New Britain herald., 1915-09-07
MISS G0MBEL, YOUNG ACTRESS, SCORES HIT
Inaugurating Season at Lyceum,
 My Lady's Garter," Pleases

Those who attended the inaugural ton of the theatrical season last night at the Lyceum were fortunate enough to witness the premier performance of My Lady's Garter,' crisp, clean, clever comedy, replete with good lines and happy situations. Aside from parts of first act that dragged per- ceptibly there was never moment when interest was not suspended, when the story did not unravel itself in systematic sequence. Seemingly, there is just enough plot to carry the vehicle along and everybody in the house was sure of how it was all go- ing to come out; but, like o. Henry, Jacques Futrelle had the happy fac ulty of springing an unexpected end ing. In the dramatization of his novel the playwright did not forget this all important factor. As a result there was unanimous sigh of sur- prise in the last act when the climax put in it's appearance. Miss Minna Gombel, at the head of good cast, was happily received.
 In brief the story of My Lady's Garter" is somewhat as follows. Bro kaw Hamilton is wealthy New York CT with hobby for collecting antiques and art objects. He gets possession of the Countess of Salisbury's garter, an extremely valuable relic because from it's association grew the historic society of British chivalry, the Or der Of the Garter. Realizing that the police are on the trail of the miss ing relic, Hamilton decides to get rid of it by placing it in a deserted house. It is stolen by a mysterious character called The Hawk who, in eluding the detectives, carries them to the grounds of Hamiltons residence. Outside the window through which The Hawk creeps, S. Keats Gaunt a poet in love with Hamilton's daughter, Helen, is waiting for her to elope with him He has in his pocket the jewels he is to bestow on her as a wedding present. The detectives arrest him, and the fun begins. Bruce Colc'lhoun, who has summer home on the Sound is next to arouse the suspicion of the detec- tives and round him centers the fu- ture action of the comedy. He is suspected as the Hawk. In the end, however, one of the detectives who is supposedly shadowing Colquhoun and who has been making strenuous love to Helen, is found to be the real Hawk
 Miss Minna Gombel, playing the leading part in My Lady's Garter. is young actress with promising future She has the happy faculty of putting her whole heart in her work and her characterization of a young lady grown up without parental restraint was a bit of acting cleverly carried out. Playing opposite Miss Gom- bel in the role of Bruce Colquhoun was Robert Dempster, young man with pleasing personality and ever so many good looks.
 For good clever comedy it would be difficult to find another young man to excell Louis Gimball, who played the part of the love sick poet Never overdoing his part, MT. Gimball al- ways had his finger on the electric button that controlled the laughter of the play. With MT. Gimball the little girl who played Mercy Dale, Miss Elsie Glynn, was very good. Wallace ! worsley, who looked somewhat like an ambassador and who cleverly por- trayed the part of The Hawk, mas 1 querading under the name of August von Derp, was well fitted for his part. He stumbled over few lines; but that is to be expected on the first night cut. Paul Everton was good as De- tective Merideth, blunt American, as was his co-worker, Cecil Owen, who played the English sleuth. Others in the cast were: Albert Sackett, Harry Scarborough, Harry Stafford, Robert Rogers, Louis Thiel, Howard Leslie Clyde Veaux, and Louise Macintosh
 J.. J. D.