Rollicking Play About the Navy

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 786, 5 October 1929, Page 28

Rollicking Play About the Navy

“THE MIDDLE WATCH” Imagine what might conceivably happen if two pretty young women get “left over” in a battleship after a dance and the commander-in-chief suddenly takes it into his head to come aboard for the night. Imagine, further, that there are only two spare cabins, and imagine that the captain of the ship has fallen instantly jin leve with one of the young women, i This is the outline of “The Middle Witch,” presented at the Shaftesbury Theatre, London. recently. Major John Hay Beith and Commander Stephen King-Hall are the authors and they call their play “A Romance of the Navy.” It is great fun, first-rate entertainment. The atmosphere is right, the story is amusing and is decked out with good dialogue, and the production and the acting are excellent. “The Middle Watch” is probably the best naval play since “The Flag Lieutenant.” It was originally done by a company of naval officers at Gibraltar, but now it has been rewritten, and it looks as if Basil Foster and Tom Miller, who present it, have found a prize. Mr. Foster takes the part of the captain with the real touch, Clive Currie is the admiral who causes all the bother, Reginald Gardiner, hitherto a “silly ass” part actor, is the harassed commander, and Aubrey Mather makes an amusing marine, set as sentry over the cabins. Jane Baxter and Olive Blakeney have the 3 r oung women’s parts, and Miss Blakeney makes a particular hit. Jean Forbes-Robertson, the actress daughter of Sir Johnston and Lady Forbes-Robertson, has married Mr. James Hamilton, who was stroke of the Thames crew at Henley regatta this year. The wedding took place on August 31 at St. Giles-in-the-Fields, Holborn. Miss Chloe and Miss Diana Forbes-Robertson, the younger sisters of the bride, were the bridesmaids. Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson said that his daughter would not give up her stage career. * * * Strindberg’s “Aliss Julie,” which was banned until recently, is to be revived by the Little Art Theatre players in Queen’s Hall, Melbourne, under J. Beresford Fowlers direction. Mr. Fowler will appear as the butler John and Edna Morcom, who played in “The Alarm Clock,” and was with the Charles Zoli Revue Company, will be Julie.