THEATRE ROYAL

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21417, 8 March 1935, Page 19

THEATRE ROYAL

"THE WIND AND THE RAIN" Few comedies give so many moments of easy delight as "The Wind and the Rain," by Dr. Merton Hodge, a New Zealander, which has entered a season at the Theatre Royal. Its eager vitality and youthful fun explain its long-continued success in London. "Truth to life" has so often been abused as a term of praise for a play or a novel, and it has so frequently meant no more than an appalling and dull literalness, that it is only reluctantly applied to "The Wind and the Rain." Yet it is by this quality above all—a selection of incidents, mainly humorous, that appeal by their vital reality—that the.play endears itself. Every man who has ever lived as a student in lodgings will recognise himself and his friends in the young men of the play. The living room they share, the odd collection of furniture, the upholstery, the faded and stained table cover—in fact, all the surroundings—are the type of things found in lodgings the world over. The play, which, of course, has a love story, has a ring of truth in its tale of the young man who cannot relate his life in Edinburgh with his home ties in London, and who is so confused between his loyalty to his mother and his love for a girl (incidentally a New Zealander) in Edinburgh, that his behaviour is rather callow. However, all works out well in the end. The whole performance is smoothly done, and the acting is in an appropriate easy style. Miss Jocelyn Howarth is charming as Ann, the New Zealand girl, but best perhaps in the more emotional scenes. A delight of another kind is aroused by Miss Nan Taylor, as Mrs McFie, the landlady. Hers is a really brilliant piece of character acting in voice, gesture, and movement, and she gives a startling life to the really good lines the author has provided her. Miss Gwen Mannering, with less to do as Jill, the family

friend from London, is admirable in the awkward surprise party scene. Mr George Thirlwell shows considerable ability as the chief character, Charles Tritton. He makes himself the type of the really likeable and hardworking young man, pleasant of voice and earnest of manner. He handles awkward situations in just the way expected of him. Mr Tommy Jay is a delight as the pleasure-loving Gilbert Raymond. His spontaneous lightheadedness and fooling as he dresses or drinks beer or toys with a ukulele never fails to make his appearance a sign for mirth. Mr Arundel Nixon gives a convincingly smooth interpretation of the character of the philosophic Frenchman, Mr R. L. Atholwood is a good, solid friend, •Mr Richard Fair is just right as the rather empty dancing partner, and Mr Ronald Roberts is amusingly awkward as the youth just up to begin his course.