ENTERTAINMENTS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 18 February 1911, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS.

: « K"THE MAN THEY OOULD NOT HANG." The above is tlio title of tlio drama to be produced by Edmund Carrol's Dramatic Company in the Levin Town Hall on Monday next, February 20th. The piece from the pen of' the great English author Mr Claudo M. Murrell, has been dramatised from the life story of John Lee. as written by himself. No doubt there are few people who have not read or at least heard of this extraordinary man. The maai under whose feef, the grim mechanism of the scaffold three times failed l in its appointed task. It is tlio story of one who, rightly or wrongly, was doomed in the first flush of manihood to a torture more fiendish than the human mind, unaided by the demon of circumstance, could have Revised, ft is the story of a man, dangled in the jaws of death, and. hurried thence to a living tomb, whose terrors make even death seoin merciful... From his terrible ordeal, after serving 22 years imprisonment, he omerges with the cry, "I am an innocent man: I take Almighty God as my judge, 1 have spoken the truth." Even the judge was struck by his calm behaviour, for in passing sentence he said : You say that you are innocent, I wish I- could believe you , . You have throughout this case maintained a most calm appearance, and even at this very moment you appear to be calm, but I -am to pass the sentence. Never in the history of the world do dramatists export to hear of another such, case to give an author, so much scope for real dramatic situatioss. "The man they could not hang" is a departure from the usual type of sensational drama altogether. It is written round a life .story, which lias startled the whole world; a life story full t of romance, adventure and stirring episodes. Jt is a romance full of strong heart interest; love, hate and vengeance; mingled with the author's°introduction of bright sparkling comedy, leading finally to an ending full of glorious happiness. .The piece also provides great scenic scope, including a realistic fire scene. Mr Roy HWbert takes the part of John Lee. while that of Kate Murton is in the hands of Miss Beattie Morton. The comedy is provided hy Miss Clare Guerney and Mr Geo. Gardiner.