"A BILL OF DIVORCEMENT."

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19972, 5 July 1930, Page 9

"A BILL OF DIVORCEMENT."

TO-NIGHT'S PERFORMANCE. A crowded house and a sweeping success are confidently expected- for the Repertory Theatre Society's extra and Jinal performance of Clcincnce Dane's dramatic master- '< piece, "A Bill of Divorcement" to-night, in the' Radiant Hall. The recent season of ; four nights was acknowledged to be the society's lineal achievement, - and visitors to Christchurch are. fortunate in the opportunity of seeing this last performance. In "A Bill of Divorcement," more than one human problem is boldly lifted from the cold region of social theory and presented in the moving terms of life. Miss Dano assumes the legalisation of divorce on the grounds of incurable insanity. After Hilary Fairfield has been for fifteen years hopelessly insane, his wife divorces him and is about to marry again, when ho recovers and returns. Ho struggles, first .violently, then pitifully, to hold a wife whom the law and her love have divided from him. She struggles to hold her freedom and happiness, but surrenders them to his appeal for kindness, at lep,st. Uer daughter, Sydney, faces the discovery that an inherited tendency to insanity lay behind Hilary's "shell-shock," and gravely turns her back on Kit Fumphrey and marriage,'to remain with her father while Margaret goes free. Sydney is played by Miss Valerie Xennant, Jlargaret by Mrs V. Evans, Hilary Fairfield by Professor Shelley, and Kit Pumphroy by Mr J. Young. Other parts are taken by Mrs F. G. Malpas, Mr W. B. Harris, Mr Hoy Twyneham, Colonel F. W. W. Dawson, and Mrs W. B. Harris; and the play is produced by Miss Kiora 'King. The booking plans are at The Bristol till 11.30; between then and. 7 t>.m., telephone 22-052; after 7, telephone 33-374.