“THE WRECKER”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 654, 4 May 1929, Page 15

“THE WRECKER”

THRILLER FOR HIS MAJESTY’S

‘The Wrecker,” the thrilling railway

mystery play, to be staged here for the first time by the J. C. Williamson, Ltd.,

management, in ‘conjunction with E. J. Carroll, at His Majesty’s Theatre on Wednesday night next, opens in the central office of the Great Trunk Railway, where the audience makes the acquaintance of most of the characters of the play.

The dialogue turns on the activities of a mysterious “wrecker,” who has sent train after train to destruction. •'The Wrecker” is the more or less nebulous personage to whom the outrages have been attributed. His identity is well concealed. An obvious culprit is suggested ir Chester Doyle, who sets out to make money out of the terror created by “The Wrecker.” Then follows the murder of a railway chief. Sir George Bartlett, shot dead in a room filled with friends, and under their eyes. Screams are heard in a later scene when a mystery hand appears, lights go out, and a lady detective is fiercely warned. In quick succession follow the doping of a signalbox crew, and the timely saving of an express through the toss of a coin as to which level- should be pulled. The interest in the story is maintained right up to the fiiaish, which discloses, in a really fine anti-climax, the identity of the wrecker. It is said that the train and other effects introduced are an outstanding feature of the production. For a play of this description a specially powerful company of dramatic artists is necessary, and in this respect the management has evidently been fortunate in its selection, as in Sydney the company was described as one of the best that has ever appeared in a dramatic production there. The company is headed by Miss Josephine Clark and Mr. Clayton Greene, two London stars of high repnte. The specially selected English company also includes Miss Noelle Sonning, Gur Routh, Arthur Young. George Willoughby, Frank Morrison, Ivy Sparrow, Kay Brudell, Reginald Collins, Helen Saintsbury, Richard Stirling. Norman Lee, and Redge Carey. Positively only six evening representations can be staged of “The Wrecker,” and there will be an afternoon performance on Saturday next, i The box plans will be opened on Mon--1 day morning.