A BRITISH TRIUMPH

Evening Star, Issue 20780, 30 April 1931, Page 9

A BRITISH TRIUMPH

1 PLUNDER ’ FOR REGENT Few of those who saw the first screen version of the Ben Travers stage farce will admit that any successor could be bettor than ‘ Rookery Nook.’ The novelty, spontaneous humour, the drollness of Ralph Lynn, tho insinuating smile of Torn Walls, tho acting of the whole cast, and tho daring story of ‘ Rookery Nook ’ made such an instantaneous impression on its beholders that wo hesitate to" conjecture in what state audiences will leave the theatre after roaring at ‘ Plunder,” which opens at the Regent Theatre to-morrow. ‘ Plunder ’ differs slightly from ‘ Rookery Nook ’ in type. True, it has the same humour, tho same situation, but it frequently grows more tense, as in the Scotland Yard sequence, and an undercurrent of drama prevails throughout and never lets tho interest flag or tho comedy become overdone. However, it is farce right through, and the dialogue fairly sparkles with tho inimitable Ben Travers wit. Tho story is based upon the attempt of Tom Walls and Ralph Lynn as co-conspira-tors to dispossess tho scheming Mary Brough and her son, Robertson Hare, of jewels which really belong to Ralph’s fiancee, Winifred Snottor, the scheming Mary Brough (a rare actress she!) having produced a will leaving her the property of which she was formerly housekeeper. (If you can imagine the witless Ralph Lynn committing theft and manslaughter and then hoodwinking Scotland Yard into believing that ho didn’t, you’ll get an idea of the humorous possibilities of the plot. Ralph knew that he had to wear gloves for the robbery—and no more.) The box plans are at Tho Bristol and the theatre.