"Androcles and the Lion", Mr. George Bernard Shaw's satircal version of the ancient fable, expressively and delightfully presented at the Capley Theatre, Monday evening, drew an audience whose size and enthusiasm indicates a rush for early reservations. This is the first opportunity for almost a decade in Boston to see one of the most famous and funniest of Mr. Shaw's plays, and those people who follow the best in the theatre are taking no chances of missing such an excellent production of the great "humanitarian naturalist".

As the title presages, the whole piece is very much be-lioned yet the conduct of the author's particular member of this terrible species is decidedly un-leonine. Like the lion in "A Midsummer Night's Dream", he is of very gentle conscience, and Richard Whorf, in playing the part, showed a very commendable interpretation of Mr. Shaw's conception.

In attempting so elaborate a production with such a large cast the company was forced to augment its numbers and introduce many new scenic effects.

Mr. Clive, as Androcles, had an opportunity to prove his tremendous capacity for character interpretation, which he had modestly foregone hitherto this season. Between the two scenes of sheer fooling, comes a difficult serious scene of Thesis and argument between Layinia and the Captain of the Guard, presenting the conflict between the spiritual and the temporal in long speeches which taxed Miss Standing and Mr. Mowbray to the utmost. Their handling of the situation was altogether commendable.

Mr. Hulse made an exquisite Centurion with realistic British Army tendencies. John Thorn, the strong man convert who finds it necessary to hit his adversaries's cheeks so that they may have the opportunity of testing their faith, was a very necessary and worthy addition to the company. His interpretation was equalled but not surpassed by Mr. Compton, as Caesar.