THEATRE ROYAL.

Press, Volume XLIV, Issue 19401, 29 August 1928, Page 6

THEATRE ROYAL.

"TRIAL OF MARY DUGAN » "The Trial at Vary Dugan" at the Theatre Royal showa Mr Leon Gotdw at bis The play strikes a w net# in that rtere i» bo rUa or fall ef the curtain p» It nor is there orchestra in the well to pl»y prior to or between the »ets. On enteriPß the theatre the audience see before then » Court room and soon lea»» that they are placed in the position o£ the jury. "the atmosphere w H>aintained till the fin«»h t>i the ease, so that when a Tolee from the audience give* • wdict of not guilty no one shows a surprise. Nothing but {he highest praise in due to Mr Gordon for his portrayal of the part o< the District Attorney, Galwey. Another line performance is given by Mies May Oojljns qs Mary Dugan, the e»rl who is en triftl for IK©' Mr fceyUmfl Hodgson is quite as much at home iO "itralght" drama as in the lighter class of fare. Mjps Paphn? Bairn as Mra Edgar Rice, Miss Kvadpe Royle a» May Harris, and Mr 3. P. Atholwood as Patrick Brady alßa acquit themselves with distinction. Qther members of ti well-balapced cast are Misses Henrietta Cavendish, Elsie Willing, Nancy Atkins, <ind *7oc| Boyd, and Messrs Lea King, John b'Aroy, Chjirles Wheeler, Campbell Copelin, Frank Bradley, John Fernslde, Edwin Lester, {vn d Dion Wheeler. "Tile Trial of Mar.v Diisan" will be repeated to-nisht.

"SCANDAL" ON FRIDAY. ••fSv*aod»lr'' ,I,e daring comedy, which is to be presented by Mr Leon Gordon and tile J. V, WiiljijijiapiJ, -LittJ., IJrainatiq Compai);-, \vliicli includes the accomplished autress, May Collins, at tkp Theatre Royal on ii'riday evening, was originally Intended to bo Htagcd for a fortnight iu Sydney,' but po successful did it provo: that its season had to bo considerably extended, and it had then to be withdrawn while it was still attracting large audiences iri o?4 8r 'bat Mr Leon Uordon might fulfil his present New Zealand dates. ''fcjpandal" ia said to keep the nudience "op its toes." Much of the reputation of the vlay has been based on the daring of its presentation, but much of the merit of a performance is not merely in the words or the staging. Mr Gordon and the present company' have attained an independent reputatien, and this counts in a pj&y like ''Scandal," Mr Gordon is welcpmo in any character, and as the injured Pelharn Franklin he is said to lie at his v«try best. M He is particularly fine," wrote a qritic recently, • 'in the bedroom scene, where he humbles the pride of the proud, selfwilled Be&trjj." ' The character of Beatrix gives IJi&s May Collins better chances to eshibit her histrionic capacity. It is said that she fills to perfection this ardiipua rble. Her clever acting, allied to"her fresh young beauty and unusually charmjng personality, greatly assisted in making the revival of "Scandal" in Sydney the success it was. Miss Henrietta Cavendish has the part of Honoris, and others in the cast are Ley land Hodgspn, paphne Bairn, Frank Pradtey, John Fern side, aijd Nancy Atkins. The <f Scandal" box plans are now'open.