‘SUSPENSE!’

Evening Star, Issue 19802, 28 February 1928, Page 3

‘SUSPENSE!’

1 Suspense ’ was the title ol a so-called mystery comedo-drama presented tor the hrst time in New /ealaml last night by Mr IVm. Gracmcilolder and his company at His Majesty’s Theatre. It is certainly an apt title for the piece, for from the first curtain till the linal the members o the audience must have been in a real agony of suspense, wondering when members of the cast reputed to have English stage experience would disclose their histrionic ability, and when the story would straighten itself out to allow of being followed dearly. Allowances mav usually he made for lapses on the first night of a show, but in this case they were so numerous that no adequate excuses can lie offered. frequent promptings had to ho made when linos avui'c lorgottcn, ;hhl in sovenu iustances entrances wore made at the wrong tune. The story ol the piece concerned the activities of a criminal called “The Ace of Diamonds,” whoso identity is supposed to be hidden till the final few minutes of the last act. The mv.stci'ions “ ace,” disguised and hooded', steals in and out during various scenes when the lights are low, and steals a bundle of bonds which arc due to be redeemed on a certain date. However, they arc found at the eleventh hour, and, as the story purports to show, the virtuous parties reap the reward of their virtues and the guilty ones are brought to book. A “sspecial note” in the programme requests the audience to keep the secret of the identity of the “ Ace of Diamonds,” but as the final scene was presented it was not an easy matter to decide really who the mysterious person was. The' company’s injunction regarding secrecy was therefore unnecessary; they kept the “ ncc ” up their own sleeve, so tn speak. Several members of the company obviously bad little knowledge of stagecraft. The plot of the piece is obscure, much of the dialogue is neither clever nor witty (as it is claimed to be), and there is too much of the “Go to ” type of repartee. Iu any case, a good deal of what was said was inaudible, but probably the audience bad to be thankful for'that. The cast of ‘ Suspense ’ was:—Spencer, a butler, Eric V. Conway; Nina, a French maid, Mavis Tullock; Sir Peter Brace, an aristocratic financier. W. Graeme-Holder; Enid Brace, his daughter, Beatrice Hamer; Henry Aimsbnry, a manufacturer, L. Aslin Keay; Robert Marker, a sharebroker, Herbert C. Booth; Eric Aimsbury, son of Henry Aimsbury. Wilton George; Leo Wang, a valet cook, Frank Calnon; Detective-sergeant Clinton, of Scotland Yard, Frank W. May. There are three acts in the play, all taking place in the drawing room of Sir Peter Brace’s residence.

‘ Suspense ’ will be produced again to-night.