‘THE WRECKER’

Evening Star, Issue 20194, 6 June 1929, Page 1

‘THE WRECKER’

A maniac responsible for a Series of railway disasters, completely mystifying to the authorities, is the theme of ‘ The Wrecker,’ the railway mystery drama, to lie staged hero by the J. C. Williamson, Ltd., management in conjunction with E. J. and .Dan Carroll at His Majesty’s Theatre, commencing on Thursday not, Juno 13. Stagecraft is a pronounced feature of the production—a fact made dear by a reviewer’s description of one of the sensations of the play! “ With a shriek and a roar,” ho says, ‘‘the rainbow express sped on to what seemed destruction. A madman had climbed into a signal box on a lonely Yorkshire moor, chloroformed the signalman, and set the points to send the mighty express, with all its passengers, crashing over the embankment. We heard the engine whistle as it approached the signal box-—heard the rush of the train through the . storm, heard the drumming of ; the wheels on the glistening rails,, j the clang of machinery, and*; the steady panting of the engine. The noise swelled to a mighty crescendo which mad© our blood run cold. We wanted to scream or to do something equally foolish. The gallant hero is now in the signal box, desperately trying to persuade the drugged railway man to indicate the lever which would save the train. The .signalman’s condition is hopeless. A risk must be taken with the points- A spun coin decided the hero. A superhuman effort, and he swung hack the lever which left the track clear. A second later the express thunders by. Wo saw the glare from the furnace and the lights of the carriage windows. Wo pictured men, women, and children peacefully sleeping, confident that their journey would bo a safe one. Like a flash, it seemed, the express had gone—a strikingly realistic stage effect, leaving the audience applauding in a theatre filled with real smoke and real steam.” ‘ The Wrecker’ is by Arnold llidley, author of ‘ The Ghost Train.’ It can only be staged for six performances as Miss Josephine Wilson and Mr Clayton Greene, the principal artists, are duo to return tn London shortly. The box plans will he opened on Monday morning,.