“THE RINGER.”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20432, 12 June 1928, Page 15

“THE RINGER.”

“ The Ringer ” will be presented here for three nights at His Majesty’s Theatre, commencing on Thursday evening. The following is from the Herald, Sydney:—“ What more fascinating story is there than the story of degeneracy? And what more fascinating story of degeneracy has Sydney ever seen than the role of Maurice Meister as presented by Moscovitch in Edgar Wallace’s mystery play, ‘ The Ringer,’ at the Theatre Royal, last night.” Here is an old idea, expounded in a new way. Maurice Meister, the barrister, who by his professional knowledge of the criminal world, made liimself its master —an overbearing, sardonic tyrant, who fattened on crime. An abject physical coward, driven to the refuge of drugs—a dope fiend. Meister was a tremendous story of fear. “The Ringer ” is a mysterious crook, a killer, who is abroad in London, seeking the moment to avenge a wrong done him by Meister. There is a triangle—Meister, “ The Ringer,” and Scotland Yard. There are windows that that rattle, clammy hands twitching through tapestries, strange lights—all the accessories that make up a modern mystery play, but everything is done with the acme of hairraising effect. And the identity of “ The Ringer ” is so cleverly concealed that up to the last five minutes the audience is defied to get nearer to his identity than a bet of “ one-in-three.” Nat Madison, in the comedy role of Samuel Mackitt, displays remarkable versatility George Blunt, as a police sergeant, draws a fine picture from real life. Patric Curwen, the doctor, has a big part, and develops it with a fine sense of the value of details. Mary MacGregor, as Cora Ann Milton, and Bertha Riccado, as Mary Lenley, introduce a refreshing feminine element. The whole play, in fact, is remarkably well cast. The company’s second production is another Edgar Wallace sensation, “ The Terror,” and for the last three nights of the season Dunedin will see the first production in Australia or New Zealand of “ The Silent House.” The box plan arrangements are advertised.