"THE MIDNIGHT WEDDING."

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8464, 14 June 1907, Page 5

"THE MIDNIGHT WEDDING."

Messrs Meynell and Gunn's Dramatic Company made . their reappearance in Masterton, last evening, when they staged "The Midnight Wedding" in the Town Hall, before an audience which filled the hall in every part. The piece is out of the ordinary run of melodrama. It is a military play, and there are many sensational scenes as well as humorous incidents. The story is wellconstructed, and has all the ingredients necessary for a successful stage production. The hero is Paul Valmar (Mr Harcourt Beatty), a swordmaster in the Red Hussars. In the first act he is insulted by Lieut. Eugene von Strelsburg (Mr Conway Wingfield), with the result that a duel is fought, and the latter is wounded. Valmar flees and seeks refuge in a private chapel. He is there married at midnight, at hardly a moment's notice, to, Princess Astrea von Strelsburg (Miss May Congdon) in order to save her from. either spending her life in a convent or marrying Captain von Scarsbruck,, his enemy, and tht man Astrea hates. The ceremony is just completed, and. Valmar in concealment, when von, Scarsbruck enters, looking for his enemy. Valmar has nlso earned the malice of a woman ned Satanella (Miss Prudence Laurtuce), who, with, a shot from behind, wounds him in the wrist just ac the time that he has to fight a duel with von Scarsbruck. Then Paul Valmar is compelled to fight with his left hand or leave his wife at the mercy of the villains. Yet, if he fights he breaks his promise to his wife. The Princess Astrea becomes enraged at seeing" him insulted, and releases him fromhis promise. With his left hand he holds his enemy's sword in.command till baffled by the dastardly interference of his opponent's second. He is thus wounded seriously. It leaves the villains one chance—he may die and leave, no one to corro wrate the story of the Princess that he was dealt with in this co.vardly fashicn. Deadjmen tell no taks. The opportunity to give the coup de grace comes when the wounded soldier Jis being guarded during the night by his wife alone. Captain von Scarsbruck enters, and does not hesitate to> fight and wound the woman in his anxiety to take the life of the man he had wounded. The Crown Prince enters at the critical rnoment. The villain is utterly disgraced, and Paul Valmir is acknowledged to be the Prince's son, and heir to the throne. Valmar is not satisfied till he has si lin Captain von Scarsbruck in a duel. As for his claim to the throne he will have none of it; for the law forbids his wife to share it vvith him. A splendid period of suspense was attained when the villain entered the heroine's rooms> bent on making her the butt of public scandal. The hero follows. There is a scuffle between the captain and the princess, but Valmar bursts in and puts an end to it. Still the lady's reputation is in danger. The captain had p, : bed to have witnesses to find him in her; room. The witnesses arrive; but, by the gentle suasion of a revolver held to his head, the captain is induced to remain in concealment.

As Paul Valmar, Mr Harcourt Beatty made an ideal soldier lover. He filled the role to perfection. Mr James Lindsay, as the unscrupulous Captain von Scarsbruck, carried out his part, in excellent style. Miss May Congdon, as the Princess Astrea, was frequently called upon for some dramatic effort, and she* acquitted herself admirably. She gave a splendid pourtrayal of the character. Miss Winifred Gunn carried out the rrle of the vivacious maid (Kitty) in n manner that ono could not help but admire., The humour of the evening was supplied ( by the three Hussars, Messrs Tom Caiman, Leopold Stach and Rutland Beckett. The various scenes in whidi they were engaged were extremely funny and kept the audience in roars of laughter. Messrs Herbert Leigh and Conway Wingfield and Miss Prudence Laurence, as the Crown Prince, Lieut, von Strelsburg, and Satanella, respectively, carried out their parts satisfactorily. [A feature of the play was the excellent mounting and elaborate dressing. "The Midnight Wedding" will be repeated this evening, and to-morrow evening "The Fatal Wedding" will be produced.