STATE THEATRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 May 1939, Page 2

STATE THEATRE

“PYGMALION” GREETED BY PACKED HOUSE. The packed house- at the State Theatre last night were highly delighted with tfie excellent bill of fare when that exceptionally brilliant comedy, “Pygmalion,” was presented. The picture presents Bernard Shaw’s famous work at its best, and after one has seen the picture one can fully realise why it has drawn record houses in every centre in which it has been shown. Those Masterton patrons who do not wish to be disappointed should make sure of a seat by booking. Leslie Howard plays the starring role in this Pascal production which deals with a subject of direct interest and will make a warm appeal to the masses. Bernard Shaw’s story, it will be remembered, tells of a Cockney flower girl, who becomes the subject of an experiment to a professor of phonetics —a role which provides Leslie Howard one of the greatest opportunities of his distinguished career to display his unchallenged histrionic genius. The idea from the phonetic expert’s point of view, is to prove that it is possible to take a girl out of the gutter and transform her into a society lady of fine speech and exquisite manners. The experiment is a brilliant success. The girl is taken for a Princess at an Ambassador’s reception—but the real problem arises when this triumphant result has been achieved. What is to become of the girl now? As a Covent Garden flower-girl she 'was at least happy doing a job she knew, but now that she has been taught to be a lady, she cannot return to her former occupation. At the same time, she is unfit and unqualified for any other kind of job—and completely bewildered, by the revolutionary change in her social surroundings. The working out of the young girl’s destiny provides a climax of unparalleled dramatic and emotional quality. “Pygmalion” provides something new, fresh and different in the way of cinematic entertainment. It is a real London story with the genuine London backgrounds. The characters in the film are the ordinary every-day people. Wendy Hiller takes the part of Eliza Doolittle and gives an outstanding performance. An outstanding array of supporting players is headed by Wilfrid Lawson, renowned for his brilliant character studies, who appears as Eliza’s father, the dustman, while strong characterisations are taken by such celebrated players as Marie Lohr. Scott Sunderland, Jean Cadell, David Tree, Esme Percy, Violet Vanburgh and Viola Tree. .