ENTERTAINMENTS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2690, 21 December 1909, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS.

“UNJUSTLY ACCUSED 1 .”

There was a good attendance at His Majesty’s Theatre last evening, when the’ military drama “Unjustly Accused was presented by the Gisborne Young Men’s Catholic Club. The play opens with a prologue, the scene being on the Afghan frontier, where Captain Mark Milton, who has been unjustly accused and sentenced by court-martial to death, makes a will leaving an inherited fortune to his wife. His professed friend, Major Challis, makos out a win in his own favor, and tricks the doomed man into signing this. The action of the play is then taken ten years-for-ward to the English home that has been fraudulently , acquired by Challis. Ihe Major is unrelenting in his persecution of his former friend’s wife and ciiild, who are championed by a one-eyed old man, known as “One-eye the Unknown.” This old man eventually turns out to be Mark Milton, who had escaped death oil tho Afghan frontier but wlio- had not dared to make himself known. As a, striking climax a pardon is produced for Milton, and the villain Challis, seeing the end of all Ins schemes, commits suicide.

The play abounds with humorous incidents, interspersed with much clever emotional acting by the principals, and the applause given was well deserved. As-Major Ohallis, Mr. W. Payne had a heavy task to perform, but lie got through his work m a highly creditable manner. Captain Mark Milton, th© heroic captain and in disguise the onecved old man, was well represented by Mr. R. S. Wheeler, whoso rendering of the part met with the entire approval of the audience. Private Bowles (Mr. R. Quick) and the Rev. Lincoln Green (Mr. P. MeConville) supplied the hqmor of the piece. The former was a devil-may-care fellow Who had “gone under,” but was not much troubled by this, and the latter’s part was that of a brainless curate, whoso idiotic remarks caused roars of laughter. Both gentlemen acquitted themselves well as comedians. Miss O’Connor had the important part of Mrs. Milton, the supposed widow, and her quiet effective acting was all that could be desired. The part of Sybil Milton was taken in the prologue by little Miss Magnussen in a creditable manner, and afterwards by Miss L. Power, who put much natural sweetness into the rendering. Miss F. Alley as Delia Challis, and T. H. Mulvihill as the Hon. Harry Ohafferton, performed creditably, as did those taking the minor parts. A pleasing feature of the performance was the singing of “The Drummer Boy” by Miss Power, and “The Turning of the Tide” by Mr. Quick. Both singers were heartily ap_ plauded, and had to respond to encores. Excellent music was supnlied by Vita Bros.’ orchestra, Miss M. Neill being at the piano.

PATHE PICTURES. “La Tosca” in thirty minutes is the most impressive among a splendid lot of pictures to be shown at His Majesty’s Theatre to-night by the Pathe Pictures. The name part is played by Madame Sarah Bernhardt, who gives a fine forcible rendering of the part from a kinematograph point of view. Another good film is that depicting the making of paper pulp in Canada. There is showm a picturesque representation of Constantinople, taken from the deck of a steamer passing up the Bosphorus. “The Bulgarian Army,” “Captured by Boy Scouts,” and “The Terrible Brazilian” are three subjects in marked contrast, but all equally good in their way, whilst “Mistaken Identity,” “Meddlesome Boy,” and ‘Maggie’s Fiances” amply supply the comic portion. To-night is the last time this series will be shown, an entire change of programme being given on Wednesday, including “The Making of a Dreadnought” and “Joan of Arc.”