The Northern Guardian. — 1892-01-05 (Hartlepool, Cleveland, England)

AMUSEMENTS.  "THE STRIKE" AT THE THEATRE ROYAL.  Last night, at the Theatre Royal, Messrs. J. K. Vrirr and Roy Cochrane's company produced the late von Boucicault's play, "The Strike." As its titi.aplies, the piece deals with the great labour ..stion in one of its most exciting forms. Apart from this phase of its dramatic existance, its plot is a somewhat hackneyed and conventional one. A villainous millowner, anxious to betray a girl whose mother his own father had previously treated in the same way, is shot by her paternal parent. He has had a quarrel with another lover, the hero of the piece, who, of course, is arrested for the crime. The usual trial scene culminating in a triumphant acquittal its the result, as might be expected. This , is really the gist of the piece, so far as its principal ! plot is concerned. But the play is worked out in detail after a more unconventional method. At: the outset we gather that there is a big strike in progress at a will town in Lancashire. The strike is headed by one, Noah Learoyd, a half-crazy enthusiast, who has an only daughter, Nellie. I Nellie Learoyd has three lovers, Dick Readley, a millowner, Jim Allen, a foreman engineer, and Johnny Reilly, a comical good-natured Irishman, of the type with which Boucicault has made us familiar. But Readley's intentions are anything but honourable, and Learoyd, finding his girl . carrying on with the millowner, and knowing that the latter's farther had eloped with his (Learoyd's) wife, threatens to murder him. Jim Allen, the hero of the piece, acts in a similarly rash manner. Roy telling her that he has news of her mother, Readley lures Nellie to his house where he attempts violence. A shot is fired from behind the hedge and Readley falls dying, but, as he expims, declares Allen to have been the murderer. The engineer is arrested and things look black for him, but by the timely re-appearance of Reilly, who had previously gone to sea, he is enabled to establish what Mr. Weller, Senr., thought so much of viz. : an alibi. This is briefly an outline of the plot. The acting was admirable. Mr. J. K. Murray, as Noah Learoyd, played the part splendidly. He did not. exaggerate in the least and his scenes with the meeting of masters, and, with his daughter, are particularly effective pieces of acting. Mr. Roy Cochrane as Dick Readley, the millowner, is a polished, frock-coated rascal of the modern type. Mr. Charles Franmore played Mr. Moneypenny, an irascible, sarcastic, but kind-hearted withal, lawyer, with great success. Jim Allen had a worthy cponent in Mr. Bensley Evans, who showed that he is capable of great things ; while Mr. Reed's Brook, a manufactuier engaged with Readley in the lock-out, is a fine and natural performance. The comic elements are supplied with admirable effect by Mr. Herbert Fox as Jack Roberts, a drunken, idle workman, with many good traits in his character, while Mr. Charles Fisher as Reilly, the Irishman, scored one of the chief successes of the evening. Mr. Percy Murray played a delegate from the " London Central Strike Fund," sent down specially to distribute strike pay and in his one short scene manifested good qualities as a comedian. Mr. Barrington Butt as Crankshaw, a policeman, Mr. Barry as the captain of a ship, Mr. Percy as Bob Grainger, Mr. Wilson as the judge, awl Mr. Parker as the counsel, all rendered full justice to their parts. Of the performances of the ladies it is impossible to say too much. Miss Emilie Dawson, as Nellie Learoyd, showed real dramatic power. In her scenes with her father, with Jim Allen, and, in fact, in every movement upon the stage, she gave the impression of a powerful and experienced actress. The part suited her like a glove, and she played it. magnificently. Miss Ida Livings as Betsy, a servant, Miff* Olive Lanty as Sally Naylor, the comicfanree of Jack Roberts, and Miss Victoria Joule as Maggie, a mill girl, all added strength to an excellent cast. The piece was well mounted, and some of the scenes were highly effective. The incidental music was rendered with the customary efficiency by Mr. Ball and his admirable orchestra.