WILLIAMSON DRAMATIC CO.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1034, 25 January 1911, Page 8

WILLIAMSON DRAMATIC CO.

■: —♦ . " — . • : ''THE THIRD .DEGREE." "The Third Degree," a dramatic play by Charles 5 Klein. CastRichard- Brewster Mr. TVilliam Desmond-. Howard Jeffries, sen.". Mr. Winter Hall Howard .'Jeffries, jun .Mr. Cyril Mackay Captain Clinton .Mr. Gqo. Bryant Dr. Berstein Sir. T. W. Lloyd Robert Underwood Mr. Leslie Victor Mr. Bennington Mr. Boyd Irwin Dep. Sergeant ' Jlaloney.,-.Mr;.' Ramsay Clarke Jones Mr. George Chalmers Elevator 'Attendant ..: Mi*. T. E. Foster Officer ......Mr. Elmo Sinclair Mrs. Howard Jeffries, ; sen.. Miss Alma Yauchan Maid at Brewster's Miss Alma Phillips Mrs. Howard Jeffries, jun., .. Miss Katherine Grey The many who keenly enjoyed Charles Klein's clean-cut and' logical play, "Tl-.e Lien and the Mouse," must realise that ho has done even better in "The Third Degree," which remarkable play ■ was presented by the Williamson '-Dramatic Company at the Opera House last evening. As I 'm tho first-mentioned .play, ; the dominating', motif is the woman pitted against a' 'power a', good'deal more ■ revolting in ' character,' and if the incident depleted reflect tho custom of the times, even moro unscrupulous than 'that' wielded "by the trusts. This is the poiver of the' police of America to pursue methods outrageously inhuman. .Kioto's of "tho third degree" as. practised by tho •' police • •of his own country created.a sensation in "tile land of the free." It is masterly in its construction, and written-'with literary ' snap. ,So vivid is the realism of - several of its scenes that tho audience was strung up, to high tension, which only tho opportunity for clamorous applause that caniß, with: the fall of the curtain after each'actrelieved/and at- the conclusion of the play the members of thecompany, and . jfiss Katherine Grey in particular, wero treated to : salvos of' applause, induced by ' their highly artistic efforts. ■ .. Robert Underwood, an art fancier and dealer, has outrun his trust, acd is "up against trouble." .-Whilst considering a filial move to , got clear,'..his, old college -chum, "Howard 'Jeffries*.."jun., lurches laughingly into the room, .mote than half drunk,-' and ehdeavours'.'to' borrow money. He', too, is against the wall, not that lie lias done anything wrong;-but- because ho has married a saloon-keeper's daughter, , and has so earned social ostracism and - lost the use of his father's cheque-book. Howard'has barely sunk to sleep when a knock -is -heard. Underwood places a screen round the' smiling dissolute, and .-admits a. lady. She is Mrs. Howard. Jeffries, sen., a former lover of Underwood's, aiid to whom ho has made a final appeal -in a letter containing a threat of suicide'if not helped out. She declines ,to intervene, and- leaves Underwood to, his despair and his revolver. A shot, is heard, and the curtain' falls. "You.did. it—rou know you did it!" comes in rasping tones'from'behind the -"cbrtnjjfi. 1 ' When 'it is raised young Howard Jeffries, pale and distr'alught/ is being remorselessly cross-examined and accused by Captain. Clinton of the police, tho repulsive person who has beeif called: in to clear up the mystery, clouding -■Underwood's death. ..The young .man lias been dragged from a drunken stupor, and has been undergoing the .process of."the third degree" for seven, hours. Physically weary and mentally \*;orn out,'he feebly protests his innocence, answering .questions which have been asked a hundred .times before. The accused sags to his chair,' and is ordered to, stand up, and the examination resumes remorselessly. Then Clinton draws, a revolver from his pocket,-and. thrusting it under the man's nose, says: "You shot ; Robert Underwood with tliis!"- The. gleam: of the overhead lamp strikes mi. the barrel, it' catches' the dull eye of the tortured, and hypnotises him. Clinton .repeats the accusation , with ■ savage ■ concentration,.. .and Howard repeats'him afterwards. A full .confession follows, aiid is duly, noted., and Howard is taken off to custody, the doctor in attendance alone protesting his doubts as to tho genuineness of tho confession. Tho news spreads, the yellow journals fan tho; affair into a sensation',' assisted by Clinton. -Howard Jeffries, sen., declines to havo anything to-do. with the case, believing tlio act to bo tho natural outcome of: his son's mesalliance. There is only l one truo heart on the boy's . side—his wife,' tho saloon-keeper's . daughter, a brainy, but illiterate girl.- She , pleads with Jeffries, sc-n., to help his own flesh and blood, but ho is adamant. She conceives that there is * only ' one hope for her and her husband's life—to obtain the services of Richard Brewster, the best lawyer in . America. He is, however, the legal adviser of' Howard Jeffries,-sen., and will nojt consent, to .interest .himself iu the case. But tho young woman' persists, waits outside. his office lor hours daily, and dogs his footsteps, ever, ready with a pica for,his legal aid.. jT'hey' attempt to bribe. her, but. she will accent no money; threats,' persuasion, entreatiesall aro in; vain. There sho is, patient and dogged, ; fighting for a final chance. At length Brewster'consents to see her, and in tlio course of a thoroughly delightful scene, 1 she wins over tho lawyer, in de-fiance;of-Jeffries, sen., dive.'j into the intricacies of .the case, snrings hypnosis as the solution of young Howard's confession produces tho letter, written to' Mi's. Jeffries, sen., by Underwood, threatening suicide, and finally clears.the.young man of the oliargo. of murder—not, however, before the young wife makes a great sacrifice by allowing, it to bo assumed that it was. she and liot her husband's'stepmother who visited Underwood's chambers on ■ the fatal night. Even this is made plain at the end, when'the affairs of life, as far as the brave little woman'aro I concerned, reflect a rosier hue.

Miss Katherino Gray, who made a favourable impression 011 playgoers, in "The Lipn and the Mouse," enhanced her value as Mrs; Howard- Jeffries, jun., last evening. After seeing this talented actress-in both, parts, one is inclined,to fancy that the author has invented a'new type of heroine—a preternaturally .quiet' little woman, who speaks no-heroics, and never by any means. poses for dramatic effect. Miss Gray, whoso performance was one to remember, w ; as gentle, simple, sincere, and iK?werfnl,.,xiJl withQut 'seeming to be so in the fcheatric-al souse. Through her' quaint litfie ways looms a grea,t soul, and her expressions of emotion are embarrassingly .compelling. Mr. William Desmond made Richard Brewster a strong lovable man, full of the which make good men great, and ho managed the office scone with -.Miss-.Gray with a smooth artistry of ability allied to experience. Mr. Cyril Mack'ay was notably good as'Howard'"Jeffries," jun. In the light ' bantering comedy of the opening scene he was, delicious, and. in (he important .'third degree'* interlude his work was tellingly dramatic. Mr. Geo. Bryant ladled out the horrors of "tho third degree" with no unsparing hand as Captain Clinton. On the. lines selected, i a diking dramatic acting. Miss Alma Voughan was quite i charming as Mrs. Jeffries, fen., acting well and looking, better. Mr. Leslie Victor appeared as Underwood, mid Mr. Winter Hall was satisfactory as Jeffries, jun. Mr H? yd *»>P?arcd.as Dr. Bernstein! and Mr. Geo. Chalmers submitted a clover sketch as .Tones. "The Third Degree" will be Riven threo more performances.