LEON GORDON SEASON

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 424, 4 August 1928, Page 17

LEON GORDON SEASON

BOX PLANS OPEN MONDAY On Monday morning the box plans will be opened at Lewis Eady, Ltd., for the four representations of "The Trial of Mary Dugan” and for the two revivals of “Scandal,” which are to be staged during the short season of Mr. Loon Gordon and the J. C. Williamson. Ltd., dramatic company, which includes Miss May Collins, a brilliant American actress, and which begins at His Majesty’s Theatre on Wednesday night next. A Sydney critic wrote recently: “The Trial of Mary Dugan” is a remarkable play in several ways. To begin with, the play is a photographic representation of an American court, plus stage exaggerations. Another remar..able feature about the show is that the audience walks into the theatre and finds a stage already set as a court room. The curtain is not lowered. The intervals are really the adjournments of the court, and the audience is the The play brought back Leon Gordon to the Sydney stage. Not the swearing, sweating planter of “White Cargo.” but a suave and very American district attorney. His long-winded addresses to the jury, which is the audience, evoked much applause. It is a rather novel idea to liken a jury trying a woman for her life to a group of people at the theatre, and there is a lot to be said for the author’s assumption that, like the audience, a jury will react to the most brilliant and convincing actor. Dramatic moments were relieved with touches of comedy at just the right moment, and the acting was excellent. Gordon scored well, and if the American methods of trying a woman for murder are a little startling, there is a little notice in the programme to warn the audience of this circumstanceMay Collins played the part of Mary Dugan with fine sympathy. Leyland Hodgson was also excellent as her brother Jimmy. Charles Wheeler made a success of the part of Judge Nash. Others in the cast include PYank Bradley, Daphne Bairn and J. B. Atholwood.

| TO REMIND YOU! That the Thistle Social Club will hold the usual Saturday social this evening in the East Street Hall. * * * That a sacred concert will be given in St. Benedict’s Church on Sunday evening by the St. Benedict’s Choir, under Signor Costantini. * * * That a plain and fancy hard-up ball will be held in t.he Te Papapa Hall on Monday evening. There will be both jazz and old-time music, and a first-class orchestra. Bus arrangements are advertised.