ions (with gurgles), detectives, rows of
Chinese servants each more rascally (and less Chinese, if possible)
than the last, and over all the polished villainy of the inscrutable
_Wang Fu Chang_.

Mr. JEFFREY'S technique was quite adequate for this ingenuous kind of
thing. He achieved what I take to be the supreme compliment of noisy
hushings sibilated from the pit and gallery when the later curtains
rose. Perhaps action halted a little to allow of rather too much
display of pidgin-English and (I suppose) authentic elementary Chinese
and comic reliefs which filled the spaces between the salient episodes
of the slender and naive plot. I couldn't help wondering how _Jack
Stacey_, whom we left at 10.45 in a horrible stupor, shut away in a
gilded alcove of _Wang Fu's_ opium den, could appear at 11.30 at _Lady
Handley's_ in immaculate evening dress and with entirely unruffled
hair, having in the meantime cut down and restored to consciousness
two tortured Chinese and heard the true story of his daughter's
adventures. This seems to be overdoing the unities. And I wondered
whether the puzzled look on young _Handley's_ face was due to this
same wonder or to the reflection that if he had shed one undesirable
father-in-law he had let himself in for another. For, needless to say,
they had all met in the famous opium scene when _Stacey_ was naturally
not at his best.

Mr. D. LEWIN MANNERING was suitably sinister as _Wang Fu_; Mr. TARVER
PENNA'S _Ah Fong_, the heroine's champion, made some very pleasant
faces and gestures and was less incurably Western than some of his
colleagues; Mr. CRONIN WILSON'S _Jack Stacey_ seemed a meritorious
performance. The part of _Che Fu_ made no particular demand on Miss
CHRISTINE SILVER'S talent, and Miss EVADNE PRICE faithfully earned
the laughter she was expected to make as _Sua Se_, the opium-den
attendant. Leave your critical faculty at home and you will be able to
derive considerable entertainment from this unambitious show.

T.

[Illustration: THE MODEL FLAPPER (CHINESE STYLE).
_Wang Fu Chang_ MR. D.L. MANNERING.
_Che Fu_ MISS CHRISTINE SILVER.]

* * * * *

Fashions in Hand-wear.

"Amusing contrast is seen in the Riviera and winter sports outfits
now on view, with filmy lace, shimmering silks, and glowing
velvets on the one hand and thick wool and the stoutest of boots
on the other."

_Weekly Paper._