“LUCK OF THE NAVY”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 461, 17 September 1928, Page 15

“LUCK OF THE NAVY”

WAR-TIME MELODRAMA CHEERS FOR THE HERO “The Luck of the Navy,” a melodrama in three acts by Clifford Mills. Presented at His Majesty’s Theatre on Saturday evening by J. C. Williamson, Ltd. CAST: Maid Dorothy Stanward Admiral Maybridge .. Townsend Whitling Midshipman Eden . Victor Watts-Weston Lieut. Clive Stan tan . , Percy Hutchison Sub-Lieut. Louis Peel . . R. Steuart West Eng-Commander Perrin . Frank Lawrence Briggs . Walter White Mrs. Gordon Peel .... Frances Dillon Cynthia Eden Stella Francis Dora Green Mary Brackley Schaffer ..•••« E. Eayson Cousens Anna ..«•••••«... Joan Rogers Francois ••••••. . Leslie Laurier Even the war propaganda plays have not lost their sting, despite the fact that the jingo in them hardly rings true in these days of peace pacts and conferences to end hostilities. “The Luck of the Navy” also makes one realise .that theatrical audiences still cheer the hero of a melodrama in the good old way, and that they still sigh audibly when the villain is outwitted. This play, which stirred London audiences to heights of enthusiasm during the war, is thick with patriotic sentiment, but it is good entertainment of its kind and a better vehicle for Mr. Hutchison’s company than the two former productions. We have the sturdy, self-reliant British sailor, whose companion is the son of a famous German spy; a house on the east coast of England, where the spies are working busily to supply information to the German headquarters; airplanes hidden in a garden to carry important naval documents across the Channel; chloroformed handkerchiefs; messages in code; cut telephone wires: and all the other ingredients of a spy and war play. Needless to say the astute naval officer, against overwhelming odds, outwits the beautiful spy and her companions. He has an arduous time, and the audience is on its feet, so to speak, in the third act. All the old war-time propaganda Is used with the maximum effect —the average Englishman’s attitude of making a sport •of war, his weakness in making firends of the enemy, his inability to see that sometimes his closest friend is against him, and his superior powers of dealing with a situation from which, apparently, there can be no escape.

“The Luck of the Navy” may be rather time-worn, but it still has the power to draw a large and enthusiastic audience, proving that after all melodrama is the best box-office proposition. Mr. Hutchison’s production is exactly as he presented it at the Queen’s Theatre, London where, according to report, it was seen and enjoyed by Her Majesty, Queen Mary. Mr. Hutchison was perfectly happy in his heroic role. He played with just the necessary dash to convince us that he really was keen on his job of saving those important naval documents from the scheming Germans. Miss* Dillon was perhaps the most outstanding figure in the cast. Her work always carries conviction and her emotion is never even for melodrama. Mr. Watts Westori played with youthful vigour and gave us an excellent interpretation of his role. Miss Rogers made a small part stand out by her excellent acting. Miss Francis was her charming self as the heroine. Mr. Whitling gave us a pleasant picture of a sailor of the old school, keen enough on his job to become a bore. Mr. Steuart West was sufficiently heavy to make one of the villains realistic. Mr. Laurier. Miss Brackley. Miss Standward and the other members of the cast playe<3 smaller parts with good effect. Mr. Hutchison’s season will end tomorrow evening.