‘TRIAL OF MARY DUGAN'

Evening Star, Issue 19949, 20 August 1928, Page 3

‘TRIAL OF MARY DUGA N'

UNIQUE AND EHTHRAILIMG PLAY MR LEQM GORDON'S RETURN ■ Stage ■ traditions are literally shattered in ‘The’Trial of-Mary Dugan,’ presented for the first time in Dunedin at His ■ Majesty’s Theatre- on Saturday night'by, a J. C. Williamson company headed by Mr Leon Gordon. As on the occasion of his last visit to Dunedin, when ; he played - ‘ White Cargoi’ - this capable actor has come to Dunedin with something entirely new in stage production. An Afncrican melodrama of an unusual type, its novelty and tenseness held the'enthralled attention of a largo audience throughout its throe acts. Briefly,- the play presents the actual trial of a young woman charged with murder, and, apart from the deep human interest in the story, the audience is given additional cause to become absorbed, because of the fact that those who watch the stage are constituted as the jury in the trial.

THE CAST. Clerk of the Court ...... Mr Lcs. King. Asistaut District Attorney . . Mr Weston Adams, Judge Nash Mr Charles Wheeler. Mary Dugan Miss May Collins. District Attorney Galwey Mr Leon Gordon! Paulino Agguerro ... Miss Elsie Willing, Doctor Welcome ... Mr John D’Arcy. Edward West Mr Frank Bradley! James Madison ... Mr John Pernside, Policc-iiispec. Hunt...Mr Edwin Lester, Dagmar Lome Miss Noel Boyd, May Harris Miss Evadne Royle, Jimmy Mr Leyland Hodgson. Ferne Arthur Miss Nancy Atkins. Mrs Edgar Rice ... Miss Daphne Bairn. Patrick Brady ... Mr J. B. Atholwood. Mario Ducrot

Miss Henrietta .Cavendish, Henry Plaistecl ...... Mr, Jolm-Fernside. Police-serg. Mills ... Mr Dion Wheeler; The judicial process of the American criminal court, with its many strange features, has certainly given, Mr Leon Gordon and his company scope to present something entirely new hqre, and they exploit it to the "full. A remarkable feature is that the audience *alks into the theatre and finds tin' stage already set as a courtroom. The curtain is nob lowered, and there'is no orchestra. Nor is the setting altered throughout the three acts. A cleaner first wanders in and dusts the furniture, and then policemen and court officials stroll in and 101 l about. Presently the noise of the crowd clamouring 'for admission is heard, and they are let in to the available seats. Those unacquainted with the American court were probably surprised to see the members of the Bar enter without wig or gown; tho judge wore a gown, but no wig. ‘ The intervals, of tho play were marked by tho adjournments of the court. During one of these an onlooker who had gone to sleep awakened to find the court empty, walked casually to the barristers’ table, and began to cat his lunch out of a brown .paper parcel, totally indifferent (o the laughter of the audience.

Despite , the free and easy'methods of the trial which followed, however, the question whether Mary Dughn is guilty or not of killing tho man whose mistress she had been provide? a unique and poignant story, though the atmosphere of the trial here and there is nob very edifying. A. music hall actress, she had been the mistress' of other wealthy men before she went to Edgar Rice, who was found stabbed to death in her apartments; and in a vehement cross-examination the sordid details of her life are Wrung from her reluctant lips until she is led sobbing from the witness stand. Other youthful actresses, called as witnesses, talk gaily about this mode of life, as a sort of comedy relief, to. the amusement of the acluiqnce,. • Things look black for Mary, whose finger prints have been found on the handle of the knife, but she still protests her innocence. Her brother, a young lawyer, has come in half-way through the tHal .to-conduct her ■ defence, and after -his draipatio entry the jury is - not so thoroughly satisfied . of ,'D-is ‘hlever and' tactful at length to dhe' .; to i the the mannf p %. ; C?.. H lounge o echoii and and ceedings the ever, rather lends malic style for the While the trick wdiidl’is., the defending counsel to v .-i murderer is clever, it is rathciv^^^^H done. The murdered man killed by a left-hand blow. ,' pected man had been lover of Rico’s widow, which he denied. In theatred ißle counsel for the defence prwesiJßat tho .map is left-handed, and course of exciting cross-examination thrusts the knife into the man’s hands. The witness grasps it in his left, and counsel walks triumphantly to his seat, leaving tho weapon in the hands of the miscreant, who waits to be led away to face the punishment of his crime, if it can be said to have been convincingly sheeted homo, to bini. But, after oil, one is told in the programme that the conduct, teims, nnd lecal routine are an exact reproduction of American legal procedure, and as such the trial is exceedingly well presented. borne of the g company, in fact, give exceptionally : fine characterisations, and every member assists to give the tual tho right. atmosphere. Mr Gordon, who received a warm welcome, put Ins questions relentlessly as , the _ prosecuting attorney, alert and gleeful at every tittle of unexpected evidence, though protesting all the lime he is only anxious for the truth. Tho suave and very American attorney was a very different role from that of the sweariug and sweating planter of White Cargo,’ but Mr Gordon’s versatility and undoubted ability enabled him to give’'an equally successful presentation. Mr Frank Bradley acted well as the counsel for the defence who withdraws from the case when the girl’s brother takes over her defence. Tins change meant the reintroduction' of an already firmly-established Dunedin favourite, Mr Leyland Hodgson. Previously he has been seen here in musical comedy, appearing as a dancer and singer of no mean- abOity. It says much‘for Ins versatility that he was able to successfully fill an important role in spoken, drama. The ■ role of. Mary Dugan is very capablv undertaken by Miss May Col-lins,-w-hoso work in the gruelling crossexamination by the • district attorney and,'in the examination by her brother, in which she admits she adopted tlie life of shame to make money to educate him,' is exceptionally well done. Miss Daphne Bairn also achieved one of the successes- of the evening : in' her impersonation of Mrs Edgar Rice,- who appeared in court in mourning , garb and told her story in quavering accents, .which -trailed off in-sobs, as her recital proceeded. Tlie impudent comments of Miss'Noel Boyd in giving her evidence as Dagmar Borne (of tlie Follies) were greatly enjoyed by the audience. Among other prominent figures in the' host of .witnesses were Miss Nancy . Atkins and Miss Evadne Boyle (as chorus girls), Mr Edwin Lister, (as-a police inspector), Mr-Weston Adams (as -the assistapt prosecuting attorney), and Miss Henrietta; Cavendish (as a French maid who testified- as to the illicit, love affairs of Mrs Rice). Mr John’ Fernside .gave - an excellent comedy, touch in two .parts—first, as W light-haired negro lift , boy, apd then as tAilnr. who waa a model of - Bar-