‘QUIET WEDDING’

Evening Star, Issue 23691, 26 September 1940, Page 4

‘QUIET WEDDING’

REPERTORY SOCIETY COMEDY Any household from which a daughter is to bo married invariably experiences a period of acute disturbance and conflicting emotions, the full influence of which depends on the temperament of those involved. It is on this fact that the theme of ‘ Quiet Wedding,’ the latest Repertory Society production, which opened a season last night in His Majesty’s Theatre, is based. The result is a refreshing comedy, in which there is_ an clement of near-tragedy. The action of Esther M'Cracken’s play takes place within a space of 24 hours, hut it is representative of a hectic and fairly typical 24 hours in the lives of many families under the given circumstances. The cast consists principally of women, and the authoress has not lost the opportunity to imbue the lines with a strong element of cattincss. Throughout tho men .are made to appear little more than pawns. The wedding about to take place is between Janet Royd and Dallas ,Chaytor. Janet’s mother has promised a quiet wedding, but her idea of a quiet wedding is to invito 100 guests and to support the ceremony with an elaborate marquee “ breakfast ” and dance. Tho ensuing commotion, together with innuendoes not unfamiliar under the circumstances, reduces Janet to a state bordering on complete neurosis, and, to the bewilderment of her mother, creates a situation wherein there appears tho danger of the ceremony falling through. Following a bitter quarrel, tho lovers suddenly take a hand in affairs and find their own solution to'tho many irritations and problems "which have unaccountably arisen. 'Their decision is one of questionable morality, but it achieves the desired result, and wedding bellsNHnally ring out their customary peal. The playwright rather skims the surface of the ethical problems she herself has raised, and a little “ sermonising ” is not given the emphasis it needs, the intrusion of comedy making it difficult for tho audience to accept intended homilies at their face value. The points could have been driven home, but here, as in one or two other aspects, a stronger company than last night’s was required to do full justice to tho work in hand. But within their limits, which were by no means severely restricted, tho Repertory players did very well indeed. If the ending of the play was a trifle inconclusive, that was mainly the fault of the play itself, for the climax really came in the second act, when tho lovers made their challenging decision, and the final act consisted of the snipping off of a number of loose threads, all very amusingly done, however. Miss Dora M'Phorson, who, as Mrs Royd, had a part not unlike that in which she was so successful in ‘ Children to Bless Yon,’ carried the burden of the play in thoroughly capable manner, and the excited, aimless remarks, which her family and friends found most confusing to follow, were most effectively delivered. She wont on her own flurried way qnito unaware, until just before tho wedding was due to begin, that everything was not proceeding so smoothly as she imagined, and also that other members of her family were not free from entanglements of one kind or another. An excellent performance, showing a commendable degree of polish, was given by Mrs Katrena Speight, as author-explorer Aunt Mary, who saw more deeply into the characters of Janet and Dallas than did anyone else, yet, as it happened, not deeply enough. The part of Janet Royd was taken by Miss Mary Jolly. It was not an easy one, the rapidlychanging and contrasting moods and emotions calling for a considerable measure of real acting ability. Miss Jolly had that and to spare, although she did not quite succeed in convincing that she would have made the decision she did. Dallas Chaytor was enacted by Roland Watson in a natural and sincere manner. The one big love scene between him and Miss Jolly was carried out with restraint, yet with realism, and it lacked the embarrassment sometimes associated with amateurs playing such scones. Other than these the parts were mainly small. Mrs Grace Douglas gave a convincing portrayal of tho gushing Florence Bute. She was responsible for much of the cattincss, and she put her lines over with complete effectiveness. Janet’s father was taken by Mr L. J. T. Ireland, whose thoughts found it hard to soar above the monetary aspect of the wedding reception. He never appeared quite at home in his role. Miss Jean Hasell got the most out of her part as the “ unusual ” Flower Lisle. She was rather unduly exaggerated on her first appearance, but this exaggeration served to stress tho mellowing influence exerted on her eccentric, affected character by the matter-of-fact Denys Royd, a part taken by Mr T. A. Tarrant, showing more confidence than usual. Miss Joyce Clarke had an attractive part as Marcia Brent. Janet’s married sister, a part marked by lines of quite a straightforward nature. Miss Pat Fraser was suitably cast as the spoilt schoolgirl, Miranda Bute, and one could not help but ho impressed by her confidence and pleasant speaking voice. Miss Audrey Stevenson made several brief appearances as the harassed dressmaker, Madame Mirelle. They were wordy appearances, and she was called upon to speak with a stage French accent which she maintained satisfactorily. Mis.; Billio Loan was Bella the maid a part apparently very much to her liking, and she lost none of the laughs which were contained in her lines Neither Mr E. M. Nanson nor Air Bernard Sullivan had very much to do. but what they did do was in keeping with tho playwright’s demands.

Every opportunity is taken of tho occasion to make free use of costumes and dresses, and there are many changes in this regard, tho “ parade ” culminating in the appeal ance of Miss Jolly looking roost charming in bridal regalia. Tho settings for the 1 broach comedy wore all that could he expected, and stage management, under Mr Bruce Qiicnnoll’s direction, wont smoothly. 'The production of ‘ Quiet Wedding,’ which will bo staged again to-night, tomorrow. and Saturday nights, is in the hands of Miss Bessie Thomson.