AMUSEMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 79, 29 April 1909, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS.

"TWO LITLE SAILOR BOYS."

There was a fair audience last night at the Theatre Rdyal, when Meynell and Gunn's powerful dramatic convpanv introduced to th c New Plymouth public the highly emotional and sensational drama, "Two Little Sailor Boys." The dramatic scvenes commenced early in the e v ening, and thrilling incidents followed each other in rapid succession. It was a story of a faithless and ambitious woman, Loia Grey, now the wife of a retired admiral, who had won her way into the high places of society ai'ter years of a life from whose pages she recoiled as victim after victim came once more across her track, and sought for revenge. Paramour and husband, and the man to whom she sold herself for wealth and luxury were ''in at the death." when the adventuress who had duped them all found herself at last in the clutches of the law on a charge of having murdered a man, Jim Royston, who for the time had held the trump cards which would expose her. No such story could be placed before an audience without the usual love story being closely .interwoven witli her life of deceit "and sin. Th e adventuress set to work to out from her home her stepdaughter (Mildred Grey) and stepson (Cyril Grey), thus securing for herself the admiral's wealth. He, being blindly infatuated by the syren, was wax iii her hands, and upheld her in a trumped-up charge of theft brought against her stepdaughter's lover (Captain Tregarthen), aided her in driving the young people from the house, and at last disowned the children, Mildred and Cyril. Circumstances were too strong in the end, and all the troublous waters which had beset the course of true love were mad e to run smooth, "two little sailor bovs/' the son of tlie adventuress and the son of her latest dupe, contributing in no small measure to the happy re-unio;i of the just and the downfall of the wicked. The curtain fell to the accompaniment of the wedding chimes of Captain Tregarthen and Mildred Grcv. just ai'l/'r the dramatic unmasking of Mrs. Grey by Captain Tom Yorke. her first husband. Miss Lilian Movers placed tie' ride of Lola Grew and' acted the part with gr<sit dramatic fervour, seorin" a complete success. Xo le„s 'convincing, and of course more popular, was Miss Nellie Florence as Mildred Grey. Air. Herbert J. Bentley played the part of Captain Tregarthen. anil pin veil it well Air. A. Neville as Lieut, Redstone had a difficult part to play, but made a lypica! society villain, a coward and a man who set no value upon honor. Prominent in the caste, in adding a humorous touch which the mores olid work demanded, were Miss Alice Deorwvn (as maid) and Air. Leo <l c Chateau (as llenjamiii Baxter, a hit of eveivthin") Jliss Mabel Russell, as Tom Yorke. one of die "sailor boys." made a great impression liy the manner i,, which her difficult part was sustained, and Miss Heat rice Holloway made another manlv litt'e sailor-hoy. Other characters were sta»ed in keeping with the reputation of the company. From start to finish the drama was powerful, am l the piece was splendidly mounted. "THE LITTLiIREAmVINXEII" The lasfc two nights of the Mcvnell nndGunn season will.be entered 'upon to-night, when the cotnpanv will prosent the sympathetic play "The Little Breadwinner." This charming drama of domestic' life should prove one of the most attractive and delightful of vine/ season. The play is full of genuine child interest. It is claimed that no more truly homely story, crowded with human situations and depicting tlie life we load, has ever been presented to a X'ew Zealand audience. The name part will be played by Jliss Queenie Williams, and the character of Bobby Trott bv Alaggie Dickinson, two of the principal members of the Tin Can Band. Air. C. R. Stanford will appear as Joseph Prior, while Aliss Beatrice Holloway as Alargaret Daventry, Aliss Lilian Aleyers as Kate Cherry, and Air. J. 11. Atriolwood as Lord William Dorrington. are all said to he well cast. To-morrow night the staging of Arthur Shirley's latest and most successful drama, "The Stepmother,'' will conclude the company's season here.