“HEARTBREAK HOUSE”

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 238, 5 July 1944, Page 8

“HEARTBREAK HOUSE”

Successful Repertory Performance

“Heartbreak Jluiise,’’ so admirably produced and acted 'by tlie Wellington Repertory Theatre at the Technical College assembly Jiall last night is surely one of the most egregiously whimsical and most entertaining 01. the many clever plays of fes-year-old George Bernard Shaw, the doyen of English playwright (even if he he a jnjfn of I’ublin).

J’erliap r s it is Jess a play in the ordinary sense of tlie term than most of his playjj, pleasant or unpleasant, for there is little of constructive plot to enchain tlie attention, nothing of romance (as it is understood 'by glowing pouth I, and it boasts neither hero nor villain. It is just a collection of queer people who arc brought, together in octogenarian Captain >Shotuver’’S ship-like house to enjoy, or otherwise, his doubtful hospitality. They include h,is two daughters. Ilesionc llushabye and Lady L’ttvrword, (who. initially, have not seen each other Lor 25 years}, their eccentric husbands. Mazzini Dunn, a dear harmless old rabbit of a man. who has come to meet his daughter, Ellie (though why she had descended upon the Shotover saloon is not quite clean, and “Boss” Mangan, a ’boastful gangster of industrialism, who has designs on Ellie. Lumbering in and out. upon the »scenc Is crazy old Captain Shotovcr (whose makeup was strikingly like recent portraits of the authori. In his shaky mind lingers the impression that he is still at sea, and lie orders everyone round in the. manner (if not the language) of Barnacle Bill.

As in must, of his plays. .Mr. Shaw ha.s made “Heartbreak House” a which* for the airing of his views on love, poetry, the soul, big business, and what nut. cleverly blocking in an unpredictable way any approach to vulgar common sense; so that, in the encounters between thoe friable people he has conjured up, in which marital fidelity is held up lightly to scorn, and sentiment is confounded with lightning strokes of cynicism, the dialogue becomes so much intellectual gibberish and the situations deliciously comical. One has to .hark back to “Dear Brutus” (the very antithesis to “Heartbreak House”) to find an equal in all-round repertory performance, and all credit.must be given to Mr. AV, S. Wauehop for the skill and pains he has taken in Rviim up to the Shavian tradition. This is all the inure remarkable in that he completely lost himself in the important role of the aged Captain Shoiovor, whom he makes a rare old shellback with a tine rasp in his roaring philosophy. Mr. Wauehop was specially effective in his soliloquy on old age, and the consolation he finds in the “seventh degree of concentration.” in other words. Jamaica rum.

Other satisfying performances were the meek, apologetic 'Mazzini Dunn of Mr. Loes Bullet, and ihe sturdy, assertive, bullying “Boss” Mangan of -Mr. Vernon Burton. Miss Ina Allan has never been seen to ‘better advantage than as llosmiie Husliibyo. depicted as a large handsome white-haired woman, with the quaintest of ternporane-uta 1 Hashes, that wore admirably simulated. Sic- tert a inly decorated the stage. .Miss Dorothy Tansloy made an interesting Lady (Tterword. ami Miss Meryl K. Daniels in the role of Ellie Dunn cleverly demarcated thr difference in this charneor between the innocent chickabiddy of the first act and the hard little go'd-digger of later scenes. That Elliy event iml’iy marries Captain Shot over is just a Shavian prank, designed for laughter toward the end of the play. .Mr. A. D. i’ri *tley figured handsouiely as Hector Ihishabyc. and Mr. .Joseph Saunders was well cast, as Randall rilerword. Nurse Guineas was well done by .Miss Margaret Davies, ami Mr. Alex Peacock war. admirable as the dishevelled burglar. ’Die two scenes- the. Shotovcr livingroom ami the moonlit terrace <»f tlie final act—were alike artistically satisfactory. The -bombing alarums in the latter ricene were alarmingly wdl done. “Heart brea'k House” will be played throughout, the week.