ENTERTAINMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 153, 4 December 1914, Page 4

ENTERTAINMENTS.

■ "A ROYAL DIVOItOE." AT NEW PLYMOUTH LAST NIGHT. The Theatre Royal wa3 filled in every part last night, when tho Julius Knight Company staged the Napoleonic drairia of "A Royal Divorce." llueli was expected of this star company,'and tho realisation exceeded anticipations. There is a paucity of events, but that only serves to increase the dramatic power of the piece, which treats of the divorce of Josephine by Napoleon, his marriage -with an Austrian princess, and the subsequent closing of his career, firstly by the forced retreat from Moscow, and, lastly, by the battle of Waterloo, leading to his banishment to St. Helena.

There can be no two opinions as to Mr. Julius 'Knight making an ideal histrionic Napoleon, such as he is 'moat generally known to the' people of the' present day. If Mr. Knight infuses into the representation more dramatic power than cynical selfishness, it is all the more in keeping with the demands of a staged play, but, taken ns a whole, it was a masterpiece of < . aracter-study, which evoked frequent hearty applause. From the opening scene to the finale, where the fallen Emperor appears the solitary figure on the rocks of St. .Helena, the' interest of the audience wa3 kept nt tension-point whenever Napoleon was in evidence. The various temperamental 1 moods of the Emperor were presented with artistic fidelity, but the gems of a ! most excellent performance were certainly those in which pathos and tenderness were required, and had ample ex-' pression. Although Napoleon is naturally the outstanding figure in the drama, the unfortunate Empress Josephine takes an equally prominent position throughout. In the hands of Miss Irene Brown this difficult and striking impersonationj was raised to a high level of dramatic art. Whether as the happy, loving wife or the despairing and lieart-brokcn' divorced Empress, Mis 3 Brown proved ! the possessor of extraordinary histrionic ] power and versatility. The part is moat 1 exacting in its demnada, and none but a most accomplished actress could avoid stepping over the border-line of true art, but too much praise cannot be given to Mies Browne for the admirable way in which she treated the powerful scenes, her pathos and dramatic force being well attuned to tho situations. There were some welcome interludes of comedy, and a pretty and well-executed dance, besides an excellently rendered song by Mr. Henry Ratelifle, "The Little Corporal." All the other characters, ware in capable hands, and a special word of praise must be given to tho orchestra, which filled in some long waits with pleasing music. The tableaux were effective, though the first one, representing the retreat from 'Moscow in a snowstorm, suffered from insufficient lighting power, but the field of Waterloo and the rocks of St. Helena evoked great applause. The ! play well deserved tho great audience it ' attracted, and the great improvements to the building were a source of much ; pleasure to the patrons of the theatre. | "SAN TOY.". A splendid booking was the result of the opening morning for "San Toy," to be produced by the New Plymouth Operatic Society on Tuesday and Wednesday next.