"SEVEN DAYS' LEAVE"

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 188, 29 April 1918, Page 7

"SEVEN DAYS' LEAVE"

A STIRRING WAR MELODRAMA "Sdvcii Days' Lonvo," a melodrama in fivo nets, )>y Walter Kowud. Cast— Oaptaii Terence yielding iir. Allan Wilkio Pto. Lord Pundcnnis ... Jlr. Konald Kilcy Colonel Sharow Mr. Herbert Leigh Liout. Cornelius Keys ... Mr. Henri Doro Sergt. M'Donald Mr. Walter Plinu'a Edgar ji r . H . W. Vanui Paul Latnoml J[r. Vivian Edwards Bev. John Middleton ... Mr. Bobcrt. lninan Htcphcn Darrcll Mr. Walter Hunt Peroy Sltindles Mr. Messenger Bcilia Mrs. Susan Keys Mies Olive Stevens Constance Morel Mies Nellie Fergusou Mrs. Skindles Mies Daisy Henle-/ Kitty Middlc'.on Mibs Adole Inman Lady Mary Hoather ..... Miss Marie Key One almost foels inclined to forj;lvo Walter Howard lii-i past sins as a concoctor of molodrama after -witnessing "Seven Hays' Leave'- , at the Grand Opera House- on Saturday (veiling. With con. sidornblo ingonuity and resource, (lie author has wedded to quite a possible war-timo plot (in which figure German spies, -,i submarine, destroyers, and a mysterious- gun against which nothing can live- within a radius of. fivp- miles) many of tlioso ortifices so well known to the melodrama, which aro never known to tail in their appeal to the humanities, and which, wore absorbed with eager relish on Saturday evening; by an uudlenco I that .filled every nook and cranny of tho j big auditorium. Good melodrama is a i more or less (usually more) exciting page out of lifo, thrown red-hot at the public, end in that respect "Seven Days' Lenve" is to be commended. It is impossible iiot to bo interested in the story as it I Bwingd buoyantly along; there p.ro somo I super-featuro thrills that give the euscep- j tible queer but delicious little spino j shudders, and, permeating the -whole ; fabric of -the play, is that which extols ! British grit and courage and heaps op- j nrobrium on the vile practices of our j iirch-enemies. With such ingredients it ■ is no wonder that tho play has been a \ phenomenal success wherever it has been | played. Tho main thread of (he story i i is woven round the love ail'air of Captain I Terence Molding and Lady Alary Heather, tho youthful Lady Bountiful of the village of Hampton Sandy, "somewhere on ' tho coast of England." "Terry," as tho Captain is affectionately j called, is homo on leave from the j trenches of Fraucc, and en route to paying his addresses to Lady Mary at tho Hall, ho calls at tho Vicar's, where ho moots Paul Lamomi and his pretended j sister, Constance Morel, who are posing | ii.s ilftlgian refugees. Jn li.tm.oml "Terry" j ! at once 'recognises a German officer, whom | ho as prisoner of war had seen strike ; down his friend, Major Moston, as the j latter lay pleading for his wife's letters j on his deathbed, i\n incident which is | cloverly depicted during its narration by ! -means of a transparency. 'Terry'' -at j ! mice telk Colonel Sharow of his ciis- i ) covorjv but instead of! immediately ar- ! I resting the pair 1 hey lie low, hoping to J I catch thn whole giiiig of spies thati arc j : operating in Epglnml, and of whom ■ I Lamond and the woman Morel are tho | leaders. The reason lor the presence of j these peaplo in tiie village is "Terry" himself. He happens lo have been tho artillery officer sent over to Franco with i the nrst ' battery of a now arm that is playing tho very deuce with tho Germans. Under instructions from tho wily old , Colouel, Terry ploys right into tho bauds of the spies, evon to making violent lovo to Morel, whereby he sadly complicates his love affair with Lady Mary, who, iu turn, is so disgusted with her lover that she breaks off her engagement, and in pique offers her hand publicly to a hitherto rojected suitor, Stephen Darrell. Still, Terry's