An Inspector Will Call At Whakatane

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 16, Issue 7, 13 October 1950, Page 6

An Inspector Will Call At Whakatane

All those who saw Community Arts Theatre’s magnificent production of “Twelfth Night” earlier this year—and all those who regret having missed it—will be looking forward eagerly to the next production to be presented by this distinguished company. The C.A.S. Theatre is now expected in Whakatane on October 17 with its second play for the season, J. B. Priestley’s absorbing drama, “An Inspector Calls.” This play was first produced by the Old Vic Company in Lonaon in 1946 and has since then been played in many parts of the world with great success. Superficially it is a detective drama, and as such it is very good, full of unexpected turns and cleverly contrived surprises. But, as one would expect of a Community Arts production, it is also a lot more than a mere thriller. The play has been called “a modern morality play” and the title is not inappropriate; Profound questions are raised in this story of the revelations forced from a prosperous middle-class family by the visit of a police inspector who is enquiring abobt the death of a girl: questions of moral and of social responsibility. It is the play’s great merit that it holds the attention by the ingenuity of its plot and the skill of its dialogue while, almost imperceptibly, bringing up issues of profound importance.

Once again the producers are Messrs Baigent and Farley linked in a very happy and effective teamwork. What is the special contribution of each it might be hard to say, but the result, at any rate, is a smoothly-running, powerful and convincing pei’formance. Each of the producers has wide overseas experience and brings to his task a wide knowledge of the theatre. Frederick Farley, moreover, plays the leading role of the Inspector with a polish acquired in the London West End and on Broadway. Those who remember with delight his recent Malvolio will know what an accomplished actor he is. The other six members of the cast are all well-known in the Dominion’s dramatic world and nearly all have delighted previous C.A.S. audiences. They include Brian Brimer, of Wellington, the incomparable Sir Toby Belch of “Twelfth Nilght” and his brilliant off-sider in that production, Don McCree, the “Sweet Knight,” Sir Andrew Aguecheek. Mr McCree comes from Christchurch. Don Brown, the light-hearted Fool of the earlier production, is another favourite who will be seen again. Pat Denby toured earlier with C.A.S. Theatre in “Arms and the Man.”

The principal new addition to the strength of this company is Joan Lumley who comes from Tauranga and has, for her years, quite an impressive stage history. The Tau • ranga Repertory cradled her early years until she moved to Wellsford where in three years she took part in three productions, playing Elvira in Noel Coward’s “Blythe Spirit.” Then came a season in Wellington when both the Thespians and the Wellington Repertory made use of her services, by the latter as Peter Pan.