“THE WOMAN IN THE CASE.”

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3358, 26 October 1911, Page 4

“THE WOMAN IN THE CASE.”

AX INTENSELY DRAMATIC PEA). It is manv a long day since Gisborne noople had fiuch genuine entertainment orovided for them as wilg presented by the J C Williamson Co., m conjunction with Mr George Willoughby, at His Majesty’s Theatre last evening. Unheralded by any undue flourish pi trumpets, the new company, by the sterling presentment they gave of Clyde Fitch’s famous play “The Woman in the Case,” treated the crowded house to an evening of stimulating interest and rare dramatic excitement. The story opens with a reception given by Julian and Margaret Rolfe to celebrate their return from their honeymoon. The bliss of the newly-wedded pair is rudely disturbed by the machinations of Claire Forster, the woman in the case,” an adventuress whom Rolfe had, met in tbdlays when he had for a brief period trod the paths of dalliance. He became quickly disillusioned of the derm-mon-daine on discovering that she was like unto Sappho and had broken with her. Unfortunately Claire shortly afterward* bad ensnared Julian’s dearest friend. Philip Long, who determined to marry her. Rolfe, in order to save his friend from social suicide, exposes the woman , true character to his friend, in a stormy interview at which the woman is present and Long the same night in despair'blows his brains out. A tiger robbed of its whelps could not have been more infuriated than was the adventuress on thus losing the almost certainty of making a brilliant marriage, and she determines to take a diabolical revenge. This takes the form of accusing Rolfe of the murder of Long, and the unfortunate husband is arrested on the night of the reception. The author weaves a net of circumstantial evidence around Rolfe with consummate skill, and the dramatic intensity deepens as the plot is unfolded. Even Thompson, the eminent lawyer, who is moving heaven and earth to clear bis client and friend, almost despairs of saving- him from the gallows, when the quick wit of the devoted wife supplies the only means by which the mystery can be solved. Realising that Claire Forster alone knows the true facts of lying's death. Margaret Rolfe heroically resolves to descend to her depths in order to worm herself into her confidence ..»nd elicit the proofs of her husband's innocence. Mrs Rolfe rents a flat in close proximity to Claire Forster’s abode, and from that time forward employs all the wiles her womanly wit can supply to ingratiate herself with the adventuress. In this she is successful, and at the eleventh hour, in fact the very night before the. trial, succeeds in extracting a recital from Claire that Tying committed suicide. The duel between Virtue and Vice supplied a dramatic excitement such as has rarely been produced in a local theatre, and certainly no play has ever gripped the audience so closely as that presented last evening. As the devoted wife Miss Mabel Trevor achieved a sensational success. She quite carried the audience away at the end of the first act, when .she suddenly blazed out with rare dramatic effect in the arrest of her husband. In the third scene, leading up to the sensational climax. Miss Trevor was also responsible for most artistic work, and her do-' lineation of a clean, modest, honest woman ( associating with and copying the manners, habits, and language of ■ re who is everything that is bad and immodest stamped her as a thoroughly capable actress.

Miss Elinor Foster, as “the woman in the case,’ shared with Miss Trevor the honors of the evening. She was decidedly good in the big scene when telling her story, and throughout gave a most finished performance. Mr Gerald K. Souper had a somewhat cobriess part to play as the hero. Julian Rolfe. but made tlie most of it. Very fine work was done bv Mr. Hugh C Buckley, as Thompson, the lawyer, the part- being endowed with a convincing personality. Mr Arthur Cornell nave a clever character sketqh of Kauffskv. a German Jew. and Mr Harry Halley’s work as Wallers, the butler, was a v°fr men ton ous performance. Miss -\elhe 3 fortyne was amusing a * the vague mother, and .Miss Violet Paget Knfdt 11 ' an f- and Florence Gretton looked very charming during their brief a s friends of Margaret frVeiff £ arr - v Parkes - os Jimmv 0 Xedl, and Messrs John de I.acv and oonsftc e ntly ni ; ** IX>3lCe agente ’ act^ The play was splendidly staged and vem lt '? d ' ff, £ome beautiful gown* rolmaiTc™ y "'° rn <h,ri ”S ,lK P«- «“ diwSedated"*” 1 noatef Z° man i -“ tl,e will be reikX 1 wf r f! Ung ' and eror yone who ssdmb- Pl;l - I llo£t acted “ P° in t oi seeing the ore“"■WMng e,uall v