AN AFRICAN PLAY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1735, 28 April 1913, Page 2

AN AFRICAN PLAY.

DRAMATISED BY OSCAR ASCHE. Mr. Oscar Ascho is giving out interesting news of tho dramatisation, of Sir Rider Haggard's latest book, "A Child of Storm,' states tho "Sydney Morning Herald." Mr. .Asche, who is himself adapting the story for the stage, lias already proceeded so far upon a task ho has evidently undertaken with enthusiasm, that tho new play is almost complete. It is to bo produced in London, and will doubtless bo seen in Australia later on.^ When he and Sir Rider Haggard met not long sinco in Melbourne, tho novelist handed him tho proof-sh«ot3 of tho book, with tho suggestion that ho might find that it would make a satisfactory play. The matter was talked ovor later in Brisbane; and Mr. Asche, deeply impressed the dramatic strength of the narrative, promptly sot out upon tho work of dramatising it. "It is very poworful," ho said to a representative of tho "Herald," "indeed, Greek in its intensity. One remarkable feature of tho play is that all the characters oxcent one—Alan, Quatermain&—are Zulus. The heroine, Mameena, is a woman of great power, a tragic figure, possessing tho qualities of Cleopatra and Helen of Troy. Tho, sceno.s are laid in Zululand, and wo all know how thoroughly Sir Rider Haggard knows that country. Wlion ho asked mo 'Who shall wo got io dramatise tho bookf I replied, 'Well, I'm a pretty good tinker'—in tho sense, of course, that I have adapted Shakespeare, and from my work in 'Kismet,' and so on—'and I will tackle it % myself.' Well, I did so, and got on with tho work ar> rapidly that there aro only two scenes now to be done. I havo not attempted to rewrite tho book—such a plan, to my mind, would be quite wrong. What I havo sought to do is to let tho author tell his own story, and thus the dialogue, as far as possible, is Sir Rider Haggard's own."

Jlr. Asche further stated that the new play would probably bo called, not "A Child of the Storm," but "Mameena," after tho heroine. This character is not historic, but somo of the others.are, for Cetewayo and TTmbalazi, for instanoe, will appear in the story. ; Therefore ho will have this important addition to his repertoire when ho reaches London again on September 13. Ho hopes to resume tho interrupted run of "Kismet" at either the New or Garrick Theatre in tho second week in' October.