ENTERTAINMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 255, 7 March 1911, Page 4

ENTERTAINMENTS

"THE THIRD DEGREE." On Monday next, at the Theatre Royal; Mr. J. C. Williamson will give playgoer' of New Plymouth another, and final, opportunity to witness a production of his Katherine Grey Company. The piece chosen for .Miss (irey's farewell visit, prior to her departure for America, "The Third Degree," gives the brilliant emotional actress unlimited scope for the display of her remarkable histrionic powers of wliieih she gave us a taste in her brilliant representation of the character of "Shirley Rossmore" in "The Lion and the Mouse." In this piece she was the educated girl who was forced to descend. In "The Third Degree" she is the uneducated girl who is fighting pride, prejudice ana suspicion, and of the two, the latter is undoubtedly her greatesi characterisation. As Richard Brewster, Mr. William Desmond is also seen to muclh better advantage in "The Third Degree," whilst others in the caste who have received lavish praises for their acting are Messrs Cyril Mackay, Leslie Victor, George Bryant, Bcfyd Irwin. T. XV; Lloyd, Misses Alma Vaughan, Alma Phillips and Florence Gleeson. "The Third Degree" is in reality a protest against the cruel system of the American police in torturing suspects until they "confess," even if innocent, rather than endure the agony of sleeplessness, questioning and accusation. In the play, which created a sensation in all the big centres of New Zealand and Australia, a story of self-sacrificing love on the part of an heroic woman is revealed—a storv said to be pathetically beautiful and sublime. The plans will be opened at Collier's on Friday next, and, anticipating the same large demand for seats which took place for the production of "The Lion and the Mouse," the management will again form a queue froin° 8 a.m., which will ensure that the earliest arrivals shall have first choice of seats. Monday night will mark the last appearance of Miss Grey in this town, as after a brief return season in Melbourne and Sydney, she will leave for America when she is to re-open the Millionaires' Theatre, New York, in a plav specially written for her.

"THE MAX THEY COUP VOT HAXG."

At 8 o'clock on the morning of the 18th of December, 1907, the iron gates of a'prison opened, and out into the light of day stepped two middle-aged men. One of them was an official in civilian clothes. The other man—there was something strange about him; he looked hunted and cowed, like a creature crushed and broken. Away tliev went by cab and rail to Xewton Abbot There the two men walked to the police station. John lxie, convict, on ticket-of-leave, handed his ticket to the police officer, who read it. What was it that made that policeman start as he read' What was it that made him look so curiously at the tall, clean-shaven elderlv man before him? It was this: Certain particulars on the ticket showed that on February 4, 1885, the bearer was sentenced to death at Exeter Assizes for murder at liabbacomhe; the man was John Lee, the man they could not hail"--the man under whose feet the grim nlcclianisni of the scaffold three times mvsteriously failed in its appointed work. The story of his life's ordeal, the Edmund C'arrol Dramatic Company will tell when they produce on Thursday next' March !), a t the Theatre Roval, tlie <rreat four-act drama of the above title written by the great English author, Mr. Claude M. Murrel. It is claimed to be absolutely the most sensational drama ever staged in Xew Zealand, together with one of the strongest combinations of talent. The box plan is at Collier's.