Walter Bentley.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 147, 18 December 1894, Page 2

Walter Bentley.

One of the greatest of modern dramas, " The Silver King," was produced in tho Feildiug Assembly Rooms last evening by Mr Walter Bentley, assisted by a strong company. Tho hall was well tilled, and if the continued applause and enthusiasm displayed by the audience may be taken as a criterion, we have no hesitation in saying tho company scored a success. The sceues are very pathetic, more especially where " Wilfred Denver, tho Silver King " (Walter Bentley) is supposed to have killed "Geoffrey W T arc" (Mr Mario Majeroni), and his wife, " Nellie " (Miss Ida Gresham) is reduced to poverty owing to her husband having to flee from justice. " Wilfred Denver " was subsequently believed to have been killed in a railway accident, whereas he had escaped unknown to anyone to Nevada, and there he became a wealthy " silver king." In tho meantimo his wifo is left at Home in England with two children, who are cared for by an old and faithful servant " Daniel Jaikes" (Mr Reg Redo). With no means of support they are about to bo ejected from the cottage they lived in since " Wilfred Denver's " disappearance, when that personage returns (but does not make himself known to his wife), and their circumstances are at once improved and their wants supplied. Eventually it leaks out that " Denver " did not murder " Geoffrey Ware," but it was " Captain Herbert Skinner " (Mr A. W. Boothmau), who is arrested for the crime, and " Wilfred Denver " is proclaimed an innocent man. The sympathy of the audiouce was evoked at the cottage scene, where "Mrs Denver" and lior children were about to be ejected from the cottage owned by " Skinner," at which critical moment the wealth of the " Silver King " prevented such an ordeal, and the artful "Elijah Coombes" (Mr J. H. Martin) was checked in almost the act of ejectment, and was groaned at by the audience for his cruelty, while the " Silver King " was loudly applauded. " Henry Corkett" (Mr F. Crossloy) represents the wild young man who " borrows " his employer's cash to speculate. Tho numerous other characters are all well sustained by capable artists. The interest in tho drama was maintained throughout and the efforts of the company to please a critical audience was in every way a success.