A CRIME THRILLER

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 21, 19 October 1938, Page 6

A CRIME THRILLER

Repertory Players Give Polished Performance

“THE AMAZING DOCTOR CLITTERHOUSE”

In “The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse,” ■which last night opened a five-night season at the Town Hall Concert Chamber, Wellington Repertory Theatre players successfully achieve the difficult task for amateurs of presenting a somewhat melodramatic thriller without bathos.

The play, written by Mr. Barre Lyndon and produced a year or two ago in London and New York, is one well suited to repertory production. The dialogue is suave aiid superficial, the plot simple and rapid, and the tension of a well-developed climax heightened by the cumulative effect of understatement. The movement of the play, which does not lag for a moment, never permits the audience to perceive that its credulity is being taxed from the rise of the curtain. It is a play that needs only competent production and acting to be successful. But the Repertory Theatre company has given it much more than that. In the majority of cases, the players have thrown themselves into their parts with gusto; aud although one or two scenes were a little wooden, the tense atmosphere was skilfully maintained, and the verve with which Mr. George Cooper carried through the leading part held the attention of the audience. The production was polished and (lid credit to Mr. Leo Du Chateau. The sets, particularly the difficult roof-top scene, were artistic • and convincing. The cast ■was as follows: — Nurse Ann Irene Spi-dy

“Tug” Wilson Eric Evan-Young “Badger Lee (an ex-convlct) Arthur Aehley-Jones Sir William Grant. K.C., W. F. C. Balham Others who contributed to the success of the play were the stage manager, Jasper Baldwin ; assistant stage manager, Cedric Wright; property mistresses, Marjorie Rose, Joyce Beale and Phyllis Robleson; wardrobe mistress, Pauline Shotlander; prompter, Nola Cunningham ; stage carpenter, W. J. Johnstone; electrician, G. Colledge; and scenic artist, W. J. Conroy. Incidental music was provided by Mrs. Charles McDonald and Misses' Olga Burton and Ormi Reid.

Mr. Cooper played his part naturally and without forcing it, yet at moments when stress of emotion was required of him showed that bis talent had considerable scope there also. He was able to place bis outrageous propositions before the audience almost convincingly; and although he faltered slightly in the last scene he left one in the proper state of doubt as to whether Dr. Clitterhouse actually was crazy or was a very clever man —a question of interpretation that the book leaves entirely to the actor. Another outstanding performance was that of Mr. H. A. Painter as fl Cockney crook. He not only looked the part but also made a clever character study of it. Mr. Coysh was good as Oakie, and Miss Scott as Daisy. The minor police officers were rather too conventionally stupid; Mr. Walker as the detective inspector was excellent in the opening scene but a little stiff in the final one. Mr. Evan Harrowell as Benny created a perhaps too Intense villain; at the same time he was consistent and judicious in gesture and voice in a part where overacting would have been easy. Miss Spidy made an attractive Nurse Ann, but was a trifle restrained, as was Mr. Balham in his legal role. The story of this remarkable play is worth mention; it is based on the premise that a consulting physician high in his profession turns to crime in order to study criminal-physiology and pathology in the field. He becomes the leader of a gang of burglars, and one of the spectacular highlights of the play is their nocturnal looting of a Bond Street fur warehouse. He carefully preserves his incognito until the “fence” Benny, who fancies the doctor has alienated his girl friend’s affections, finds him out and attempts blackmail. Thereupon the doctor finds a firsthand opportunity of studying the reactions of a murderer. This scene was particularly well acted, and skilfully staged.

Finally, with the police on his heels, Dr. Clitterhouse consults an eminent legal practitioner, who stakes his reputation that he will be let off as insane. And that is as far as the play carries the matter; it skilfully shifts the ground in the Anal minute, and leaves one wondering, not whether the doctor will escape being hanged, but whether he is actually insane or not. Or, at any rate, that is the interpretation Mr. Cooper has given it. by his exceptionally tine handling of the denouement.

Dr. Clitterhouse. M.D., M.R.C.P., George Cooper Detective-Inspector Charles (of Scotland Yard) Leonard Walker Benny Kellerman .. Evan Harrowell “Pal” Green H. A. Painter Daisy (a friend of Kellerman) Constance Scott Sergeant Bates ... Robert Gilkteon Athol Lawson “Oalsie" J. W. Coysh