Sacha Guitry and his talented wife, Yvonne Printemps; who recently returned from a tour in the ab play, "Desire," at the Edouard VIL, United States, have presented a new
their theatrical home in Pa Apparently they have learned that, American audiences do not put up with long-drawn-out waits between the acts. What has spoiled many Paris theatres is the bad habit, which seme to be on the increase rather than decrease, of starting late and then, in a show supposed to est three hours, dragging out at east an hour in waits. In Americ in England, "The play's the thing" and entr'actes have to be short. The managers of the large Paris anusie-halls, which cater principally for foreigners, have dis-jude [covered this, and make only one break in a long performance. Sacha Guitry now advertises in large type that the three acts of his play Inst 115 minutes, with only one Duniax, July 28.—The Eireann has voted £20,000 as. com-recent weeks in the situation in China that it is officially announced that the strength of the Shanghai Defence Force will shortly be reduced. This withdrawal of part of the Shanghai Defence Force is the best possible proof of the gradual return to normal condit There have been questions on China in the House this week, though not so many as usual. Sic Austen Chamberlain endeavoured to explain the situation, but all he can' do is to chronicle military facts. He never tries to draw deductions o: to make prophecies, and, _indeed, there is a general feeling that we shall have to go on sitting tight and allow the Chinese to fight out! their own troubles, All sorts of [problems are coming up, of course, suchos the non-payment of interest on the Hankow Municipal Deber-tures, but the Government only will go as far as saying that these pro-\blems are under consideration. Presumably, one day, they will cleared up,. so the only advi which can be given to those concerned is to be patient and rest assured that the' Government is not likely to overlook their just clams, interval. It will be interesting to see whether other Paris theatre managers fin it necessary to speed up their shows in this way.
The <ld-fashioned French conception of a theatre, which still prevails, is that spectators like to have plenty of time in which to stroll about and tall with their friends in the foyer or corridors. Another reason for long entr'actes is that [they are supposed to increase the receipts of the theatre refreshment bars or ajcia: ng cafe, in which the management generally is interested, This kind of thing is very much in Jevidence at casinos at the fashionable resorts. It is thought quite natural te have intervals of 20 nutes, or even a half-hour, in the theatrical performances, so that visitors will have more time in which to lose their money at boule or baccarat, to the greater profit of the establishment in general.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.