“OUTWARD BOUND”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 399, 6 July 1928, Page 14

“OUTWARD BOUND”

LITTLE THEATRE SUCCESS ••Outward Bound,” a play in thr«« acts by Sutton Vane, was produced last evening by the Auckland Little Theatre Society under the direction of Mr. Kenneth Brampton. CAST Scrubby Arnold F Goodwh Ann Nance St. Clair Whyte Henry Montagu Ste** Mr. Prior Roberts Tola Mrs. Cliveden-Banks .. .. Daphne Kni*r.: Rev. William Duke John Stewart Mrs. Midget Lynda Murphy Mr. Lingley J. D. Sw*« Rev. Frank Thomson .. .. F. L. Armita** When Tom Prior, unregenerate, told Mr. Lingley. merchant, that he was a “blue-nosed baboon.” we learn for the first time that Sutton Vane believes in ultimate justice once the barriers of life are passed. If a man is an impressive fool on earth, he is going to be humiliated when the ship of souls is outward bound.

Several years have passed since “Outward Bound" was written and it was among the first post-war dramas in which a really thoughtful element was introduced. It lias survived triumphantly in the face of its ephemerit! contemi -*raries.

“Outward Bound,” as a drama of ideas, gives us a new “slant” on the absorbing problem of immortality. Vane makes the transition from the known to the unknown, a perfectly simple process, and there is nothing distressing in the metamorphosis for those who have “played square.” The examiner, as an instrument of justice, is a singularly human fellow whose intense?* loathing is for cant. He is hard on the hypocrite, and easy on those whose modest errings bring them greatest condemnation in life. To give his wit best play, and to illustrate his truths with greatest force, the author assembles a group of characters differing in social status, temperament, and morality. The snobbish female and charwoman are associates on the mysterious voyage, and the pompous, hypocritical merchant finds himself in the liner s smoking room, with Tom Prior, whom he once “sacked” from his office. Then, two “halfways” who nearly died for love stand aloofly by, taking little part ia the big tilings going on about them. The Little Theatre Society, which has already achieved much, and brougr.t Auckland into more intimate association with some of the big theatrical movements of our time, may now feci the confidence that comes of maturity. It has passed definitely beyond the experimental stage, and now has players capable of big work. “Outward Bound” has been produced in New Zealand by a professional company, but the Auckland effort was the better one.

The cast was admirably balanced, and practically all the players had parts for which they were temperamentally suited. Mr. Tole. who had to work in most scenes, was satisfying all the time. As a juvenile lead, he could take a place beside most professionals and there is no doubt that he was, in a large measure, responsible for the success of the production. His work was crisp and convincing, and the gradual passage from sobriety to tipsiness was accomplished without exaggeration. In the strong scenes he did extraordinarily well. Miss Knight gave a first-rate study of the detestable and snobbish Mrs. Cliveden-Banks. Miss Murphys character work, in spite of its difficulty, was extremely well done.

Working for the most part in minor key, she showed the extent of her resources when. a few moments, she “Just had to speak up for herself.” J- D. rather lacked subtelty, but nevertheless he did some very convincing work. John Stewart was a human and satisfying parson, and F. L. Armitage was excellent as the “examiner.” Montagu Steele introduced some good touches into his work, and Miss St. Clair Whyt« in spite of a trace of artificiality, d * quite well. Arnold Goodwin gave an excellent subdued character study A word of praise goes to Mr. Goodwin and Mr. T. V. Gulliver for the design and execution of the scenes.

“Outward Bound” will play for three more nights.

Julia Faye, screen favourite, easily proves that Archimides was all wrow when he said that the shortest tance between two points was * straight line. In her case, success an 3 screen fame were not achieved b>_* direct or straight line, says the ** Mille actress. Miss Faye has rounder the whole circumference of the spbef* of achieving her present leading ' in “Turkish Delight,” in which she * featured with Rudolph Schildkratik Kenneth Thomson and May Robson-