The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1896-10-28 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS. TIVRATRIE METROPOLIS Foe a drama full of healthy interest, strong emotional power and exciting incident, commend us to the " Fatal Card," produced for the first time in Birkenhead, at the Theatre Metropole, on Monday evening last. Exeitement rims -high from the beginning of the performance, the opening scene being a bar and gambling saloon at the foot of theeßocky mountains. Here one George Forrester is discovered cheating at cards, and is promptly hurried off to be strung up on a tree, when just in the nick of time the hero of the story. Gerald Austin turns up, and after considerable difficulty succeeds in saving him. In the second sot we find Forrester, under the name of Marrable, located in a villa on the banks of the Thames, in company with his daughter, his great i love for whom s a redeemieg feature cf an otherwise unprincipled and depraved nature. He is " something in the city," and has an office adjoining that of Gerald Forester's father. In company with a scoundrel of even a deeper dye, James Dixon, Forrester arranges to raid the elder Farrester's doe, and here is introduoed a terrible murder scene, Turner doing Forrester to death. Just previously Forrester has been visited by his son, the pair after a bitter altercation, parting in hot anger, the son leaving his stick in the office. This being the weapon which is pounced upon by Turner to commit She murder, suspicion naturally points to the son as the guilty person, but ultimately all is made clear, the guilty one unmasked, and the play ends amidst 000siderable excitement in the violent death of Marrable, and the presumably happy union of his daughter MargaretMarrable and Getald Austin. This of cairns is only the bare outline of a mceit exciting and thrilling story, which, however, is not altogether devoid of its humourone incidents, a notable feature cf which is a bathing acme. The play is presented in a singularly able manner by Mr. Harr,ld Entwistle 's company, Mr. Stephen Caffrey giving a profoundly impressive,not to say weird, rendering of the part of George Forrester. His acting in the murder Beene, which was, perhaps, a little prolonged, was realistic to a degree, and he thoroughly well deserved the hearty buret ot applause which was 'worded him as he left the stage. Mr. Stuart Lomath was a really fine and robust Gerald Austin, appearing to particular advantage in the altercation with his father, the latter part being a natural and and careful study by Mr. Howard Finney. Mr. Trevor Warde played with the necessary .lightness the amusing part of Harry Burgess, and reoeived considerable assistance in this direction from Miss Eva Forrest as Cecile Austin, and Miss Mary Brammer as Mercedes. Mr. Harold Entwistle played with considerable power the part of the villian, James Turner and Mr. Edward Soddy gave an admirable eeposition of the Irishman, Terence O'llynn, the brogue coming naturally and without seeming effort. Decidedly one of the most taking characters in the piece is that of Margaret Marrable, played with rare ability and great charm of manner by Miss Bertha Annesley. Her acting throughout was marked by that graceful ease which is so essential for the success of a part such as she represented and this and her great personal attractions served to make her a beau idial heroine. The drama is sumptuously mounted, and "A Fatal Card," as presented at the Metropole this week, is one of the plays that should not be missed.  THEATRE ROYAL The !meat Amerioan drama entitled "The Still Alarm occupies the boards at the Theatre Royal this week and no higher testimony to its undeniable popularity is required than the hearty reception which was accorded the production on Monday and last night at the hands of large and enthusiastic audiences. The incidents of the piece are laid in New York and the many various parts were ' adequately sustained, the caste including Miss Nina Vincent, who gave with characteristic piquancy a tine delineation of the part of Elinore Fordham ; Miss Ida Glenroy was a capital I "Cad," and Mr. Frederick Maxwell appeared to I advantage in the part of Jack Manley, a New York fireman. Mr. Pascoe Ilioletti Mr. Harry Waist', Mr. T. P. Percival, and Mr. It. W. Parry ass also entitled to a word of praise for the admirable manner iii which they sustained their respective parts. As usual the drama was suitably and realistically mounted, the special engine-house scene' which is a correct copy of the central tire station in New York City, and the harnessing of the horses to the engine, 'arid depelardlo the tire, evoking a tremendous out. burst of applause. -"