Playreaders Open Season With Comedy

Chronicle (Levin), 12 March 1948, Page 4

Playreaders Open Season With Comedy

The Levin Playreaders opened their 1948 season on Wednesday night, when Miss Chapman-Cohen presented Ya dramatised reading of A. A. Milne's delightfwl cdmedy, "Dover Road." A large audience was present and remained attentive throughout the whole performance. - - The pro'ducer is to be .comphmented upon her handling of some diificult situation?, and the cast. upbrf the spendid manner in which' t.hey portrayed the characters of; the play. ' ; The aetion takes place in the house of a certain rather eecentric Mr.,Latijner (Mr, N, A, Byrne) , who lives on the Dover Road and contents himsplf in spending his not inconsiderable fortune in detaining couples eloping to the Continent in his house as virtuai prisoners. for seven days, during which time they either find they are entireiy unsuited to each gther or continue their way rejoieing, and with the blessingS of Mr. , Latimer. But when an unhappiiy married } man called Leonard (Mr. Kissel) and his latest paramour, Anne (Miss A. Browning-^ , find their car breaks down elese to Mr. Latimer's residence — due entireiy, of course, to that gentleman's machinations — and are inveigled into remaining, |they diseover that another couple, ; Nicholas (Mr. A. Oozens) and Leonard'? wffe, Eustasia (Miss N, Malcahy), ara just completing their period of profoation. The mathematical Nicholas, althoqgh rather too much of a i gentleman to admit it at first, has, j eome . to the conclusipn that Eustasia's cosseting is almost too great a cross to bear; in fact he ;has worked out just how many l thou.sands of times he will be forced to listen to her 1 eternal suggestions for his ! health and the prospect appalls |liim. However, the two men are given the opportqnity to escape when Eustasia finds another jnem,ber of the household to fuss o'ver, and hie themselves .off to the Continent alone, v/hile Mr. Latimer is | brutally though unconscjously | reminded by Anne that he is" no i longer a yoimg man. Dominic, Mr. ! Latimer's manservant, who has the uneanny but very aecommodating jhabit of appearing on the sceiie j ato the exact moment when his master deeides he needs him, was iplayed by Mr. A. Savell, while the maid's part was capably handled by Miss R. Williams.