Dame Gladys Cooper (1888-1971)

"The Pursuit of Pamela"
By C. B. Fernald..
Produced at Royalty Theatre, November 3, 1913.

Mr. Dennis Eadie, Mr. Eric Lewis, Mr. Campbell Gullan, Mr. George Tully, Miss Eve Balfour, Miss Gladys Cooper.

Personality is the chief charm of "The Pursuit of Pamela," which is filling the little Royalty Theatre nightly. A very alluring, if a very mystifying and illogical person Pamela is. She marries an elderly guardian who had his eye on her inheritance, and runs away a few minutes after the ceremony. The first scene finds her in Honolulu, making love to Alan Greame, who would be equally demonstrative in his affection but for the fact that Pamela tells him quite naively that she is already married, and he bids her return to her husband. Alan goes to Japan, only to find Pamela at his heels, still ardlently in love, and she loads him with reproaches because he is considerate of her reputation. Meanwhile the husband, who is curiously kept in the background, has set his brother on the track of the runaway, but, being shortsighted, he is easily deceived, and is even found making love to Pamela in the belief that she is some other person. It is Alan's turn to take up the running, and he follows Pamela to Hong Kong, only to find her strong in virtue. He accordingly goes off on an Arctic expedition, where he undergoes such privations that he comes back an invalid. He is taken to a sanatorium in Canada, where the presence of Pamela, whose husband has meanwhile died of tihe plague, brings him back to health.

The play is unreal and ill-constructed, but it has many smart lines, and the acting carried it to success. In the title-role, Miss Gladys Cooper exercised her charm of personality and skill with irresistible effect, and made the irresponsible Pamela bewitching in all her devious ways. Mr. Dennis Eadie as the frank young Englishman Alan Greame realised the part to perfection, and the dramatic scene of Alan's parting with Pamela was acted with superb effect. Mr. Eric Lewis took full advantage of his opportunities as Peter Dodder, the audience losing sight of some very ridiculous situations in laughter at his drollery. Mr. Campbell Gullan acted with power as the husband, giving every effect to a passionate scene in which he claims his wife, and Miss Eve Balfour acted well in the last scene as a hospital Nurse.

The amtosphere of each remote part of the world in which the play proceeded was capitally caught, and should prove a distinct asset in the success which it is likely to achieve.

The Playgoer and Society Illustrated, Vol 9 No. 51, December 1913.