A CONVINCING STAGE DUEL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 737, 9 February 1910, Page 5

A CONVINCING STAGE DUEL.

rWatcbing:. fie :iehearsal of the great duel .scenes in- "Count Hannibal," at the Theatre Eoyal (says a Melbourne paper), ■one could .not but be struck..-by the, treniendous progress' made in the presentation of: such- details by up-to-date, and skilful-producers. Every.movement, evory" thrust , or. guard is-correct, and-the most critical; fencer. could find no - fault. As .a matter of; fact, i the., duel: was , . arranged under the direction of Monsieur Bortrand, the '. most noted : swordsman in Jiurope; but/ at the same time, it is all so .natural; and unstudied that the work of .the -toacheris. never seeri;' : or even suspected. ■; It is • a ■: willing "go" from start, to .'finish; The climax is thrilling. Oscar; Asche, ds Count' Hannibal de 'i'avannes, - gets -to close quarters with Tignonville (Gerald Kay Souper), and, with , a-.'lungo,;.oyer.:go-' the candlesticks, the wine bottles, and: all the other appurtenances of the table, which crash to tho ground. Sword in one hand and dagger, in the: otherj' they spring' round each' other like tiger cats,' until Count Hannibal, ' with a quick thrust, sends Tignonville prone to the ground. The duel'lasts some length of time, and both Oscar Asche and Gerald Kay Souper aro ingoodphysical copdition to enable them to continue to the end of the play without showing sighs of distress after their strenuous conflict