AMATEURS IN CLEVER COMEDY

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 45, 17 November 1926, Page 4

AMATEURS IN CLEVER COMEDY

NATIONAL REPERTORY THEATRE* SOCIETY The National Repertory Theatre Society has by this time established a reputation for the capable presentation of high-class plays. If the play occasionally is a little above the capacity of the players, the public is nevertheless the gainer by their enterprise end does not stint its appreciation. If the society had not existed the public would not have had the opportunity last night of seeing A. A. Alilne’s clever comedy “Ariadne, or Business First,” an experience that was well worth while. The comedy revolves in brilliant dialogue about the story of a lawyer who places the interests of his business before everything else—reven Lis wife. This obsession leads him to compel his wife to “be nice” to a wealthy bounderish client whom she privately detests, and for whom he himself has little respect. The client attempts an intrigue with the wife, and she, partly to oblige her husband, but reallv to convince liinj that life has more important considerations than mere business, plays up to him. She goes off with Irina, and leaves her husband a note telling him that she has gone off “into the unknown” wijli this man. The latter, cwho also places business first, misses the train connection, and she comes home. There is a firstclass family row, but everything in the end is cleared up, and domestic happiness reigns supreme.

The comedy opens a little tamely, but quickly develops action and dramatic situation, enlivened with amusing coniedy. The principals are the husband, John Winter (Air. Vivian Rhine!), Ariadne, his wife (Mrs. E. J. Fawcett), and Horace Meldrutn, the clietif (Air. W. S. Wauchop). All three displayed an artistic appreciation of their roles. Air. Rhinal gave an excellent depiction of the stolid husband, unable to understand the mental processes of his extremely clever wife, in a foaming "rage over her imagined infidelity. Airs. Fawcett was really brilliant. Her acting, enunciation," and stage composure suggested the clever, trained professional, rather than the amateur. Air. Wauchop, though unsuited by temperament, voice, and personality to the role of a bounder, nevertheless, presented a carefully-studied interpretation of his role, and in the climax where, cleverly seconded by the wife, he turns the whole affair into a joke at the expense of the husband, his work was excellent.

The supporting roles were Air. and Mrs. Hector Chadwick, the former an inane incompetent (very cleverly depicted by Air, P. I?.' Broad), and the latter a somewhat spiteful moralist, for which role Aliss Stocker was very happily cast; Janet Ingleby, a distinctly modern young miss with somewhat cynical ideas on the subject of matrimony (faithfully portrayed by Aliss Constance Alorice) ; and Alary, the maid, an inconspicuous part played with quiet unostentation by Aliss L. Fitzherbert. The comedy was preceded by the one-act fantasy, “The Maker of Dreams,” a very delicate little story, requiring for its successful presentation histrionic talent rather beyond the capacity of the average amateur, and for that reason liable to become boresome. Aliss Thyra Baldwin, Air. Norman Byrne, and Air. E. S. Baldwin comprised the cast. The performance, on the whole, fell a trifle flat, but not so nnlch as to spoil the story. Air. Leo. du Chateau was producer.