HILARIOUS COMEDY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26641, 11 December 1947, Page 8

HILARIOUS COMEDY

"GEORGE AND MARGARET" A REPERTORY PRODUCTION That repertory societies no longer feel it a duty to provide plays compounded of cultural uplift, 90 parts, and entertainment, 10 parts, must have been a matter of great satisfaction to most of those in the large audience at His Majesty’s Theatre last night, when the Dunedin Repertory Society presented Gerald Savory’s “ George and Margaret.” Impenitently proclaimed as the “smartest comedy in 12 months,” it must be recorded at the outset that the society certainly presented one of the most robustious comedy offerings seen in Dunedin for a much longer period than 12 months. Apart from the obvious merits of the piece itself —it is rated as one of the best modern comedies in the language—the select littte company invested it with a lightness *bf touch that had the audience on good terms with itself and ( the players from the beginning. The story, which was almost entirely innocent of anything in the semblance of a plot, concerned the happenings in Garth-Bander’s somewhat singular menage in Hampstead, where the family, with no little assistance from the maid and a visitor, were depicted in the pleasant process of “kicking over the traces.” And that trite phrase just about sums up, as baldly as possible, the whole diverting story. From the beginning it is obvious that the only stickler for the proprieties is the mother, Alice Garth-Bander, and in a lesser degree, her husband, Malcolm, the former with the dowagerlike pomp and pride of circumstance of her ancient yoeman lineage, and the latter with philosophical resignation and benignity. As Alice GarthBander, Miss Gwenda Burt played her part to perfection, intimidating into comparatfve insignificance every other character on the stage. It is an extemely well-cast piece, but the honours of the occasion must be accorded her. The husband, played by Mr Stan Mee, did not call for the dazzling gusto that was such an essential element in the make-up of the other characters, but it was a delightful performance, and required a high degree of dramatic skill. A vivacious performance was given by Miss Kay Mutimer as Frankie, the rather obstreperous daughter who was called upon to play a major part in the affairs of the household. She, too, was responsible for a delectable performance, and her brilliantly epigrammatic part was portrayed with liveliness and felicity that contributed largely to the speed and swing of the production. Peter Mountstephen was responsible for one of the climactic moments of the piece by becoming engaged to Gladys, the serving maid. He was perhaps more restrained than necessary, but in the scene in which he won over his prospective mother-in-law he revealed himself as an artist of considerable merit. Claude, played by Mr Harry Cohen, and Dudley, by Mr Geoffrey Stephens, contributed their share to the entertainment. A special word of praise is due to Miss Sylvia Lawrence as the new servant who, although she did not speak a line, inspired frequent laughter. Miss Enid Carter, as Gladys, who was at last admitted to the Garth-Bander family, played her comparatively small part to perfection. “ George and Margaret ” will be presented each evening during the week.