ALLAN HAMILTON'S COMPANY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3222, 21 June 1909, Page 5

ALLAN HAMILTON'S COMPANY.

n OF THE NIGriT." The Town Hall was packed on Sat- j 'urday evening when the Allan Hamil- j ito.i Drassstic Company opened their i Mastertcr. season. The piece staged was "Queen of the Night," a drama -abounding in sensational incidents. The -piece its above the ordinary run of drami'?, and holds the interest of J "the aiiuier.ee all through. The plot j is cleverly conceived, and exciting incidents follow on one another in -quick succession. The piece was 'we!! staged, and the acting all through was o± a very high order. The piot is as follows: —Ralph Feathsrstore has married a gay ■woman who is spending his money -like water, and whose neplect brings • scout the death ot his child. • Fauiina is only an adventuress, and is not really Ralph's wife, for, •JurldiK- in the shadow is her real 'husband. Philip Stoneleigh, a very •pretty scoundrel. whose silence (Paulina buys with Ralph's gold. At tf,he death of the dhtfld, Ralph shakes toimself free Of the woman, and as he goes to London to alter his will against the interests of Paulina, the latter uersuades Stoneleigh, for ;their mutual gain, to murder him m the train. The attempt is made, -but is frustrated by th? comic man. whose silly old father heard of the plot Twelve years elapse. During that time Ralph has heard of Paulina's death, and has married his devoted ward, Maude Sylvester. Stoneleigh kill* Paulina's fatner, who has heard the correct version of the •attempted murder in the train. Following fast upon this is a shipwreck. Ralph pulls to the shore a womanPaulina! This is awkward. Pauline soon pulls round, and loses no time in making everybody supremely unhappy. Incidentally, she attempts to murder Ralph's wife by felling a 'tree ever her unconscious form. Fhialh, Stoneleigh is apprehended for murder. Befure departing, he, ■quite consistently, stabs Paulina, who, in dying, clears the air by stating that Stoneleigh was her correct and only husband in law. Mr George Cross, as "Ralph Featherstone," was excellent, ana carried out the role of hero to the satisfaction of the audience. Miss Ada Guilford, as "Paulina," had a difficult part to pourtray, but she was equal to the occasion and her acting left nothing to be desired. As the villain Mr Wilton Power was particularly gocd, while the other characters were all in capable hands. Two songs were nicely rendered during the evening by Miss Maud Chetwynd. ( It ia vory rarely that such a powerful company of first-class artists _cs Mr Hamilton has f-ent round visits Masterton. To-night "A Message From Mars will be staged. Mr Hamilton has paid great attention to detail in the production of the comedy drama, so that the visure 'scene and display on the entry of "The Messenger" are most interesting. A Sydney contemporary says:—"The revival ot 'A Message From Mars,' at the Palace Theatre, last night, by Mr Al'an Hamilton's Dramatic Company was notable for the success with which Mr George Cross essayed the light comedy role of "Horace Parker," the effective performance of Mr Wilton Power as 'The Messenger,' and the great dignity which Miss Ada Uuildford imparted to the role of "Aunt Matha." Mr Cross made -much of the entertaining encounter between the selfish worldling Parker,' and the Martian, while Mr Power's strong, well modulated voice gave weight and authority to the messenger's speeches. Miss Beatrice Usher also made much of the role of 'Mrs Clarence,' speaking in well judged tones, and Miss Rosemary Rees, as "Minnie Palmer," proved herself a capable actress."