ALAN WILKIE SEASON

Evening Star, Issue 20132, 23 March 1929, Page 10

ALAN WILKIE SEASON

NEW SHAKESPEAREAN PRODUCTIONS Apart from the perennial interest witli whidi the old and tried Shakespearean favourites, such as tins ‘ Mer.chant of eniec.’ l As3 on Jake It, and the rest of them are invariably received, the forthcoming season of the Allan Wilkie Company at His Majesty's Theatre, which opens on Saturday, next. March DO, will he marked by a special attraction in (ho fact that at least four plays are being staged which have either never before been seen in Dunedin or have certainly not been seen for a very lon<t period. These four are 1 Corinlaun.s,’ All -s Well That binds Well,’ ‘ King Lear,’ and ‘ Much Ado About Nothing.’ ‘ Coriolanus,’ a spectacular Jloniau play whose theme gives it a quite extraordinary topical interest, has only comparatively recently been included in the repertoire of the company, anil it is astonishing that tin’s line play should have so long suffered neglect at the hands of Hie actor-manager even in the Old Country. The poet Swinburne pronounced it a masterpiece, and in 1 lie name-part it certainly provides wonderful acting opportunities lor its exponent. In it Mr Allan Wilkie achieved perhaps Ids most notable personal triumph, both when he first produced it in Sydney and again during the subsequent Melbourne season. ‘All’s Well That Ends Well’ has had an even less frequent production within the last three or four decades, and though it is one of the [loot’s earliest works, it contains passages of great strength and beauty, while the character of the braggart Parolles takes rank with Ancient Pistol in Shakespeare’s gallery of rogues. No lover of the drama, and certainly no Shakespearean enthusiast, should miss seeing either oi these two productions, for the opportunity is one that docs not often recur, ilut with a total of eighteen plays to choose from during a three weeks’ season, the play-goer is faced with an “ embarras do riehessc.” Happily, however, for him—or her—financial consideration need bo no .detrrenl, for Mr Wilkie’s experiment of playing at popular prices during the forthcoming season will enable him to sec as many of Hie plays as lie desires without undue expense.