PLAZA

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 831, 27 November 1929, Page 17

PLAZA

FIRST SHOWING OF “ON TRIAL” New York critics hailed the stage play, “On Trial,” as being realistic an actual trial —a brilliant condensation of the most dramatic elements of a score of famous murder trials —when it began its forty-six weeks’ run on Broadway. Because for the first time it introduced the “flash-back.” previously used only by th< movies, it was particularly suitable for picture adaptation, and Warnei Bros, have made ii into a sensationa all-talking specia with an all-stai cast, which nc Broadway play could possibly excel. It will be show) at the Plaza Theatre this evening. The cast, which is headed by Pauline Frederick, Bert Lytell, and Lois Wilson, includes Holmes Herbert, Jason Robards, Franklin Pangbora, Johnny Arthur, Richard Tucker, Edward Martindel, Fred Kelsey, Vondell Darr a*nd Edmund Breese. The plays open in court on the first day of a murder trial. The accused, friend, and debtor of the victim, has confessed to the crime. The testimony of the widow, of the slain man’s private secretary, of the prisoner’s little daughter, of his wife, and of the doctor who examined the dead man, gradually unfolds the dramatic story of love, hate, trust, deceit, strength, weakness and honour. Not till the final gripping moment is the solution clear. The great Elmer Rice play was adapted by Robert Lord.