DUNSANY’S “IF”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 316, 29 March 1928, Page 17

DUNSANY’S “IF”

LITTLE THEATRE’S SUCCESS A DIFFICULT PLAY “If," a romantic play in four acts and nine scenes by Lord Dunsany. Produced last evening by .the Little Theatre Society. CAST Bill .«•>.- Rex Yates B er t George Spicer John Beal Montagu Steele Mary Beal * - . Joy Bartley Liza Beryl Nettleton Ali . Tom Harris The Man in the Corner . . Henry Heath Miralda Clements Marie Gaudin Daoud Fred McCallum Archie Beal .. . - J. N. Gordon Ben Hessein H. J. Redmond Hafiz el Alcolahn . . . Maurice Ballance If a man could realise his desires and wishes. . . . Perhaps Lord Dunsany should have called his play “Futility.” “If“ is the product of a dreamer, a romanticist, of a man with an amazing wealth of imagination. It begins with that dullest of drab things—the machine-like London business man whose occasional longings are quelled by a wife with a limited vocabulary and a still more limited brain. By the simple and rather elderly device of a mystic crystal our London business man goes back ten years in his life and takes his revenge of an innocent railway porter. It also unlocks the door to a romantic longing and he becomes ruler of an Eastern State. He is Sir Galahad, he is the champion of a lady in distress, but still at heart the English business man, imposing British justice on th£ foreigner. A very simple fellow really, unable to combat the intrigue of a woman, but rather proud of his newfound power. And when that dream is over only the simple, sympathetic Cockney maid has the key to the story, but she does not realise it. Business-like John Beal goes back to his suburban supper of porter and cheese; he does not remember that he has been swaying a Persian empire. Dunsany’s dream play is a difficult thing to stage. Its constant change of scene, its flash back, its flight to Persia, its palaces and richly-coloured tents require a speed which was rather Lacking last evening if continuity of thought and action are to prevail. Considering all things, however, the society has achieved another success. A limited stage was a handicap overcome by deft management. Scenes of Eastern splendour were reduced to a minimum of elaboration with a maximum of effect. Honours must go to Mr. Arnold Goodwin and Mr. T. V. Gulliver for their brilliant and decorative settings. The palace scene in Act 111. was a rich and lovely picture, glowing with colour. Once more Mr. Kenneth Brampton has cast his characters, almost without exception, as one would have them. Dunsany’s dialogue is not good stage dialogue, but as Schopenhauer says, “We do not want the thing, but the idea of the thing.” An idea can be drawn out of obscurity by a symbol. Mr. Steele acquitted himself most honourably in a gigantic task. A slight tendency to monotony was soon overcome. To play the central figure in almost every act of this lengthy piece is

no mean performance for any man. Miss Gaudin always gives a restrained performance; there are times when she scarcely allows us to share in her intensity of feeling. She gave us. however, a good picture of the eternal Eve, first in a second-class railway compartment and later in very charming Eastern trappings. Miss Hartley gav« one of the best performances of the evening. Site treated her part easily and sympathetically. There is a freshness about Mr. Gordon’s work "which i» most disarming. His natural stage presence enables him to play his part with perfect ease. Mr. Harris gave us realism and mystery, excellently combined. Mr. Ballance made love with a resonant voice and sang agreeably a theme set to music by Mr. Eric Waters. It was a nicely balanced performance. Miss Kettle ton was quite at home in a Cockney role, Mr. McCallum handled an elderly part with the assurance of old age. He is never out of tune with his environment.

The smaller roles were all excellently done. Miss Bettina Edwards was grace itself in a cleverly executed dance. Miss Alma McGruer sang one of Dunsany*s songs, set to music by Mr. J. Tole, with charming tenderness. Mr. “Heath” made his part a miniature of perfection. Messrs. Yates and Spicer were life-like in their intensity, and Mr. Redmond bore himself as an Eastern ruler of the blood. There were others, too. all nicely acted. Mrs. R. A. Singer’s incidental music was tastefully arranged and played. The season will end on Saturday.