ETHEL IRVING SEASON.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1390, 16 March 1912, Page 6

ETHEL IRVING SEASON.

♦ "THE WITNESS FOR THE DEFENCE." "The Witness for tho Defence," a drama in four acts, by Mr. A. E. W. Mason. CastHenry Thrssl: Stephen T. Ewart Stephen BaJlantyne linlliwell llobbes Hal-old Hazlewood J. IMurapton Wilson Diehard llnzlcwood IVrirburton Gamble Robert Pettifer Townsemt Whitlins Hubbard Gilbert Portcous A Servant Monte Luko ""la'ram Singli Sydney Duckland Mrs. Pettifer Florence Nelson Stella JJailautyne Ethel Irving More than one well-known novelist has during tho past decade found congenial employment and provided in somo eases a shorter cut to fame and oven fortune in writing for tlio stage rather than i'or tho study, and once they yield to the temptation it grips. Adaptations for th'o stage of Hall Caine's powerful if somewhat melodramatic introspections of Manx life must havo brought their author considerablo fortune. Mr. J. M. Barrio has of late years devoted most of his timo to writing for the etago and wo now have Jeromo K. Jeromo, Roberts Hichcns, John Galsworthy, and a dozen others all looking for another medium to give expression to their ideas. One of the latest recruits to the novelist-playwright class is Mr, A. E. 'W. , Mason, who has written quite a number of passably good novels. Nearly all of them are better stories than "The -Witness for the Defence" is a play. If he were to set to work to re-write the play—and it would not be an unreasonable move on his part —one feels boiind to express the view that its construction, would not be materially altered. Tho first act is positively electric with dramatic foreboding nnd is full of interest, but tho promise of better things to como is not fulfilled. The second act is dull and explanatory; the third is slightly relieved by a strong emotionnl scene in which Miss Irving gives a tasto of her powers to hold nn audience-through a long and rather tedious vale of tears and protestations; and finally, in the last act; in the confession scene, she touches 'for a few minutes a noto that stamps her us a very gifted emotional actress as distinct from her shining qualities as an exponent of comedy. In "Lady Frederick" a perfect harmony existed, between tho play and the leading player. This cannot be said of "The Witness for the Defence," which is not en adequate medium for the display of the varied talents Miss Irving, unquestionably possesses. If the author could have kept up tho pace set in the first act it might have been a great play. As it is it is nothing, of tho sort. It is trite almost to prosiness in patches; there .is nothing distinctive in tho writing, and its construction is woak. The play centres round Stella Ballautyne, who, taken to India as a girl, marries Stophcn Ballantyne, an official, who is a secret drinker and a half-crazed, sinister scoundrel \yho deliberately humiliates his wife in public and boats her in private. To their tent-home in Itajputnma comes ono day Itarry Thresk, a young lawyer on tour, and an old sweetheart of. Stella's. At dinner Ballantyne creates a reprehensible scene, showing Thresk precisely how the (and lies,' so that when he says good-bye, ho deliberately leaves his pipe behind, as an eicuso to return. When he does he-finds her handling a rifle. As he leaves, Ballantyne enters, and, maddened with himself and crazy with his wife for the scene a stranger had been witness of, he advances with' murder in his eyes and twitching fingers to the shrinking terrorstricken little woman.. As he lunges at her she raises the rifle—and the curtain descends. The scene is changed to England—thro* years later, where, in the course of some rather "talky" scenes, tho audience is permitted to gather that Stella has bceu tried for tho murder of her husband, and acquitted, and is at present established in her old home in Little Beding, where she has become tho cynosure of all eyes, tho protege of a queer old party named Hazlewood, and the lover of "his son Richard. Tho young man has, in Robert Pettifer, an uncle of an inquiring turn of mind, who is not altogether satisfied with his heir's choice of a wife, and he is not quite convinced that tho jury was told nil in the murder trial. To satisfy his doubts, he gets Hailewood to invito Thresk to visit him, having a desire to question the man on whose evidence Stella was acquitted. Thresk, who has lied to free tho woman he has nlwavs loved, lies again when evading Pett'ifer's cross-questioning. In the meantimo Stella, almost demented with apprehension for fear Thresk will disclose tho whole truth, comes to him late at night, and confesses her misery at the thought that she might lose her only chance of a little happiness. Then Thresk discovers that she has not told her lover all, and seeing fatality in concealment, threatens to do so if ehe will not. To her tears and entreaties. Thresk is ol£ durate—he insists on the confession —and after confessing that sho is already married, but will confess the midnight scene, is interrupted by old Hazlowood, who is also told tho truth. In tho morning Stella confesses that elio shot her husband in golf-defence, young Hnzlewood cuddles her, and makes it all right, and Thresk goes off to meet a train. Tho one really compelling "bit of acting was the confession scene, in which. Miss Irving wns really magnificent in portraying a grnntl climax in contending emotions—humiliation in having to mako the cruel confession, the tense and passionate oxcitemont as to how her husband will receive her etory, nnd the aching misery and despair of being tho central figure of 6uch a coarse tragedy. Mr. Stephen Ewart was quietly effective as Thresk, and all through the rather tedious scenes acted with commendable repose and refinement. Mr. Halliwell Hobbes came out strongly. in s tho first act as a powerful dramatic actor, in the part of Stephen Ballantyne—tho bestdrawn- and best-acted male character in the piece. Mr. Warburton Gamble was quito at his ease as Richard Hazlowood, and Sir. J. Plumpton Wilson was quite excellent in the clever character study ho gave of Mr. Hazlewood, senior. Mr. Townsend Whitling acted with weight and dignity as Robert Pettifer, and Sir. Gilbert Porteous, as Hubbard, extracted a few vagrant gleams of humour. Miss Florence Nelson was Mrs. Pettifer. The tent scene in the first act provided a novel stage setting, and with tho Indian servants, and on occasional word or two of Hindustani thrown in, gave the scene an air that smacked of India. "Tho Witness for the Defence" will be staged to-night and on Slonday.