"THE LAW OF THE LAND"

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3039, 28 March 1917, Page 3

"THE LAW OF THE LAND"

A NEW BROADHURST PLAY "Tho Law of the Land," a comedydrama by Geo. Broadnurst, in four acts. Cast:— Arthur Brockland Leslie Victor Chetwood .'. Stephen E. Scanlan Eoberfc Harding Charles Brown Mrs. Harding Florence Rockwell Geoffrey Morton Prank Harvey Bennie Kathleon Lintoen Doctor Wliittridge Wβ. Lockhart Captain Prttohnrd Boycf Irwin Policeman Burne Frank Harcourt Policeman Taylor D. T. Lalor Inspector Cochrane Arthur Styan "Is a woman justified in shooting her husband because he ill-treats her (not their) child." That is the question involved in "The Law of the Land," the play produced by the Williamson Dramatic Company at the Grand Opera Houso last evening. At first blush the question appears to be , too ridiculous to argue about, ae murder takes a powerful degree of justification under any circumstances. So that George Broadhurst, as crafty in drama as he is adroit in comedy, drags in tho unwritten law t<l aid his purpose, a law which is not {he law of this land or any other land. Indeed, the play> powerful in patches, as is its appeal to the sympathies, deals with the breaking of tho .law from end to end, and condones the same with fascinating and amusing speoiousness. Here is a woman who,.having lived with a bear of a husband for ten years, concealing from him the fact that "their" child is really the son of a lover, who Teturns, at tho o'pening of the story, after a long absence. The husband's suspicions are aroused, and the wife is brought to a confession. Hβ will not divorce her, however, but seeks revenge for her infidelity by "taking it out of th 9 hide" of the child. Tho wife forbids such cruelty, and threatens to shoot him, and, goaded to the act, does so. With her husband's sympathetic secretary ehe contrives to make the case out to be one of suicide. An investigation follows, in which, the two are coiicer'ned, together with-a police Inspeotor (with a heart and twins),' the lover (who seeks to take the crime on his own shoulders), a deliciously impassive butler (who ia in "the know"), and tho aforementioned secretary (who acts as a flippant ass to disguise his real feelings). Those take part in a series of extraordinary scones, in which comedy. and drama Contest valiantly for popular favour.' It is as though Mr. Broadhurst (a notorious farceur) was undecided whether tho play should end as a drama or a comedy, for one-sees the uncommon spectacle of tragedy personified by the wife, with a confession of nrarder on her lips, seated on one side <si the _ stage, whilst the audience is screaming with laughter at the butler asking the jovial Inspector how his mother is. -In the end he simply lets each vein exhaust itself as it likes, with laughter winning over tears, for the Inspector, with the enlarged heart, hears the truth from the wife at last, and ends her confession of guilt himeelf, by saying that as she was about to shoot, the pistol foil, and in doing so went off, the bullot killing her husband.

This complex and, in parts, rather crude, comedy-drama, in. whioh there are more laughs than thrills, was tetter than well played. Mies Eockwell as Mrs. Harding had a role to sustain that was wholly emotional, and: her tremulous' helplessness and desire to shield both her lover and child from the consequences of her crimei was skilfully portrayed. Mr. Frank Harvey as the lover was manly, incisive, and sincere. Mr. Charles. Brown made the husband a most repellent and cruel wretch, whose death, wae really a very great relief to eyeyone. Mr.Stiephen Scanlan was delightful as the suave and keenly sympathetic butler, who liee most beautifully under cross-examina-tion, and Mr. Leslie Victor as the secretary was just as facile a disciple of Ananias, in a lighter vein. Inspector Cochrane, who is a new type of Yankee polioeman, was played with a fine breezy joviality by Mr. Arthur Styan, and Captain Pritehard was effectively played by Mr. Boyd Lcwin. Benriie, the child, was very prettily and naturally played by Mies Kathleen Lindgren. The play, which was capitally mounted, will Ibo presented again this evening, and again to-morrow evening.