ENTERTAINMENTS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2413, 30 January 1909, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS.

‘THE VILLAGE PRIEST.”

When Sydnely Grundy wrote “The Village Priest” he dealt in a masterly manner with the pain and suffering that can the. inflicted upon the iimoeent by la misoarniago of justice. The play, which was produced thy Mr. J. C. William son’s Star Dramatic Company in His .Majesty’s Theatre last evening, drew a crowded audience, and every development of the wclJconstruoted pfot wias watched with keen interest and appreciation. Join Torquonie lias been convicted before a judge, who was famous for Iris wisdom and his upright character, of the murder of the Comte do Tumeiillan. He is at first sentenced to death, but the sentence is commuted. He serves nineteen years in guol, an innocent man, and then escapes. He seeks a lawyer to help him "to find a daughter ho lias never seen, and bechance consults the son of the judge before whom he had been tried. He tells his story, but is not believed. By the express wish of the dying judge, the daughter had been taken into the- house of the latter’s -widow as a* child, and when she meets her father disowns him. The Abbe Dubois is, however, the repository of the real facts of the ease, but bis lips are closed .with the seal cr the confessional. The convict’s story arouses the- interest of the ltewyrr, and lie decides to re-read the reports of the case. Ho finds that the conviction was made, not on the evidence, but by the biassed ruling of the judge, his father. He visits the Abbe, and a few minutes afterwards Torquenio also arrives. The priest by cautious words indicates that lie regards the convict as an innocent man, but is faithful to his vow. Gendarmes seek To-rquenie, who is .given sanctuary by the Abbe. The officer in command offers to take the Abbe’s ..word that the prisoner is not being sheltered, and the priest truthfully replies “No criminal is hiding here.” The lawyer. Armand 'D’Arcay, and the convict hear the Abbe’s words and realise that he knows who the real murderer was. Ann and bus meanwhile become engaged to Marguerite de Tremeillan. the daughter of the murdered Comte. He follows nj) the clues given him by Torquonie, guesses that his father, the judge, was the real murderer, and finds a cipher message in a hook that shows him that the judge and the Comtesse de Tremeillan were lovers, and that jealousy was the cause of the crime. The priest is asked by A r mu id to say that the judge was not the murderer, but n ukes no answer, and Armand swears that he-will do bis duty, and retrieve tli • uvrong lhat has been done to an innocent n in. The Abbe is sorely troubled between the vows he his made to liis church and his conscience. He prays for -guidance. “Oh, Lord! If I must sp nk, vouchsafe a miracle, hut. rtas the \sro of miracles is past.” Suddenly, n.s 'f by an unseen hand, a leaf of a Bibb l on a desk in the cloister is turned over, and the priest reads thereon God’s message to- the. child Samuel. Taking this as an answer to his prayer, lie decides to quit the church, brmk his vow. and answer the dictates of his conscience. Tic tells the truth to Armand and to Jeanne Torquonie, the convict’s daughter. lie decides ’.also to foil Armandos mother, who has befriended Jeanne. The gendarmes ngain come for the prisoner, who. grateful for the kindness shown to his child, decides to go hack to prison to scitp out his sentence, so that Armand’?: mother might never know that the judge was a murderer. The kindhearted, human, yet at times quo ini Abbe Dubois, the'Village Priest, was in the capable hands of Air. George Tithe-radge, and it was an ideal characterisation. Mr. Tithe radge has’ played the part so many times t-hni it will be sufficient to .sny that it isperhaps his best character, and he always held the sympathy of the audience. The many little details tb u go to make \% character study porf.-H were all remembered by Air. Tith e' adge, and lie acted throughout v :tb case and naturalness. AH. Hen y Kolker -was well cast as Jeon Tur quenic, but the part- does not alffiw much scope for powerful work. Air. Kolker -gave a finished study of the innocent convict, and lie was always on good terms with the audience. Aliss Olu. Humphrey made a graceful Comtesse de Tremeillan, and though the part did not call for many displays of emotion or powerful dramatic work. she was always consistent and even. Aliss Beatrice Norman made o- good Jeanne Torquonie. 'Aliss Elwvn Harvov was well cast as Marguerite de Tremeillan, while -Mis? Susie Vaughan and Aliss Alma A nn ghan filled the parts of Madame D’A-rcay and Madeline, housekeeper to the' Abbe, respectfully. Air. Aubrey Alallalieu did good work in the part of Armand -D’Areay, arid the other characters were well sustained. The play was well mounted, and the costumes wore rich and appropriate. Miss Humphrey wearing some beautiful gowns. . MISS LANCASHIRE, LTD. Aliss Florence. Baines, a true-born Lancashire lass, -a native of Cottonopolis, will commence a short season of four nights in His Majesty s Theatre, commencing on AVednesday evening next. -Aliss Baines has conquered Austr-aliii, as she conquered England, with her brisk, bright, brusque breezy quips, jingles, jokes and witticisms. She gives something novel ami refreshing. The plot ot “Miss Lancashire, Ltd.,” is of the bright and breezy order, and it is unneoossary to outline it otlienw iso t-luvn to say" that (Aliss Baines, us -Alary Ellen Thompson exchanges places with Abes Lancashire, a wealthy lady, who, it has been arranged, is to marry her ■guardian’s son. The result of this exchange of positions are, as may be imagined, too funny for pen to adequately describe. . The old Lancash:re song “Oh, How Cheerily 1 Brize Those Bonny Blue Eyes; the Boast ot the Lancashire AYitches.” fits Aliss Baines to a nicety, and her stir iking personality and winsome, if.upparently -uncouth ways, make her a- ia-vonte with her -audience. As Alary Ellen she get in some home truths accompanied by her musical and infectious laugh. Her famous laughing song and character studies are true laught-er-makers-, land her singing ot. Testi s “Good-bye” is not likely to. be- -forgotten ibv those -who lun e 3ie.Hu it. A- complete English company will support- Miss Baines, and at is said that nothing equal to the brilliant and humorous performance of this? charm-

ing comedienne lias ever before bceii seen in the Dominion. There wit’- be, a- complete change of song programme each evening. The box plan is at Miller’s. AHSS JEAN HOW-ISON. . -On Friday, February -Ith, at 8 o'clock in AVliinray’s Halt, Aliss Jean Mmvison will give a dramatic roeitsjd from Robert Burns. _ ! Aliss Howison, who is on a lecturing ' tour on Robeli)Burns, Scotland’s favorite hard, is a -lecturer of a worldwide reputation, and whe-reever she appears she invariably draw's full houses. The pulpit as well as the press, commend Miss Howisou’s lecturs as being sweet and wholesome. Her conception of authors, especially Burns, shows deep study. Hey voice is splendid; her ']xnvers <Ji elocution l , grand, while her natural grace combines to -render her lectures and-read-ing immensely -interesting. The press from ocean to ocean is warm in its praise of her ability and the manner in which she interprets 'Robert Burns laid bis choicest compositions.