AMUSEMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 235, 9 February 1911, Page 8

AMUSEMENTS

THE BUIGIiAPII I'ICTI'KES. to-night. New Plymouth ])i'o;)le are fortunate in having another opportunity to-night of seeing the very fine, picture programme whieh was screened in the Theatre Royal on Saturday night. There is some glorion- scenery depicted from some of the magnificent lilnis, whilst clever acting and great dramatic interest make the .silent dramas well worth witnessing. Humorous films are well up to the average, and are intensely mirthprovoking.

"THE THIRD DEGREE."

After the remarkably fine performance last night —a performance' which for all round merit will live in the memory as one of the very best witnessed on the local stage—playgoers will be delighted to hear that Miss Kathleen Grey and company will pay another visit to New Plymouth. The arrangements made by the J. C. Williamson management arc that after the Auckland season, terminating on Saturday, March 11th, a short return tour Vill be made, and this town is booked for Monday, March 13th, when another drama by Charles Klein entitled "The Third Degree'' will he presented. This play, which has had an enormous success elsewhere, is said to be even more crisp and forcible in dialogue and more striking in its climaxes than the one witnessed last night. 'The Third Degree" has for its basic idea the exposure of the inhuman methods adopted by the American police in extorting confessions from their prisoners—a form of mental torture known a.s "the third degree." An illustration of this system is given in the play, where a young fellow charged with murder is submitted to ruthless browbeating and prevented from having either food or sleep until, nerve racked, he confesses, under what practically amounts to hypnotic influence, to a crime which in reality he did not commit. Miss Kathleen Grey plays the part of a devoted wife, who, against all odds, fights and fights successfully for the life of her husband, eventually succeeding through the aid of an eminent lawyer—admirably played it is said bv that fine actor, Mr. William Desmond—in proving his complete innocence. The great, success of last evening guarantees a packed house for the evening of March 13. "THE LION AND THE MOUSE." "The Lion and the Mouse" is intensely American, and girds at the besetting American sin—grab. It has no particular moral, but it is a good drama, exceedingly well played by Miss Katherine Grey (possibly the finest leading woman seen in New Zealand for many years) and an unusually competent corps of supporters. If the play does not ring true, the acting redeems it, and the audience filled every seat of the Theatre Royal, and was glad to have a chance. Here then is a millionaire, a , harsh monopolist, dominating, domineering, implacable, a man who holds the United States Senate in the hollow of his hand, a person who ruins folk per telephone, and destroys individuals with a word. There is a judge, a mild old gentleman, who must be ruined because the millionaire wills it for political ends. We are introduced to the judge and hip daughter and a faithful lawyer after the ruin has set in, and the daughter's wit is the weapon that is to so very obviously i win the battle. vi course the million--1 aire has a son, and no less of course he , loves the daughter of the honest ruined , judge. The daughter is a noble-hearted | girl, but she has learnt all there is to know about the trust-monger's methods while capturing the love of the son. Hence she writes a book. The millionaire recognises himself in this work, and although he ought by all rules of the ] game to be utterly ashamed of the disclosures, commands the presence of this authoress, and "just naturally" (as our American friends would say) admires her through and through. She just as naturally parades for the purpose of authorship under an assumed name, and the grim, soulless millionaire wants her 1 more than' anything else to marry his son, which is also wt.r.t they both want too, The girl, pursuing her nobleness of character,' hesitates to pluck the prize, and there is some masculine despair until the millionaire rushes away at fifteen minutes' notice to command the United States Senate not to impeach tnc judge. Presumably the Senate obeys the order, and obviously the dear old judge, his clever little daughter, and the son of the millionaire are happy ever afterwards.

| Miss Katlierinc Grey is a remarkable I actress, mainly because she appears not to act. There is no trace of an American accent in her beautifully natural, 1 well modulated voice. She 'has poise, naturalness, and can be dramatically fervid. She « the chief point of interest on the stage, whoever else occupies it. She refuses to exaggerate obvious dramatic exaggerations, and actually redeems and inspires manufactured situa(tions that could not interest unless vital- | iscd by her art. Mr. J. C. Williamson has in Miss Katfterine Grey a treasure, I and there is nothing small or mean or | amateurish in any word, gesture or method she uses. 'Mr. William Desmond as the millionaire who controls the United State Senate and ruins judges is very | direct in his art. He shows the millionaire to be a man of affairs, of instant action, inflexible in purpose, and torrential in speech. Mr. Desmond is virile He will do. One has seen Mr. Cyril Mackay as several sorts of persons—soldiers villains, hereoes, and .so on, but in few characters has he shown so much vim and sparkle as in the play which °ives him a place as the millionaire's son His alert youthfnlness is the outstanding characteristic of an excellent perform- | ance. Mr. T. W. Floyd i s the ruined .judge and manages to convey adequately the idea that he will never smile again j In American drama it is necessary to gibe at the British aristocracy, and Mr Leslie is the usual peer's son without [noticeable moans. .He manages nicely' The cast is really am azing]y full of names we know and respect for the artistry of the owners. Mr. Winter Hall is truly excellent as a Senator. Then there is that astonishingly clever character actor, Mr. J. B. Atholwood, who Is playing but a small part, Mr. Boyd Irwin as an ex-judge, and tnat cheerful clever and useful stock actor, Mr. Georee Cha mora Miss Susie Vaughan distinguishes the part of the millionaire's wife chiefly because, a.s always, s l lc attends «» minutely to details. Miss Alma Vaughan, as the judge's wife, is SW eet and subdued, as becomes a lady who has moved into a small house from a big one; and the rest of the thirty-four people in the cast give remarkable value. Altogether the interpretation was vivid and artistic, and there is no doubt whatever that the public thought so