The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-02-27
ARREST MEN TOYING DTSMANTLED STILL
LARGE AUDIENCE
 ATTENDS PLAY
Under the Gaslight" Gets Off to Good Start At
 Jacques Theater
CAST DOES RARE WORK
REVIEWED BY NJ. M.)

thEtIEWED b1 M. M.D
 Look cut" yelled someone in the gallery as the villainous Byke sneaks up on one-armed Snorkey in the Shrewsbury Bend scene of Under last night. But Snorkey failed 10 heed the outside admonition. and the rope, after d few misses, slipped over his head and the unfortunate man is dragged and tied to the rail- road track, there to wait .horrib,e death when the down express train passes in twenty minutes. This was one of the big moments of the thrill ing med dodrama of after civil war days which the Little Theatre of Wa terbury is presenting this week. Last night was the first public perfor- nance, ard there will be two mo.e shows, ere tonight, and the final showing Saturday night.
 There -vas no evidence of the fire beyond a slightly charred aroma that for while threatened Jac- quest theater the night before. The damage. which was sufficient to cause considerable worry and trouble was repaired. Each scene was com plete, and the properties showed no effects of the fire to the onlooker. Nine costumes had been burned, but costumer from New York supplied the missing gowns, and the ladies were all caparisoned in splendor be- fitting .heir stations. At any rate the fire did not touch the feather on Mollie Cullen's hat. That awful ly mena clng feather!
 The drama is in four acts and nine scenes. This fact makes the pf e,i1 1 h Ia hut with the many scenery shifts, the show was run off in farily record
 time, finishing at about 11:30. The
 waits be.ween scenes and acts were
 pieasingly filled in by Mrs Eric Pare who, in soubrette costume, sang
 many old torch" songs of a by- gone day. The Little Theatre en- semble, too, furnished many selec- tions, and the soft music accom- panying tense moments of the drama
 was well chosen and timed.
 Mrs Van Dam, one of the Voices of Society. Mrs William Writ
 Mrs Van Dam, one of the ...... Voices of Society Mrs William
 The play. Well, it's all about love and life in these times," meaning times following Civil war days. The locale is Now York, with one jump down to Long Branch and environs. There is an unfortunate heroine. picked up years before on the New York streets, whose life is now darkened by the sinister presence of the unbiqritous Byke. "whom the law is reaching but never touches" F.. Robert Stevenson gave the part rare sinister character. His &C., complice, Old Judas" was quite as sinister III the hands of Miss Mollie Cullen, toothless crone, who is Byke's ri@ht hand. Both Byke and Old Judas were liberally boohed and hissed at every entrance and at every samblance of dirty work at the crossroads, of which there was plenty.
 Laura Courtland and Ray Trsf- ford, heroine and hero respectively, played by Miss Evelyn Skelly and Charles Raymond were typical of the | life of those days; the former was victim of such trials and misfor- tunes as Lefall melodrama heroines, and the latter was vacillating hero who drops to one knee at frequent intervals, is pretty much incon- stant, but finally rallies to the aid of the heroine and is reunited to her before final curtain.
 The finest performance of the evening in the way of finish and easy stage presence was that of Miss Anna De Lancey as Pearl Cortland. {. designated as "pretty but no heart" She gave a splendid performance throughout, even singing in a charm ing manner, My Lovely Celia" Also