What ig sri American lawyer to do when a personal friend and fashionable physician with a perfectly charm. ing and devoted wile declares that he has shot a blackmailer in self-deence and secks to establish that fact extra-judicial fashion? The situation is made more complicated when the American lawyer ig not Jacking in detective instincts and at once per~ ceives a flaw in the otherwise con-Vineing narrative. That is the prob-Tem towhich the audience were intro~ duced on Friday night at the Lyceum Theatre by the A.D.C's skilful interpretation of Messrs, Reginald Simpson and Frank Gregory's three-act dram And the narrative to which the amiable and resourceful lawyer had to listen presented an attractive yana ton of the eternal triangle as it affect fed the lives of two doctors in partnership and as it developed Under the austere examination of the General Medical Council. Mr, Gardner Crane is to be conralulated on a well-conceived production which will be even better when the inevitable drag of a frst night has been mastered, Mr. Pettitt manfully shoulders the burden of living dangerously and, yet, xemivirtuously. The dilemma presented to him by the authors in the last act points so clearly to the course which takes that the inexorable logic of the decision carries complete conviction. Of the villain he. might well have observed "The fellow simply couldn't live" as was said in another drama of an earlier period, Mr. Pettitt has a good presence and' fine voice, The combination was helped by an easy technique which achieved na-furalness without strain, Miss Mid dleton reached her best in the second act and won merited applause for her evidence before the Council. the first act she was to allow the emotional: note to find too ready expression, but cane thoroughly commended for deft performance. Both she a Mr. Geore might cultivate shrill rendering of certain phases excitement. Mr. Geere's. "Oh My God" at the moment of discovery of his wife's disaffection raised long for in the wrong place, The second act would spare Miss Middleton impossible line if the curtain were allowed to fall on the President's final verdict. Even in London that hhysterieal challenge from the lady to the awful tribunal rang false, Me,
His villain had no redeeming, Geeres study was sound throughout, acteristic, Yet he did not mistake of ' over-emphasis.
'Winstanley was admirable in the fond act. She could afford in first act' to be perter and tess Jan-gushing. Vera Kennedy was diamond hard and Miss Winstanley left doubt of that point in the Council scene. The production was wonderfully helped by the perfection of the minor parts. They were all good: outstanding were Mr. J, 8. Chisholm and It-Colonel F. Hayley-Bell. Mr. Lienard, was. sufficiently unpleasant the "accusing counsel. Mr. Isard negotiated the longest speech the play to the satisfaction of the audience. He only iscked smoothness of diction. Mr. Xavier contributed the gem of a hunt-nail sketch, and Mr. Bates was not far behind him—a little less stolidity and more marked sense of humour would improve Lawyer Gale a hundred per cent. Mrs, Gardner Crane decided to make her brief appearance in low comedy vein, It was a legitimate interpretation and marked by unques-ionable polish. It performed yeoman service in tiding over the always awkward moments just after the rise of the curtain. Finally let a word be aid for the strong silent men of the General Medical Council under Col-oriel Hayley Bell's presidency. They Gesperately strove to look intelligent fand it was sad to think that they went so grossly astray in their judgment. The Club should be satisfied with a railling good drama and a rich Yarlely of thoughtful acting. If Stonghhal knows its business it will see that this show is well-supported—e1.
Considerable damage was caused at Messrs. Linson & Co's. distillery, 945-7 Bast Yuheng Road, on Tuesday, Oct, when 5,000 bottles of champagne and quantity of imported wine went up flames. Although the main factory, Which consists of several buildings, was close lo the storage which was ulled yesterday, firemen from Yang. tszepoo station succeeded im prevent ing the fre from spreading to ad-Jacent buildings.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.