WHAT WAS HOBSON'S CHOICE?

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 125, 12 June 1937, Page 8

WHAT WAS HOBSON'S CHOICE?

In many papers and raagazines nowadays one can Tead, i £ one bas eyes foi such matters, of the gruommg and the glamorising of fxlm actors; and mauy who read the accounts (ind them very interesting, or should do so, for the proeess is patently xidienlous in tliat it xcpresents sopliistieation drowning itseif in artiliciality. As this proeess achieves a greater degree of scientific excellence, so do the lilms wo see creep farthor and far'.her from tbe life we

kno-,v to some fairyland that we m.ust learn about. Must learn about, at lea^t, if we are to follow a film with tlie slighttst degree of candid understanding. This necessity does not present itscll to thoso who have read oi seon ' tlie great plays of to-day. Tlieir rango is immense, and their trnthfnlness to Ht'e unqjestioned. .Tust as with modern novels, there are all degrees of goodness and badness among them. l'he llawke's Bay Little Theatrc Kociefy, in ehoosing "Ilobson's Choice,>liy Harold Brighouse, as its lirst long jilav for this year, has cltoseu bolh .

very actable and a very good uiodem play. It is actable because of its ckaracters and good.by rcason of its truthfulness to life. Since it is a comedy of character rather than of situation, there |are plenty of eharacters, and sinee its author understands them fuiiy all the cliaracters are givcn chances to jnslify their appearnnee To kriow whai Ilobson's ohoice was, it is necessary to see tlie plav and t" watcli Ilobson comfort- hin;self in liis" disorderod bootshop, His problem wa? dillici|dt, made so mainly by the cons'jlation frequently but so temporarilv obtained at Moonraker > bar. Just what was his choice, and tho wisdom

of it, uro thrashed out in the fourth act. For this play the Little Theatre Society has been busy for the past six weeks. Cosfumes are being made — the period is the Victorian Lancashire of 1880— rand scenery . and furniture assembled. . Mr. A. Stanloy Warwick is produeing .th'e 'play,' and it will -be staged in the Municipal Theatrc, Hastings, cn Montlay, June 2.^. .