LITTLE THEATRE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 286, 3 December 1931, Page 11

LITTLE THEATRE.

"THE CASE OF LADY CAMBER." An exciting plot, tense moments, and dramatic scenes made the hours Hit by very quickly at the Town Hall Concert Chamber last evening when the Little Theatre Society presented " The Case of Lady Camber," a play by H, A. Vachell. There was the bottle of poison, the villain, the strong, tolerant gentleman, a lady.' of title, and ari attractive and terrified little nurse. The play,,in fact, is a popular " thriller," and the audience appreciated it thoroughly. Since it was of this .nature, the main onus, of the evening was thrown .upon the players, and' in that even the most critical of audiences must have been pleased. In the first place there was in the cast. Mr. Gaston Mervale, the society's new producer. He played the part of Dr. Napier with the ease and grace of 'the ' accomplished actor. Naturally, His professional aplomb showed up against the less sophisticated, methods of the in the cast, but this in no way unbalanced the'; general effect.. He made a very brilliant debut, and the excellent impression created augurs well for a very happy association between the new producer and the society and its patrons. Miss Nance St. Clair Whyte, who pluyed the part of Lady Camber, gave a clever study of the spoiled darling who in a, Gainsboro , hat and pink tights had won the heart of Lord Camber, and so entered the sacred but sometimes boring_ ranks of the peerage. Highly neurotic, her plebeian' origin showed up .through the thin veneer.

When denouncing her fickle husband she rose to dramatic heights and moved the audience to spontaneous applause. Her,performance was uncommonly good for an amateur. Miss Noni Wright distinguished herself as the nurse, who was under suspicion for the poisoning of Lady Camber. Miss Wright has a distinctly attractive schoolgirl charm, and one was grateful that she,, did not attempt to swim in waters too deep for her. Indeed, her naivetey endeared her to the audience, and was one of her greatest charms. The part was a difficult one, and had she. attempted to force the melodramatic side it would have seriously hampered ;he play. The very aristocratic Lady Matilda Rye was played by Miss Althea Parker, who revelled in. the role of the tolerant eister-in-law who, in- her heart disapproved of the choice of her brother, Lord Camber, of an actress wife. The part of Peach, the grim.housekeeper, who had been with Lady Camber before she entered the rarer atmosphere of the peerage, was played by Miss Ailsa Hacket, who delighted the audience. • Her kitchen philosophy and amusingly vulgar expressions provided refreshing comic relief, which was certainly essential. Mr. Bruce' Elliot made a very charming villain. Indeed, .his attractive appearance and personal charm made it difficult to believe at first that he was the cad of the piece, and putting him in the role showed subtle selection by the producer. As Sir Bedford Shifter, with the aristocratic clientele. Mr. Fred McCallum did some very sound work. He has evidently made a very close'study of elderly folk, and knows exactly how to interpret the foibles that follow in the wake of Anno Domini'. Mr. A. D. Bathurst made a capable butler. The stage management ok the'play was in the hands of Mr. ¥. E. McCallum and Mrs.Hovey, and incidental music was arranged by Mrs, Eve Miller. "The Case of Lady Camber" will be diagnosed,for three more nights, and the society should have'no reason to regret' its choice of this exciting ■p la y' . ■' •

In a lortress a "sally-port" was a gate or .passages by which troops could make a sally.