ruene Kakadu
Der
9. 3 enenenenenenenetee
box 15/3
rrree
entitled “ Between Sunset and Dawn.“ By this it
shöuld not de inferred that tiie miniature recital of their
ewn songs by Miss Gertrude Rolffs and Mr. Anton
Dressier fell upon unappreciative ears. On the contrary,
both the vocal and creative abilities and the fine dramatie
manner in which they were delivered to the brilliant
pianoforte accompanirient of Mr. Dressler were recog¬
nised in no uncertain manner by the audience.
The title of the evening’s novelty is a good one, and,
It must be confesled, filied one with more confidence
before the curtain rose than just immediately after. For,
truth to tell, those who had not studied well their pro¬
gramme, and seen that the first section took place in the
kitchen of Mrs. Harris’s desshouse in South London, félt
n sense of disappointment that the characters and scenes
mealt with London“ low life. it stands to the credit
pf those concerned, players and author alike, that this
Teeling soon gave way to one of eager attention. Inter¬
preters of a new play seldom receive their duc. for, on
nccount of.the exigencies of spuce, the author geus most
pf the notice; but there is no doubt that the stimulating
##ffect of the#acting of Mr. Norman Mekinnel, as Jim
Harris, and of Miss Ada King, as Jim 8 mother, in the
first moments of the piece, had its influg ce right through
to the end.
Between Sunset and Dawn“ has quite the Gals¬
worthy touch, but the scenes are handled with more
realism and less decision. For as a matter of fact, it is
Hificult to decide which of the two forbidding male speci¬
inens between whom poor little Liz Higgins has toscheose
is the more mentally unbalanced. The husband, whobungs
her about when he is in his cups, who wants to kiss her
oue minute and to hate her the next, is every bit as dan¬
generous at large as the burlg imbecile that“ does her
in intheend. Atanyrate Liz, pretty as a peach, as the
Americans would say, runs away from her young“ old
man, and is driven by a storm into a penny “ doss¬
house," just as Mrs. Harris, whose tongue 8 as sharp as
her thirst, is being candidly rebukea by her big, slow,
roughly honest son Jim.
Liz has not a penny, but Jim takes her in, and when
Bill Higgins, finding her whereabouts, demands his wife's
release, for Jim has locked her in a room, the big man
refuses tolet her husband tske her away, though he has to
knock him down several times by way of emphasis of bis
Intentions. Liz is distinctly impressed by her protector,
who hitherto has held all feminity in calm contempt, but
she takes a lot of persuading to meet him somewhere next
lay. Her“ lawful'' instinets prove, however, stronger
than anything else, and she goes back to her home just
after Bill has gone sorrowfully to bed. But he hears her
return. He is jealous, trusting, misbelieving, kind,
brufal by turn, and finally only the lamp going
but and giving Liz the chance to escene
prevents bis killing her on the spot. The woman returns
10 Jim, yho for a time is for turning her dway, simply
because ste had lied-“ like all women in telling her
husband he, Jim, had not tried to kiss her. But a new
and dangerous chord has been struck in Jim, and le
rannot let her go. He stops her at the door. She does
not read his leering looks aright. But passion had
nwakened in this hulking frame the hereditarv taint that
Jiad sent his father to a madman’s grave. He puts two
chairs face to face, and, giving her one and taking the#
As the poor
pther, grinningly asks for his first kiss.
woman offers it wonderingly he stealthily takes a knife
from the table behind him and stabs her in the back. It
is a gruesome endingto what is principally a clever study
in primitive passions, not the least admirably drawn being
the inherent virtue of the woman.
It was, as already stated, splendidly acted. There
was something quite relentless in Mr. MeKinnel's iden
of Jim, with its savage kindness and its kind savagerv.
Miss May Blayney's Liz was in its way completely
arresting and full of trut'lfulness of expression. Mr.
Edinond Breon was capital as the utterly irresponsible
husband, while Miss Ada King, as already indicated, was
excellent as the dosshouse-keeper.
The performance of Schnitaler’s powerful little tragedy
of the French Revolution,“ The Green Cockatoo,“ had
neitherthe breadth nor finish of tbe recent Stage Society's
presentations, but, -espite the somewhat cramped stag¬
ing, is was well done last night, Mr. MeKinnel taking the.
L. B.
part of Henri.
