35. but conceals her identity under the name of Mrs. BeverleySmythe (corrupted by Babbs into Butterscotch Smythe). Countless embarrassing situations arise, particularly for Babbs, who fre quently lapses into unladylike behaviour and conversation. Like all good stories, however, the play ends happily. Jack and Kitty are united; so are Charley and Amy; Sir Francis discovers in the real Donna Lucia an old flame, and Babbs, the pseud o Donna Lucia, recognizes Miss Delahay as his old love. Only Spettigue is left on the shelf, and stalks away in a choking rage on finding he has been making love so fstiously to Babbs ! There are humorous situations from beginning to and, but the success or failure of the Play must depend upon the acting of the central character, Babbs,masquerading as Charley's Aunt. The producers were never in doubt as to who should fill this role, and Putterill played his part magnificently. The part required an outstanding capacity for mimicry and "foolery", and the actor is hardly allowed a second's relief from his concen trated efforts to pose as ludicrously as possible as a woman. Putterill rose splendidly to the occasion and during the whole of his two hours on the stage he never once lapses into a moment's forgetfulness, but was acting hard the whole time. The strain,coupled with that of weeks of rehearsals, must have been intense, and he thoroughly deserves the rest (and the high favours) which is now his due. He was so fimny that aliaost every remark and every movement he made brought fresh peals of laughter. It would be hard to say which were the best scenes, but his first efforts to be a lady, the tea-partyin the garden, the smoking scene with the real Donna Lucia, and his lovemaking with Chesney and Spettigue, had the hall rocking. And who will forget the lines: "l wasn't trying to make a fool of the fool, you fool", "How d-a-a-r-e you "She knew my late husbahnd intim.-a-ahtly","Go away I They want me to be an angel", "inhere did you get that hat ? Take it off I "I'm Charley's Aunt from Brazil, - where the nuts come froa !" Other characters must of necessity "take a back pew", but they acted perfectly,without exception. Babbs' college friends Jack and Charley, were on the stage for practically the whole play, and had been well drilled in the art of expressing their feelings both audibly and in dumb show. It was very exaspera ting for them to see Babbs monopolising the attentions of Kitty
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