OPERA HOUSE.

NZ Truth, Issue 122, 19 October 1907, Page 6

OPERA HOUSE.

« A Beautiful Fiend."

"A Warning to Women," having been deemed sufficient for its purpose, was withdrawn from the Opera House boards on Tuesday evening, and on Wednesday night Messrs Geo. N. Wybrow's and Frank M. Thome's | sensational and celebrated Russian drama, "A Beautiful l?icnd," was produced for the first time m Wellington. When it is considered that Russia just now is the land of the i revolutionary, that each day brings us nearer to tho debacle of autocratic monarchism and to the reign, temporarily only, of bloody anarchism, anything m the dramatic line savoring of mis-rule, bitter and relentless persecution, nihilism, villaiuy, etc., etc., is bound to find public approval, and "A Beautiful Fiend," as presented by the company at the Opera House, supply all these various qualities. Wanda Lubinoff is the beautiful fiend, and is a real bad woman, who starts trouble when she learns that her lover, Count Fedor K'arateff, a Captain of the Russian Imperial Guard, has given her the turn-down and anarried Nadine Strogoff, sister of Sergius of that ilk, who is a Russian gentleman. Count Karateff, finding that the beautiful fiend, who is his mistress, might cut -srjip. rough, assures her that by his villainy arid deceit he married Nadine for her boodle and that he loves Wanda as«onuch as ever, and that things will be all right m the long run. Captain Karatefi's deceit and villainy are soon discovered and when Nadine, his wife, and her v brother, are pinched for having a plan of the Czar's quarters m their possession, placed beforehand m a book of engravings belonging to Sergius, by the unscrupulous Count and the wanton Wanda, things get lively. Now, it so happens that Nadine had been loved by Ivan Pauldvitch, who is a major m the. Russian police, and he comes back from nowhere m particular on the day the Count makes Nadine a Countess, and Paul, instead of giving her up, vows to serve her through life, as he knows, the Count and what he is capable of doing, and, not strange to say, he gets ample opportunity of serving Nadine, who, with her brother, are sent to the "nick" and are subsequently condemned to Siberia, and by strange irony are sent there under the escort of the Count, who always has the beautiful fiend on hand to help him submit his wife and her brother to all vsorts of cruel treatment. Ivan Paulovitch, however, is to be reckoned with. Aided by Christopher Crackles, a Cockney, the prisoners are rescued from a wayside inn, because Crackles drugs the inn-keeper and afterwards "doctors" the vodka that the Count and his satellites have drank. It is a very exciting escape, as the effects of the drug just wear off as Paulovitch releases Nadine and her brother, and then, of course, there is hell to play. Virtue having got it on the neck right through, then comes out triumphant, and the sister and brother escape to Riga and get on board an English steamer just m time, as the wicked Count and his tart are m hot pursuit. They are baulked of their prey, and Wanda, instead of stabbing Paulovitch, does for the Count, and, seeing what she ' has done, lets daylight into herself, and drops a lifeless mass on the j body of the Count, Then tho steamer ' Migves away, and so Upes the audi-

ence, fully satisfied, that Russia is no fit place for honest and respectable people. Miss Maud Hildyard as Wanda L-übinoff certainly enhances her reputation of an eminent English actress and her dresses are enough to make Wellington feminines look on her with great envy. As a villainess, she was cordially hissed and hooted, and the Count (Mr Jas. Lindsay) also got his share of imprecations, which, no doubt, is just what he wanted. Miss Guildford Quinn played the part of Nadine to perfection and and bore her suffering with heroic fortitude. Mr Conway Wingfield^ as Ivan Paulovitch has a part which is all activity, and he was equal to every occasion. As Sergius Strogoff... Mr Boyd Irwin was well suited. The comedy element was safely entrusted to Mr Will Bovis, and that wellJniowiu and popular comedian, as Christopher Crackles, was quite a treat, particularly m his love scenes with Patty Woodlands (Miss Violet Dene). The scenery and dresses of "A Beautiful Fiend" are, indeed, special features of the drama, and as the said "Fiend" is to be staged for a limited number of nights, ton play-goers should not miss the opportunity of witnessing what sort of things happen m Red Russia.

We learn from Mr Steftani McDonald that it was he and not Mr Halley who played the part, of Lord Evesleigh m ''A Warning to Women" last week. It appears the programme people made a mistake and put Mr Halley's name m instead of Mr McDonald!s. We congratulate Mac on his performance anyhow, but. where the elephants did -Ire .get his front name.