Slick Facility

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 276, 11 February 1928, Page 22

Slick Facility

Shaw Playlet Appears for First Time in London AN INTERESTING TRIFLE "A Glimpse of Reality,” a little playlet by Bernard Shaw, was recently presented for the first time in London, indeed, for the first time anywhere, with the exception of a performance at Glasgow earlier In the year; though it appears in printed form in the author’s recently published “Translations and Tomfooleries.” The little play will doubtless achieve a useful popularity as a star turn for young romantic actors. It was written with that object, and may be said to fulfill it. Though only a trifle, it is intensely dramatic in a small way. The “glimpse of reality” is the glimpse of himself which comes to a selfish, indulgent, arrogant young Italian nobleman when he finds himself for a moment face to face with an end he has done much to deserve, at the hands of “the people.” When he first realises his position, he loses his head and his balance. Then he recovers himself and is prepared to submit to his fate with some dignity. But his enemies, an innkeeper, his daughter and her fisherman lover are merciful and permit him to go free. The nobleman, Count Ferruccio, was played by Harcourt Williams, whoso performance was not quite clear, leaving us uncertaih whether the Count’s recovery, after his temporary outburst, was due to shallow resiliency or to deep courage. This perhaps was not entirely the actor’s fault, for the play, said to have been dashed off in “a spare moment,” certainly bears traces of a slick facility. The part of Sandro, the innkeeper, was exceptionally well played by Terence O’Brien; and that of his daughter and her lover adequately by Elissa Landi and Harold Meade. Had the author spent an hour or two longer over the play he might have got more out of it, but, as things are, it is an. interesting, trifle-