ENTERTAINMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1577, 15 July 1916, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS.

FULLER’S PICTURES

“THE CRUCIBLE.”

The change of programme at the Town Hall on Monday includes the sensational domestic drama, “The Crucible.” This is the story of Jean Fanshawe, lovable little girl, brought up by her father like a, boy, with all a boy’s wilfulness and mischievousness. She is constantly in trouble for her Tomboy tricks, and is the horror of her sedate sister Amelia, and the despair of her mother. She earns the character of a thoroughly bad girl, and Amelia one day meeting with an accident, she blames Jean, who is handed over to the police, and carried oil to the reformatory for incorrigible.-;. Jean feels her disgrace acutely, and coming in contact with Stella Wilkes, a, notoriously bad girl, she feels that she cannot mingle with her associates, and daringly makes her escape. She meets Craig Atwood, a young artist, who persuades her to return and complete her term, Isihe returns, but, saving Hie matron’s life during a, revolt of the prisoners, receives her liberty. Spurned by her mother and sister, Jean leaves one situation after another, being hounded from each by the vengeful Stella. On the verge of despair, she once again meets the young artist, who, after a hasty wooing, secures her consent to be bis wife. Craig's relatives receive her coldly, and rather than bring disgrace upon bun, she leaves him, and is thrown on her own resources in a big- city. There is a. heart throu in every phase of the story, which shows a brave girl of the metropolis lighting cleanly an apparently los-

ing battle lor existence the girl who is loved by a man of whom she fears herself umvorthy. Tier sisler Amelia has married a person who has fallen under the influence of an unprincipled woman. He lea\ T os his wife, and his adventures arc welded into the story. There are a number of light and laughing moments in the play which make the contrasts quite remarkable. There is a depth of pathos in the situation Avherc Jean, a year after her disappearance from the man she 1oa t os, sits on a fence and Aveeps. It is the same sjiot to Aviiich in her Icav happy days she and her lover had come. In her distraction she had not taken note of the fact that he had preceded her to the old bench, il/ere are, too, many sidelights on the darker side of life —of despair, of happiness shortlived, and of linal triumph.