Thrilling Mystery Drama

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 132, 5 June 1937, Page 3

Thrilling Mystery Drama

•‘WHAT HAPPENED THEN 7" During a period of over twenty years the Palmerston North Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society has acquired an enviable reputation for its excellent productions in both comedy and drama, and extra special care has been taken this year with the first public function, which will mark the celebration of the society's attainment of its majority. For this important and historical date, the three-act melodrama, “What Happened Then?" written by Lilian Trimble, the play that has, within the three years since its first production, been acclaimed everywhere as outstanding as a mystery, has been chosen. This drama in itself, even if indifferently acted, should be a sufficient attraction for those who like the . “thriller" type of story, but the society has, in addition, exercised addi- , tional care in selecting the best possible cast, and here again patrons who intend | to attend the production will be well 1 pleased by the excellence of the char- . acterisations by the amateur actors and actresses, who are amateurs in name only. Rehearsals have been going on . for many weeks now under the capable guidance of Mr Fred Cousins, who, incidentally, intends to visit Hollywood on ; his projected visit to California, with iia view to bringing his production ideas i in lino with the principles and effect obtained by the film companies that have made Hollywood famous. In this connection it is interesting to note that “What Happened Then 7“ was accepted by one of the Hollywood film companies as a very suitable talkie, and it is anticipated that the film will be released for screening in New Zealand early in the New Year. The histrionic skill of the amateurs, who are taking the part of the characters in “ What Happened Then!" it is anticipated, will surpass even the previous high standard set by the society in its many, and well enjoyed, productions, and with the well-laid plots and conflicting evidence, the audience is kept in a continuous state of suspense and though, at one stage of tho drama, several possible solutions are presented, the finale is kept a closely guarded secret, which is as astounding as it is dramatic. The play, which is divided into three acts, contains the inevitable story of the love of a young man for a young woman, but, unfortunately, although love is requitted, the complications commence when the young man's eccentric and wealthy uncle withholds his consent, and quarrels with tho hero over a £SOOO bill which the hero had j backed for a friend, and which the bank had called on him to honour. The stormy scene between uncle and nephew is very well acted, and in the next scene, where the nephew is arraigned on a murder charge before a full court, is realistic in its atmosphere. Tho jury is swung from one side to the other in clever appeals by tho Crown prosecutor and the solicitor for the defendant, but, i finally, the jury returns with a verdict of “guilty." The faith of the heroine in the innocence of her beloved, of course, remains I unshaken despite the jury's finding, and tho friends of the condemned man exhaust all possiblo avenues of trying to prove the murder was committed by some other person. They are eventually able to convince the patrons that the hero was much maligned, but the secret as to who was the murderer is not revealed until tho last minute before the fall of the final curtain. Production nights are Thursday, 1 Friday and Saturday, June 10, II and 12.