"THE SAVING GRACE"

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 25, 25 October 1920, Page 6

"THE SAVING GRACE"

A COMEDY OF SCANNERS "Tho Saving Grace," a comedy in tlireo acts, by C. Haddon C))«mb<?i3. Cost of characters— William Hogg ..„, .Vivian Rhind Ada Parsons Mrs. D. Riddiford Blinn Corbett John Duncan Mrs. Corbett "'... Mrs. Steele Susan Blaine Miss Ida Duncan Ripley Quiblford Aubrey 0. Ashfortl Mrs. Guildford Mrs. Hoßkine Somebody is entitled to a good deal of credit for having initiated the idea of a performance 0 f ft modern comedy, and that the one selected should have been

written by an Australian author lent an added interest. "The Saving Grace," Ly Charles Haddon Chambers, appeared on

tho London stage after a period of silence by the gifted author of "Captain Swift," "The Idler," "The Tyranny of Tears," "John, o' Dreams," and "The D'alal Card," and whilst it may bo said to have less gripping power than most of' Chambers's plays, there is a grace and airiness in the style in which the comedy is writte.i that marks the practised band, and very aptly too has the author caught the humour of the hour—the resignation of all parties to the existing state of things in England during the last year of the war. That, perhaps, is "the saving grace" of the comedy, which is a play on the manners and moods of half-a-dozen mildly in-

tcresling characters. Tho plot, if it can la wiled a, plot, is very thin, yet the clever lines hold tho audience, sniely amused for a couple of hours. Blinn Corbett, fin ex-Major, who on running away with his Colonel's wife had sent in his papers, is a really delightful snob. 1119 amiable cynicism and King froid ('even when he and his wife are so html up that they borrow from their servants) are such that it is impossible to help liking him. Yet ho is a snob, and ho deliberately plans that his wife's niece, Susan Blaine, shall trap the wealthy young Kipley Guildford into marriage, in order to make the Corbetts' lot financially easier. Susan speeds up the game, and within ten minutes after coLsentiug to "Nunkie's" plan, the young couple are on. their knees in a rapturous bear-hug. Here the play would end, were it not. that young Guildford is so susceptible to female charm, that lus mother has to keep a sharp eye on him, and the news that her Ripley has "done it again," only raises'her demon at the very idea that her son could be serious, arid reminds poor Susan that Ripley's last was "an Emma Wells, who worked in a sweefcstufF shop. lllis rather disrupts 'Corbett pere, who, in desperation, decides, with his man Hogg, to enlist as a private. While so occupied Mrs. Corbett and Susan concoct a telegram to a General Faber, high in power at the War Office (and who formerly waa sweet on Mrs. Corbett), lolling him of her husband's action, whilst at the same time a, "board and lodging card goes up in the Corbett outlook. Kipl'ev> finding that his affection for Susan is' a serious one, calls again to review his chances, sees the card m the window, and promptly takes the rooms-having definitely cut the apron strings at home. Mrs. Giiildford pursues her boy, and finding him quite resolved, not only consent* to, but pleads for fe Corbetta consent to the marriage. This is exactlv as things should be, and as congratulations are in the air, a wjre arrives reappointing "Bloody Blum" to his old re cSering the cramped quarters the little stage of the Concert Chamber provided, the production was quite adequate Now and aga n chairs had to be. manoeuvred to permit the required niov B - S but oven such disadvantages wen. gracefully overcome. The performance Si auite interesting, and in some-ln-rather more than that Person--lilies had been selected to &t ™* nne intelligence in dialogue, which showN* Duncan to be an mgem.eetress of cosidernble promise. Mi. Jo n Snnean was also quite sound as Blum Corbett He had all the easy nonchalScTnecewary for the role, and he manned K the dry humour of the lmes with considerable aptitude. M=• Reele nicely invested the role of Mrs. f'orl ett with a genial amiability and allSemdU afiecfion, but ere anthere were little wells of feeling that not realised. Mrs. Hosking's beauhful r <i nn \nS sen«e of accent were perLias Sfa. Guildford, and there were tones In her last scene, where she confesses herself to 1* a failure, winch disclTsed histrionic ability, beyond the. ordinary. Mrs. D. Biddiiord made a smart sharp-tongued lady's maid. Her S? line was distinct, but m her long <Se «t the opening of the, comedy d « «™ inclined to talk at her audience rafte? than to Hogg (Mr: Vivian Hhlnd) "hose verbal tempo needs accelS Mr. Aubrey C. Ashford could Rcarcelv have been improved upon as a, •W' for the part of Ripley Guildford, nnilhis lines were so naturally spoken that Here was a laugh to each one. The stage manager and producer was Lieutenant-Colonel James Seeman.with Miss Agnes Duncan as assistant stagenanaKer The performance, which is n aid of St. Joseph's . Orphanage, -will I" r peated this evening, when there »i,nnl,l l>e a large audience. An orS. under the" direction of Mr Andrew Williams, provided the entr'acte music.