop in to cUeor iiiui by commiserating witu iiim on his'late love's wedding night, ami uno oi tiiein, to relieve an a\dcivard situation, leans out of tne window with a .syphon of soua, soda, directing its i-nervesceut How uu to a. passing mdy's iuu. In a ireakisii moment Sherwood invites the lady up to his Hat, and Miriam, a child of Ihe streets, enters, one proves to be bright, brainy, aim entertaining, and Shonvuoil admits her to Ins companionship, ,'t is not until Sherwood learns toiat Valentine has lelt her husband that he iiuds the shackles that Miriam would bind Inn in irksome, and then there is the break— a stinging dramatic scene which makes the third act. the strongest in the play. Here Miss MacDoneil showed . her power .in intense drama. Up to a point Miriam, with some show of subtlty, seeks for a hold on that which <die loves, then, .finding Sherwood adamant in his intention to leave her, she throws subtlety to the winds, and in a strong burst of primitive passion, and forgetting, all past favours, she violently assails his standpoint and filially threatens to wreck some undefined vengeance on the woman who has lobbed her of the love she never really inspires. In this scene all the actress's nervous forces were summoned io the highest pitch, her voice became hoarse and strident with unleashed passion, and the strength of a great emotional appeal could be felt by all. Mr. Waldron, too, was admirable in this scene, acting with commendable polish' and reserve, which threw into high relief his one big blaze of anger, born of the injustice of the situation Miriam was endeavouring to create. In the final aot thero is a love passage between Valentine and Sherwood, which is interrupted by Miriam, and such is the state of the latter that Talontino gets wise and resolves to return to her husband, whilst Sherwood offers marriage to Miriam (which she for some occult reason scorns); and in the end they plan to loave for Buenos Aires. So it is altogether a quaint, curious, and unsatisfactory play all rotund. Very satisfactory support is given by Messrs. Lewis Willoi'ighby, Louis Kimball, and' Miss Beryl Bryant, who made a bravo show in glossing over tho crudenesses of the play.