Forgotten Barrie
AFTER hearing the radio version of J. M. Barrie’s The Fight for Mr. Lapraik, one can perhaps understand why this play was relegated to the depths of its author’s desk, Apart from obvious difficulties of production-and one gets the impression that the revolving stage which Barrie considers essential would be the least of the diffi-culties-the illusion. of Mr. Lapraik’s two selves fighting over Mr. Lapraik’s personality is an extremely difficult one to maintain convincingly (the radio is usually kind to illusion, having to deceive one sense only). The play is very much in Barrie’s usual vein, fantastic, macabre-and let’s face it-sentimental. In this case, however, the sentimentality is not upholstered with what is generally called Barrie’s "whimsical charm," for which, moreover, the theme of the play allows no possible scope. Applause is due to the BBC for an excellent production, and a stand-up clap to Bernard Miles, in the part of Lapraik. This was magnificently done, the same slow drawling voice subtly varied to express the despair of the younger Lapraik and the gruesome degeneracy of the elder, One feels, however, that Barrie cannot have been really satisfied with this play, and that some day he hoped to rewrite it.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19470718.2.22.9
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 17, Issue 421, 18 July 1947, Page 11
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202Forgotten Barrie New Zealand Listener, Volume 17, Issue 421, 18 July 1947, Page 11
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Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
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