HUMPTY CRASHES

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 577, 1 February 1929, Page 15

HUMPTY CRASHES

“ALL THE KING’S HORSES” VANBRUGH-BOUCICAULT ‘•All the King’s Horses,” a comedy in three acts, by C. E. Openshaw. Presented at His Majesty’s Theatre by J. C. Williamson, Ltd. CAST Wilfred Everitt Dion Boucicault Alice Everitt Irene Vanbrugh Jack Everitt Ronald Ward Jill Everitt Rowena Ronald Roger Elrington John Esmond Richard Hardingham ..... Leslie Victor Mrs. Maunders Annie Saker Ruth Maunders Beatrice Fischer Powers Eileen Morris Here is the work of an author with a brave faith in those who do his play. Mr. Openshaw builds a sound, thoroughly convincing comedy, with a telling litle moral, but in this case he has been wisely content to outline his excellent principal characters, and place them in circumstances of almost limitless possibility. He is wise, because “All the King’s Horses” was written for Irene Vanbrugh and Dion Boucicault. Pliable material is safe in their hands, for they fashion with consummate skill. We may say unhesitatingly that the completed and polished offering is up to the highest Vanbrugh-Boucicault standard. First-nighters will treasure it as one of their happiest memories. It is the brilliantly-told tale of a domestic Humpty-Dumpty, who has his great fall after years of gloomy egotism and self-pitying autocracy. It demonstrates first that ambition requires a martingale, and secondly that wild oats must be harvested. These may be platitudes, but Mr. Openshaw has given them a new setting, and Mr. Boucicault’s mounting is typically satisfying. Wilfred Everitt, of London, is obliged to face the long-delayed revolt of his wife and family. Jack wishes to be an artist; Jill becomes engaged to 3£lrington, his secretary; and Alice approves. “We refuse to be regarded by father as the fruit of his loins,” says Jill, putting the position in a nutshell. Wilfred’s lordly commands threaten to control the situation, but out of the past comes a lady with' an age-old grievance. tier original hush-money, she says, is exhausted. The child is in need. Of course, she would hate to cause trouble . But she does, because Alice hears the story, and turns it to good account by rounding on Wilfred, reproaching, and leaving him. When he has tasted complete defeat, she returns, drawn by her deeply rooted domesticity. Though the casting of the comedy in Australia gave Mr. Boucicault the part of Richard Hardingham, Alice’s helpful brother-in-law, we cannot imagine a more successful characterisation than the Wilfred presented last evening. Mr. Boucicault fairly revelled in a study which provided limitless scope for his beloved by-play and mannerisms. The part was a perfect antithesis of “Mr. Pirn,” yet the two may be bracketed as- Boucicault’s successes extraordinary. Miss Vanbrugh is delightful in every mood. Her Alice called for emotions grave and gay, light and emotional. Each phase contributed in just the right degree to a performance that was an effortless masterpiece. The scenes in that joyful second act, when she responds to the subtleties of champagne and defies Wilfred, are delicious.

Rowena Ronald adds considerably to her laurels in her latest part, and her first act appearances in particular placed a colourful feather in her cap. Leslie Victor offered a careful and characteristic study that improved admirably as the evening progressed. Annie Saker is to be congratulated warmly on her portrait of the gin-laden lady with a college past. It was never overdrawn, or out of taste.

Mr. Ronald Ward was cheerfully aggressive and thoroughly in the picture, and Beatrice Fischer presented a dignified litle cameo. John Esmond lent capable support, and Eileen Morris handled her little part skilfully. Next production. “Aren’t We All?”

Greta Garbo is the latest M-G-M star to sign a new long-term contract with the company. Just recently John Gilbert, Ramon Novarro and Joan Crawford signed far a further term with M-G-M. Greta Garbo’s new contract becomes operative at the completion of her present production, a story of Javanese life at present untitled.

LUNA PARK The Luna Park Amusement Area is j proving very popular with all the children during the last week of the school holidays. All the permanent devices j are in full swing, and the special free j attraction this week. “Starlight,” the - boxing kangaroo, is always the of interested patrons, both young and j old. Luna Park will be open for the usual Saturday afternoon matinee to morrow. i “The Wastrel,” featuring Victor McLaglen, is a gripping story of the | turbulent encounters of a man who is 1 shanghaied aboard a ship bound for j the Orient. Here he becomes a beach- j comber, a wastrel, at odds with himself and the world. Into his life there comes a woman as from another world. How she awakens in him the spirit of true manhood and effects his regeneration make a story packed with interest and action. The colourful locale of a palm-shaded beach in the tropics adds much to this story of | a man reclaimed.