adventure' is bo hazardous that lie is not allowed to whisper a word of it to anyone. Finally pretending to bo drunk ho allows himself to be inveigled to tho spies' quarters, and there is about to bo drugged in order to be smuggled on to a German submarine, lying in wait close inshorei when, refusing the drink, ho permits tho spies to learn that lie has boen fooling them all along". An intensely dramatic, scene follows, in which Lamond keeps Terry covered with a revolver, which ho is afraid to use because Terry tolls him that he hjis not the faintesj; chanco of escape as the houso is surrounded. Then the craven German is forced to tell tho manner in which the 6ignal was to bnvo been given tho submarine to rise—by Madame swimming off to a cortain buoy and cutting an electric wire, connected with the Eunken U-boat, that is attached to it. It is essential that they should "get" that eubmarino, so whilst destroyers are racing to the scene, Lady Mary is asked "to do her bit" for the Empire by swimming out at night to the buoy and giving the signal. Like a brave English girl she does her work, tho Üboat is seen to riso (iu silhouette), there is a blinding flash of searchlights as the destroyers spot the submarine, and a loud explosion with an accompaniment of red fire tells all that is essential, whilst Lady Mary arrives amidst cheers, to faint into the arms of her lover. The final sccno is made vital by tho renunciation of Stephen Darrell of tho hand of Lady Mary, a scene that was very nicely handled by all concerned. The company is quite a sound ono for the .purposes of tho play. Mr. Allan ! Wilkie gives a bright, breezy, and in I tensely robust performance of . Terry, I whoso innate maaiincss and grit are in- ; gratiatingly represented with a force and j buoyancy that keep every alive in j whioh he is concerned. Mr. Wilkio sas- ■ taincd the high pressure of the ' teiso - 6ceno in the third act in fine style, novor : allowing tho interest to drop or tho ex- j citement to wane for ono instant. a\ surprise to most people who knew her \ work in Wellington was the fresh and i natural performance of Lady Mary given j by Miss Mario Ney, who was known iin- ! der another name as an amateur in Wellington. Miss Ney has developed a ohaiming. speaking voice, she has tho advantages of slendor youth and assur- j ance, and it is gratifying to sou that she I is not prone to exaggeration. In tho more exciting , scenes her tones become rather shrewish, but Miss Ney suggests having soijelijiug in reserve, which, as a rule, stands for brains. Miss Eisio I'erguson, an experienced actress, blonds the feline with the feminine clovorly as Con- i stanco Morel, and Mr. Vivian Edwaras ! was strong in tho rolo of her coadjutor. Mr. Eonaid Kilcy gave a delightful light comedy sketch u.s Private Lord Arthur Pendennis, and Mr. Henri Dore was perkily humourous as hie foil, Lieutenant Cornciins Keys. That capable actpr, Jlr. Robeit lninan, lent genial dignity to tho role of the Vicar, and Miss Adelo Inman was pleasantly vivacious as his daughter. Kitty Middloton. Mr. Herbert Leigh, as Colonel Sharow, had a part that lilted him liko a glovo, and hie "carry on" speech, easily the best in the play, "was tellingly delivered. Mr. Wai. ter'Hunt was admirable in tho unsympathetic roln of Stephen Darroil, and Mr. 11. Varna shuffled about comically aa Edgar, lady Mary's flat-footed retainer. At"lho end' of the play Miss Ney was j honoured with a profusion of beautiful j flowers, including a lovely floral tribute from tin; C'linrlc-yV .Aunt Club. "Seven Days' Leave," which is adequately mounted, was capably stng>lminagcd. Tho musical director is Mr. Percy Kohoe, a master of "shivvery," music so essential to the melodramatic illusion iu such plays. Tho piny will run tinouj,'hout (lie week,