HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1428, 12 April 1905, Page 3

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE.

McMAHON’S DRAMATIC COMPANY

.THE! ROAD TO /RUIjNk”

•There wag a largo ancl enthusiastic audience last night,' at the second performance given by the MacMahon Dramatic Company. . “The Road to Ruin was the powerful drama produced. iThis play is one of engrossing interest; .it ia free from extreme improbabilities, toasi a coherent story With plenty'.of exciting action, ancl offers full .scape for acting of a superior orderi —it has all thq attributea of a successful melodrama,, and With Mr George Darrell in the part of Caradoc a triumgh was assured. Too piece is set away, hack in iVictoria s boon* , days 5, rtclls of Karl Caradoc, "the improvident aDtl untrustworthy manager of a Trust and iProvident Society, who is swirled into a maelstrom of extravagance, his, own inclinations and the ‘ vagaries of an extravagant wife causing him to, make use of tru.st moneys for gambling funds. , He is led along_ the the easy track by his alleged friend Marsden. wno has been a former husband of Caradoc’s wife, hut she, hearing of his. death, bas entered into a second alliance. This gives the adventurer Marsden a '■ pullover Caradoc, l as the'wife, who; is also a mother, dare not toll of her former relations with Marsden. Caradoc is robbed of liis winnings on the races by Marsden, his company suspends operations, he is exposed',, and four years in durance vule is the penalty. On his release, Marsden is there to indulge in further villainy. I-Ie claims'Mrs Casa'doc _aa ‘his wife, and# in the struggle that terminates a violent scene, 'Marsden, is snot in the - leg, and Caraidoc ruminates > for another nine months in prison. .Thu 1 scene then changes to a mining •camp, where Marsdhn,, living with _,lrs Caradoc, whom he has forced “J follow him, ia down on his luck, ut course. Caradioc is there and “strikes it rich.” 'A cablegram for his wife takes him to Marsden’s hut, where further troubles ensues between the two men, and Mrs Caradoc is knocked senseless by Marsden. Seeking to

cu yjy w a put the hlamc of the trouble on iO Kail, JVlarsrlcn aruil his loaning tout Sam Sogg, incite the miners' to lvnch Caradoc for attempting to murder the woman, and that seems the probable conclusion, when Nemesis in the shape of one of Marsden’s own .clique changes the story, and Mrs Caradoc also, testifies toi the real culprit. To round matters Bella the ouchess>/ ’ a harm aid adventuress turns up, and claims jVlarsdeii as her husband of long ago. The cable messages tell Mrs <-aradoc of a weighty inhentanoe-the final factor that ensures hapipmess

ever after. Tna part of the vacillating Caradoc was taken in a dignified and striking manner by Mr George Darrell, wbo made the most of every point. Miss Ada gave a fine representation of tho \rjjcter of Alice Garadoo, her emotional acting being exceptionally good. The unpopular Dart of Richard Marsden was ably taken bv Mr Alfred Boothby. Miss Hilda Meade gracefully took the part of Kate Garadoo, Mr Frank Hawthorne gave a bright and popular representation of the pars of Percy Wyndham, the new chum, f. The Duchess” was played in a realistic manner by Miss May Granville, whose singing was also much appreciated. Mr Henry Hodson capably represented David Stoylos, tho bookmaker; and Mr Oily Deering was a typical “ Sam Sogg.” Miss May Renno as “ Dorcas O’Dowd, and Mr L. Walsh as a “ son of the soil” ably supported the other candidates.

TO-NIGHT " THE SORROWS OF SATAN.”, Tonight will be devoted to a production of tho dramatisation of Mario Corelli’s notable work, “The Sorrows of Satan,” which, like other works of recent times, has excited such controversy in pulpit, press, and public throughout the world. In Mr Darrell’s dramatisation, which has met with a remarkable measure of success, the management think it necessary to state that Prince Rimanez is not an impersonation of Satan. It is the representation of the character of a man possessed of the spirit of a fiend, which phase of psychology wiil bo apparent to the student. Mr Darrell in the character will bo supported by Messrs MaoMahon’s Company in a full cast.