Der
9. 3 enenenenenenenetee
box 15/3
rrree
entitled “ Between Sunset and Dawn.“ By this it
shöuld not de inferred that tiie miniature recital of their
ewn songs by Miss Gertrude Rolffs and Mr. Anton
Dressier fell upon unappreciative ears. On the contrary,
both the vocal and creative abilities and the fine dramatie
manner in which they were delivered to the brilliant
pianoforte accompanirient of Mr. Dressler were recog¬
nised in no uncertain manner by the audience.
The title of the evening’s novelty is a good one, and,
It must be confesled, filied one with more confidence
before the curtain rose than just immediately after. For,
truth to tell, those who had not studied well their pro¬
gramme, and seen that the first section took place in the
kitchen of Mrs. Harris’s desshouse in South London, félt
n sense of disappointment that the characters and scenes
mealt with London“ low life. it stands to the credit
pf those concerned, players and author alike, that this
Teeling soon gave way to one of eager attention. Inter¬
preters of a new play seldom receive their duc. for, on
nccount of.the exigencies of spuce, the author geus most
pf the notice; but there is no doubt that the stimulating
##ffect of the#acting of Mr. Norman Mekinnel, as Jim
Harris, and of Miss Ada King, as Jim 8 mother, in the
first moments of the piece, had its influg ce right through
to the end.
Between Sunset and Dawn“ has quite the Gals¬
worthy touch, but the scenes are handled with more
realism and less decision. For as a matter of fact, it is
Hificult to decide which of the two forbidding male speci¬
inens between whom poor little Liz Higgins has toscheose
is the more mentally unbalanced. The husband, whobungs
her about when he is in his cups, who wants to kiss her
oue minute and to hate her the next, is every bit as dan¬
generous at large as the burlg imbecile that“ does her
in intheend. Atanyrate Liz, pretty as a peach, as the
Americans would say, runs away from her young“ old
man, and is driven by a storm into a penny “ doss¬
house," just as Mrs. Harris, whose tongue 8 as sharp as
her thirst, is being candidly rebukea by her big, slow,
roughly honest son Jim.
Liz has not a penny, but Jim takes her in, and when
Bill Higgins, finding her whereabouts, demands his wife's
release, for Jim has locked her in a room, the big man
refuses tolet her husband tske her away, though he has to
knock him down several times by way of emphasis of bis
Intentions. Liz is distinctly impressed by her protector,
who hitherto has held all feminity in calm contempt, but
she takes a lot of persuading to meet him somewhere next
lay. Her“ lawful'' instinets prove, however, stronger
than anything else, and she goes back to her home just
after Bill has gone sorrowfully to bed. But he hears her
return. He is jealous, trusting, misbelieving, kind,
brufal by turn, and finally only the lamp going
but and giving Liz the chance to escene
prevents bis killing her on the spot. The woman returns
10 Jim, yho for a time is for turning her dway, simply
because ste had lied-“ like all women in telling her
husband he, Jim, had not tried to kiss her. But a new
and dangerous chord has been struck in Jim, and le
rannot let her go. He stops her at the door. She does
not read his leering looks aright. But passion had
nwakened in this hulking frame the hereditarv taint that
Jiad sent his father to a madman’s grave. He puts two
chairs face to face, and, giving her one and taking the#
As the poor
pther, grinningly asks for his first kiss.
woman offers it wonderingly he stealthily takes a knife
from the table behind him and stabs her in the back. It
is a gruesome endingto what is principally a clever study
in primitive passions, not the least admirably drawn being
the inherent virtue of the woman.
It was, as already stated, splendidly acted. There
was something quite relentless in Mr. MeKinnel's iden
of Jim, with its savage kindness and its kind savagerv.
Miss May Blayney's Liz was in its way completely
arresting and full of trut'lfulness of expression. Mr.
Edinond Breon was capital as the utterly irresponsible
husband, while Miss Ada King, as already indicated, was
excellent as the dosshouse-keeper.
The performance of Schnitaler’s powerful little tragedy
of the French Revolution,“ The Green Cockatoo,“ had
neitherthe breadth nor finish of tbe recent Stage Society's
presentations, but, -espite the somewhat cramped stag¬
ing, is was well done last night, Mr. MeKinnel taking the.
L. B.
part of Henri.