The remarks of the dramatic critic concerning the latest production by the Amateur Dramatic Club of Shanghai—"Room for Two,"—have aroused quite a deal of discussion, and opinion seems to be fairly sharply divided between those who favour the presentation of such plays, and those who definitely condemn it. The latter appear to have been getting the better of the argument. It is, perhaps, just as well briefly to recall the substance of the plot. Two married couples are friends. One husband seems to be a well-conducted mai the second is in adulterous relationship with the former's wife. The wife of the second, apparently up to that time properly behaved, meets in the home of her friend the day before the action of the play commences a young man who "falls for her" to such an extent, that when he learns she is proceeding to Venice, without a maid, disguises himself as one, his deception being assisted by presented lai rely by thi Austra ian and New Zealand Army historic n e of Corps—hich gave birth to the ac—under the con ud of General it William Birdwood, Landings were made at several points but as far as the Anzacs were conce: ed arr ngements were made for them to make a sur se lan ding in one body just before d dawn on April 25, 1915. The landing wa:
effected and titanic strug gle, with there after followed a assaults on almost impregnable posit the ridges where us and the famous battle of um n courage and endurance were tested to the utmost It was a gallant effort, splendidly conceived b ut defeated by a comb.nation of circumstances the principal one being the a tive naval he Dardanelles which gave notice and time to prepare. attempt to force the Turks prior When the force evacuated cig lit months later, the total Allied losses were 130,000 kill The strategical import: wounded and missing. nee of this undertaking has not been denied or it was on this front later in the r that the t successful blows were delive: ed, but it redeemed only took part in it was a costly attempt revery of the men who added to military glory nzacs, whose name will be the fact that he has purloined the vi ry|the fame of the commemorated today not only in Australia and shortsighted husband's spectacles.
Why a and other places husband who could afford to take his wife New Lene nir dais to Venice for a holiday, and write a £250 iis in the "history "of. the cheque for his mistress only possessed one British Empire great qualities of mind and pair of spectacles, or could not purchase effort being mobilized to face another another pair is not quite clear, but this im- crisis, but one thing remains certain and tha probability is necessary to the perfection of is the the farce. Thus the s! shortsighted husband, with not spirit of the Anzacs of Suvla Beach will absent if the final test should come. a wife who lends herself to the fantastic impersonation of the maid b; her lover, arrive in Venice, to find that the husband's paramour, whose destination in the first act Recreation Centres The annual r and statement of account: was to have been Baden, has already turned 9f the British Forces Recreation Centres, one up. The mancuv hereby the short- or, var ime TEEN sighted husband arranges to visit his lady nere to guard the International Settlement, call friend that night, and the "lady's maid" attention to the need for further support of manages to sleep in the same room with d very welcome addi ti "her" mistress is all part of the beginning "ment ded for of the second act, whereupon the young nghai the r woman effectively arrayed in a night-gown t oppe in Ferry Road may spends the remainder of the act endeavour-|*hortlv bec navallable to the committe: ing to induce her lover to get into bed with owing to the pressing needs of business her.
He,—the modern Galahad,—first en- other other Jessfeld Road, centre, that in ie deavour to silence her opportunings by giv- bè operated, and its uses to the garrison and ug her a sleeping-draught, and when she (pet eons cine of ite abcndonmen must be refuses to drink it all quaffs it himself and ai of the question, The buildings at the finds refuge from temptation in sleep. The perry M Road centre, being twelve years old, also third act reveals the state of the four's|can for affections, divorces and remarriages are when t and perhaps with, ite closure, eduction of the garrison from arranged and the glorification of adultery reached. The action is carried on a clever series of double entendres.
It may seem somewhat unfair to put the aken into consideration e may be no need to seek any other ce to take its place. By cutting out the services ug of a caterer the centres h been able to story just as tersely as that, but deprived of glamorous settings and effective dresses, negligee and otherwise, that is the gist of the play.
It has no moral, or if it has, it must be that nothing succeeds like adultery. are weekly and is consequently an immoral play.
It/to special may be argued that because Lord Cham-arrival of c berlain has passed it for stage production and three because it had a good run in London, thatthe farew perfectly suitable work to be produced and th ure considerably, though made. mace DES frt sod. ip^ thee sport Ther drives and dancer, th
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.