New Britain herald., 1930-04-08

Eileen Gregory ............. Ara Gerald Casey, the parlor maid ..... Doris Covert Hilary Benson .....,... 4. J. heroerl Madam Clara Northrup :. Camilla Crume The Honorable Patricia Walls
 .................. Shlrley 1ale Winnie St. John ......... Valerie Dade Sir Erie Ramsey ~. J.~eherby HaWkes Alice Chamberlain ....... Ethel Eemey Donald Chamberlain ..... Albert Hayes
 tBy Herald Reviewer) .
 British social traditions and the double standard receive a fearful bashing from the pen of Courtenay Savage, whose drama Virtues Bed is being ptayed at Parsons theater, Hartford. These British cousins of ours, if MT. Savage is a reliable in forlnant. are frightful rotters and not at all the type one would want to introduce to, ones friends. Tha women are bad and the men-ugh! !! No morals at all. none at all. Clan destine affairs over the weekend and all that sort of thing, you know. Skeletons piled up in family closets like cordwood.
 When the curtain descends you are convinced that the Colonels Lady and Judy O'Grady are actually sisters under the skin.
 This orgy of tea drinking and Sin has it's genesis in northern Africa. After the first act it seems as if someone is eternally passing a cup of tea to someone else with an oc- casional cocktail being poured for the sake of variety. This, of course, stamps it with the authentic atmo- sphere of British society. A person could come in blindfolded in the middle of the second act and, upon hearing the conventional wont you let me give you a cup of tea, my dear?' would realize that the tscenc was at a country estate just outside of London.
 Eileen Gregory becomes tired of Mrs. Warren's profession in house patronized by philandering busfh c ss men and army officers and, having thing as he was about to die and having inherited a large number Of pounds sterling, decides to crash the social barrier in London. She leaves Northern Africa behind and, by in tensive study, cultivates a Mayfair manner. She is sincere in her de- sire to associate with people who are regarded by the world as re- spectable. To her home, right in the midst of tea and tennis, comes Major Harry Austin, who knew her when. He is shocked to learn that she is associating with folks in his set and threatens to expose her But his conscience bothcrs him and he declares that he will not draw aside the curtain on her past Then she decides to tell all to her friends At a dinner gathering, she tells the story of a hypothetical girl whose life parallels her own. Her guests guess the awful truth and, with true British dignity, file out. Upon hearing a revolver shot, they re. turn and then she proceeds to teal into tatters their own superficial re. SpeCtaDli1tS. In the end she anL Major Austin decide to be married and go to South America.
 The story. if you like it, is ca pably handled. Ara Gerald is con vincing as Eileen Gregory. Robert Strange does a good piece of work as Major Austin. A. J. Herbert characterizes the perfect rotter who is always nibbling at some lady's | knuckles but who is a deep dyed villain just the same. Camilla Crumc is, without eXaggeration great as the eXpatriated American with a butterfly mind and a dino sauric physique. Shirley Gale gives a good interpretation of the British authoress and Ethel Remey of Alice Chamberlain, who can excayatt more dirt than steam shovel, I kerby Hawkes. is natural as tn. English gentleman, eminently re. spectable.
 Virtues Bedp will be repeated | this evening and tomorrow nigh, with matinee tomorrow.