“THE CONSTANT WIFE"

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 840, 7 December 1929, Page 20

“THE CONSTANT WIFE"

1 HAMILTON LITTLE THEATRE From Our Ou?n Correspondent HAMILTON, Today. “The Constant Wife,” a comedy in three acts, by Somerset Maugham, presented by the Hamilton Little Theatre Society in the Hamilton Town Hall on Thursday and Friday evenings. CAST Mrs. Culver Hillie Varney Bentley tßutler) .. .. Norman Wright Martha Culver . . .. Berenice Johnstone Barbara Fawcett Lilian white Constance Middleton .. Helen Heywood J. Middleton, F.R.C.S. E. Clayton-Greene Marie-Louise Durham .. Doreen Beenan Bernard Kersal .. .. C. E. ShaKeehaft Mortimer Durham . T. Rhydderch Jones It is not easy for a new repertory society to stage a difficult play fpr the first time in New Zealand with nothing more elaborate to work from than the book. In view of these drawbacks the second production of the Hamilton Little Theatre players can be counted a success, although hardly as finished as the initial production, Sutton Vane’s Leaves.” In “The Constant Maugham turns a powerful searchlight on an old social problem ana fearlessly tackles the so-called “modem” attitude toward it. Some of the lines are distinctly risque ana when one learns that certain terms used have been deleted one wonders why so young and inexperienced a society did not select a less audacious playwright. The spectacle or * mother declaiming that fidelity is * proper thing for the wife but not to the husband and of a wife condoning her husband's liaison with another woman has a far from general aPP® 3 However, the producer, Mr. W. Frye, is to be complimented on ms discovery of new talent and his c *“ ploitation to the utmost of th€ , op^ t J tunities given him. Burdened wj the bulk of the dialogue, Miss wood made a good impression, especially in the last act when her husDanu was treated in the way he An outstanding performance can credited to Mrs. Varney as the motn with most unconventional ideas, wiuw Berenice Johnstone was satisfacw** as the matter-of-fact daughter. Doreen Beehan was well cast as shameless little “gold-digger* and appearance will be welcomed in tu productions. Eric Clayton" G * was obviously unfitted for the leaams male role and in a scene demanainii towering rage showed little beyond smashing a jardiniere. ever-ready lover, Clement Shaicesiwwas, as usual, finished and T. Rhydderch Jones appeared , tor short period and was sufficiently vincing as another deceived huso Miss L. White and Mr. Norman WW" filled minor roles capably. vvitn material available, more intensi hearsals and a judicious selecti plays, the society should strength to strength.