THEATRE ROYAL

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21418, 9 March 1935, Page 20

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 will finish its season at the Theatre Royal to-night Itseager 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 an dull literalness, that it is only reluctantly applied to "The Wind and tn Rain." Yet it is by this quality above all—a selection of incidents, ma-iw humorous, that appeal by reality—that the play endears itseuEvery man who has ever uvea as student in lodgings will recognise self and his friends in the young in of the play. The living room w ' share, the odd collection of furol™ • the upholstery, the faded and stain table cover—in fact, all the su •_ ings—are the type of things found lodgings the world over. . a The play, which, of cou " e - JSf ; n love story, has a ring of trU "* A its tale of the young man who cann relate his life in Edinburgh wra. home ties in London, and confused between his loyalty to mother and his love for a girl dentally a New Zealander) in burgh, that his behaviour is callow. However, all works out '"The whole performance is done, and the acting is m an apP priate easy style. Miss J„ w Howarth is charming as Ann, tnei Zealand girl, but best P e [ ha j )S i; - ht 0 f more emotional scenes. A dengn another kind is aroused by Miss Taylor, as Mrs McFie. the lan Hers is a really brilliant Pof character acting m gesture, and movement, an gives a startling life to really good lines the author has i> vided her. Miss Gwen with less to do as JiH.. friend 'from London, is a £® ene , in the awkward surprise party con - Mr George Thirlwell s ' no J" rter , siderable ability as the chief chara Charles Tritton. He makes hunsea type of the really likeable and working young man, pleasant <h and earnest of manner. He nan awkward situations in just th expected of him. Mr Tommy Jay _ a delight as the pleasure-lovin : bert Raymond. }lv Arundd , gives a convincingly smooth inwn< tation of the character of the P : sophic Frenchman. Mr R. L-J* jg. ■ wood is a good, solid fr '^7 at j l er Richard Fair is just right as the ! empty dancing partner and Mr » : aid Roberts is amusingly awKwaru the youth just up to begin his co