MODERN DRAMA.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 229, 27 September 1928, Page 10

MODERN DRAMA.

LITTLE THEATRE PLAY.

" THE ROUXD TABLE" A SUCCESS

Iα the. choice of "The Round Table" for the present season the Little Theatre Society has given its patrons cause to be Kratel'ul" for another delightful incursion into modern drama, and in the manner of its first presentation the players have added lustre to their record. The play of the brilliant Irish writer Lennox Robinson was given a happy introduction last evening in the conceit chamber of the Town Hall to a large and responsive audience. In the Drennan family a psychoanalyst would find excellent material for purposes of research. The mother is a lovable, effusive woman, who speaks with enthusiasm of .her Lamented hugbaud and sadly mixes ' her metaphors. Her eldest son, Dfe C'ourcy, is a selfish, youths with an antipathy to marriage and "A belief of .lengthy engagements. His ■Jonty, is a dreamy exponent of soulful ulcaa which emanate front the East. Their sister. Bee, is an ardent philatelist with thoughts which are much less conjfcigyned with her future state than with the finding; of rare postage stamps. The faßrtjly circle includes, jVlise Williams-Wil-liams, an elderly friend wlu> is cared for with commendable generosity. Into this circb coni«i» Daisy Drennan. fresh from a with her lover as parcel beaver. 'Daisy thinks, works and organises for tße- family. Without her they are incapable of doing bo much as prepare tlteir yiietualsr T)ie ardent lover, against 'the wish of his finance, seizes a ■lavourabie moment to blurt out■ the announcement of bis engagement to Daisy. Consternation and pathetic protests ensue. ,'Without*.-flhufly'-;Jifei , ' , »?'dold be impossible. From this point t*e action of the play ibtrcomes exceedingly fast.- 'Engagements,. marriages and other dispositions are arranged by Daisy's.master mind, and all fall "quite easily Hinder thie. eway of her powjat. The reaction to 'the girl herself come*.in

psychic form. • • The closing scene is a final 'Daisy Drennan agaißet every thhw,;connected with the old lifel " Her ai'e concentrated on a certain round table jvhicli stood by her bed.-and Which ■Jiad to be eternally dusted: Vroin this- and. 'aft tliiiiKM (.'unuectcd with the old life she desirrs to escape, and. lured on by the re;i11peaninee of her "other self," Daisy rl.islifs away; fi-ohi her greatly puzzled Idvor to the wrong train and?foll6w ncr (jiiesf offreedopi. . ' , .."...■

. As Dnisy Drennan, Miss Lowrie McOrefior wwe a. bright and effective interjirctiition. Miss Ethel K.ie pave a finisJied iSerforniance in the role of Mrs. Drennan.. I" the hiimoroue' situations she was ex-«pll<.-nt. Mr. Fryer'llaishcr did an rffeetive" piece of work as Daisy Drennan*s lover. .lie was at his best in striving to understand her strangeness and in the love passages. Mrs. Marmot Finlayson as Bee Vverman ami Mr. H. MeKail Geddes, were Qiever b.qth individually and in their comiho i-5 or u- Mr - Rol »erts Tole portrayed with tP v. art u of De Coarcy Drennan with a.sss ch F iß E ,w^-T ociated cha^LS? *LS-' OVlded ,°J ,e of h«- excellent effective in the l lcCa] }" m ya S