To the Editor of the "Nori-Cuixa Dany News"
Sim-—As one present at the opening performance of "The Sacred Flame" by the A.D.C. 1 read with much interest the remarks of your reviewer, and, although I agree with him thit the play was unwisely chosen, it is not because, as he contends, that the play was beyond the scope of amateurs. Last night's production was marked, on the whole, by very able acting, two of the performers, Mrs, Lillian Isonman and Mrz, Mary Biom, being outstanding. The mistake lay, in my opinion in the type of play'relected, bearing in mind. the audience before which it was presented, A play having. Unrelleved emotional theme through: out _may be highly successful before London audiences, or even when per> formed by repertory companies supported by theatrominded. audiences, but it was asking a great deal to expect a Shanghai audience to digest Tong. play" of this. description without some sort of relief, Any schoolteacher will tol you that It is dim cult to sustain "the attention of small children for any. Tength of time and that a break of some kind is advisable now and then. The average audience is not unlike 4 close of children in this respect, and experienced dramatists, realizing this, usually import some light relict which, when over and done with, does not affect the general tenor of serious play. If this relief is not provided the audience itself will frequently seek' for It, perhaps at Unfortunate junctures. Somerset Maugham evidently had sulMeient confidence in the audiences attracted fo his plays, for no such relief was given; but last night the audience found it when they laughed at a line intended to have a very different effect, The amusement continued for few moments, but it is only right {to add that the audience subsequently relumed to Shanghai, Return postage settted down and remained quidly was demanded and rightly refused, Attentive until the end when they The Parcel Department of the! gave the players a deservedly Shanghai Post Office then sent the Henerous ovation. No doubt the proppareel to Hupeh province, presumably niger has since handled the situation this being "the next province to! and T sincerely trust that the remain= Kinngsi and a little further away. will, go through T have now received a notice stating Wthout a hit that the parcel is at Hankow, which notice bears a "confiscation clause".
The full postage was paid at time of posting the parcel in September last, and in addition the tracer fee of 35 cents, Shanghai, Apr. 21, The nature of the play did not appeal fo me, but I write this in Justice to the players who acquitted themselves commendably, and. with deference to Mr. Poyion-Grifin's Knowledge and experience of the theatre.
P, Gesar.
Shanghai, Apr. 22.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.