"DELUXE' ANNIE"

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 10, 7 October 1919, Page 8

"DELUXE' ANNIE"

A FASCINATING PLAT. "De Luxe Annie," a mystery drama in three acts, by Edward Clark. Cast:— Porter i .....i George Chalmers Doctor Niblo Norman Pearca Van Herbert .»•••• ltaymond Lawrence Jordan Hell .' ». A. Fitzgerald Frank North John Delacey Butler Victor Fitzlierbert .Timmie Fitzpatrlck John Fernsido De Luxe Annio Emelie Folint Cronin Harmon Lee Hal. K. Kendal A, E. Greeimway Mrs. Archer Olive Wilton itrß. Gilmore Georgia Hsu'vey Oyrns Monroe Charles Bertal Joe Charles Browne Nurse •' May Thorpe

"You see," said Dr. Niblo, in explain.

ing a psychic point in the strange caso of De Luxe Annie, "the moral instinct , is the latest acquired by mankind, it is only some thirty-five hundred years old, whereas the predatory instinct is a 6 old as time itself." So he very sagely and seriously theorises on, the reason of Mrs. ' Kendall turning to crime after being knocked on'the head in a scuffle with . burglars. On' this thesis Edward Clark _ has built up with many ingenious touches "" and several daring ultra-modern aids, n play that has many fascinating qualities Indeed, tho lure of the play Messrs. J. and N, Tait have introduced is such that one finds oneself intent on catching, every ■ , word, and just a little put out when, through over-rapidity-in utterance or perhaps the-indifferent acoustics of the theatre is responsible for a blurred phrase or a missed word. Fortunate indeed was the management in securing "so satisfying an artist ■ as Miss Emelie Polin'i to sustain the name role. *More than anything else her extreme naturalness—her effortless art—made its apeal to the audience. Miss Mini is blessed with sunny, youth, and a personality that •makes friends. She is a blithesome, easymoving unposeful young _ woman of tho .day, with a musical voice, attuned to every emotion, and though she comes by way of America, her accent is beautifully English. As : for. the rest, she is all womanly charm, and big audiences will learn to love her, as has been the case everywhere else; . ' ' 1 "De Luxe Annie" opens quaintly in a Pullman car, with a glaring , landscape shooting by most naturally, and in the compartment Dr. Niblo, dwelling prosily on the popular misconception of what ordinary people call coincidence, begins to - relate the story of De Luxe Annie, when the' curtain descends, and tho play— whicli is his story—commences. It relates the story of Annie, a • clever''crook," and ■ her confederate Jimmy , Fitzpatrick, who make a rich harvest bv means of a confidence trick. Annie seeks out in this or that town a wealthy and susceptible old gentleman,'who succumbs to her feminine lure, and, when compromised—enter Jimmy as a detect tivo employed allegedly by Annie's l husband to obtain pabulum fir a suit. Of course, tho wealthy susceptible, afraid of such publicity, pays up, and the unscrupulous pair 1 decamp. But Annio tires of the business. Cupid has taken a hand, and as he must be served, Jimmy is being given his conge when Nemesis turns up in Cronin, a detective, who exposes them both in a very clever scene,; in which' mystery ■ is' piled on mystery' until the relationship of all parties becomes dolightfuly mixed. Kendal, Annie's . lover (for the time being), goes bail for Annie, when Jimmy Fitzpatrick becomes ' alive to the fact that lie (Kendal) is. in. the police "frame-up," and they both dccpuw .swiftly for pastures new, poor " . Annie's <'r'eam.of love and a better life being shattered'at a bloiiV, They in- , tended to make for Bridgport, but Annie subconsciously takes out tho tickets for New Canaan, .and' there the old life is resumed. The victim in .the next case is Cyrus Monroe, and in his hardware store Annie plies her nefarious trade up to the point where .Jjmmy enters as the bogus detective, and''the decoyed duck hands over 5000 dollars ■' hush money. But this, too, is a police "frame; iip" on the part of Cronin, who catches them "with the'goods." Jimmy is hand: euft'ed, and the situation tooks black indeed, when Annie, pretends to take a dose of carbolic acid. Cronin rushes to her assistance, and Monroe for the doctor. As: Cronin stoops over her 6lio throws her arm round the detective, Jimmy promptly' brains him with hisHandcuffs, aiid"both escape oiTlcc-s rntes , over the frozen river. They pulll up • at a deserted summer residence, andliere Annie's dawning memory finds familiarity with many things, much.to the amazement of Jimmy. As a. matter of fact, they haw entered her old home, and there' are cornered again by the police, and'gradually it becomes clear . that Kendall is her husband. Annife ro'members nothing, and .thinks they are, all crazy, but Jimmy, who has been let into the secret, tolls her that they uro right, and 'begs her to submit to an liberation. PcClictantly she consents, and Dr Niblo, who is on hand, removes a splinter of bone from her brain, and ! the memory of her former life is happily restored.' Finally the Pullman oar scene is shown again, with Dr. Niblo relating the ond of tho story, which supports his pet. theory that coincidences are really nothing of the sort. Miss ' Polini as Annie acts with rare fidelity, strength, and charm in every 6cene. In the ; scene_ where • her guilt is first discovered in tho presence of her lover she gives fine conviction to tho woman who feels that her ono chance of earthly happiness is being dragged ■ from her. . Her wheedling, elusive winsomeness is cleverly conveyed in the comedy scene with Monroe; and back again in her ottn home, she gives the action a sense of eeriness created by the dim conflict between her conscious and' sub-conscious self. Miss. Polini-jis \ery ablv supported. Jimmy Fitzpatriclc is played on strong, virile lines; by_ MrJohn Fernside, whose strength lies in tho dramatic way.. Cronin was soundly played by.Mr. Harmon Lee, an, actor with a strong personality: and sure touch. Mi . Norman Pearcc lent a .senso_of good breeding and erudite amiability to the role.of Dr. Niblo, and Mr. A. E. Greenaway'(an old'friend) sufficed in the-role of ilal. Kendall. In minor roles, Mr. Chas. Bertal was amusing as old.Monroe, ,Mr Victor Hitzherbert was good as-the butler, and Miss Georgia Harvey gave a deliciously limned character sketch of a talkative landlady of a Nw boardinghouso. Miss Ohvo AYilton fitted nicelv into the picture as Mrs. Archer, ' and Mr. George Chalmers contributed aclever negro sketch as-the railway - attendant. The play is excellently mounted and admirably -produced. De Luxe Annio" will bo performed throughout the wee v . • ,_j