New Britain herald., 1929-03-08
Reviews of Current
 Theater Offerings
The Brandon Barrett Corp.
 Presents THE DEVILS MISTRESS A Modern Play

| A Modern Play
 By II. H. HARPER
 1 tCat of Characters)
 Gwyndolyn Barrett ...... Marcia Byron Le Marquis de Bocage Robert (. Fischer Dr. Robert Brandon Brandon Tynan Miss paly ...,....,...... Louise Sulnii 1 Miss Hurley -........,. Peggy shannon Orderly ......,,........ Robert Sinclair Miss Anderson .......,.... Hiida Howe Jerry Hardness ........... Lee Patri> > pr. William Billings Dodson l.. Mitchell Susan ......-......... May DaNennoit pr Francois Planchet .,.. Jules EpanIH l.edoux ................ Jean Del Val
 (By Herald Rer!eweD
 Male bachelors of the genus American should exercise caution in selecting female friends when visit ing France. Take. as an Xampl". the case Of nr Robert Brandon He met and wooed Gwyndolyn Bar rett. concert singer. unaware O. the fact that she was the wife of Le Marquis de Bocage who lived off her earnings. The meeting followed q professional triumph in Vienna when he performed a delicate throat operation successfully and was ac- claimed IS q genius by the medical world. While he is on a visit to her villa. their tete-a-tete is inter rupted by the Marquis. An alterca- ton follows and the Marquis good for nothing life is cut short with q bullet His wife arranges the body so that the coroner returns yer dict o@ suicide. Dr Brandon learns that the Narquisa is a gold digger and that she had here eyes on his bank account. He returns 10 the clinic of his uncle. Dr. William Billings, and becomes betrothed to Dr. Billings ward "Jerry" Hark- ness. whom he has subConsciously loved for years. After some time has passed he receives word that famous French singer is about 10 visit him Tor an operation on her throat. The singer. Of course, is Gwyndolyn, who has arrived in America under an assumed nama She threatens 10 expose him to the Paris police for his part in the kill ing Of her husband unless he mar riaS her. Developments fly thick and fast, ending in her return 10 Paris cIaperoned hy a silk hated agent ot the French secret service.
 From ,his material II. H. Harper has fashioned 1T interesting drama, TOW playing a, Parsons theatar. Hartford under tha title Of "The De}il's Mistress" The first act has the atmosphere of one Of those French novels which were once so 0opuar in n.ilady's boud cir. The play IS rather frank in it's lines and ls not recommended for juvenile minds. Last nights performance was it's fourth. Adjustme nts and revi- slons are still being made by the author who has fabricated a fetch. ing plot with possibilities.
 Marcia Byron plays the character or GNEndolyn Barrett acceptably and, ill spots, with great dramatic power. Her resemblance 10 Ethel Barrymore is striking. Brandon Tynan puts into the role Of Dr. Brandon the skill and understand ing which he has accumulated during years on the stage. Lee Patrick ap- pears as 'Jrrry" Hardness with sym pathetic intelligence.
 Louise Quinn. Peggy Shannon and iilda Howe give an air Of vcri- similltuda to the clinic scene with their nurses ''shop talk" Ctarac- ter types ar" w"ll handled bv Rob- art C. Fisher and Jules Epaily. Dodson L. Mitchell did not strike the writer as being the right type for his part and the introduction of the scene in which May Davenport figured seemed unnecessary, d. though Miss Davenport WAS top notch.
 "The Devils Mistress" will remain at Parsons theater for the rest of the week