Cheers for Chesterton
T is only when a really clever and original story gets itself broadcast that the listener realises the poor standard of much that takes the air in the form of radio plays. Of course it was a help to the play The Tremendous’ Adventures of Major Brown, that the orige
inal story was written by G. K. Chesterton, and it will be recognised by devotees of that author as a tale from the Club of Queer Trades. As an example of pure fantasy, I suppose this story would take a lot of beating. And yet, strictly speaking, there is not an atom of fantasy in it, provided that you
are willing to believe that people secretly desire to lead romantic lives and will patronise anyone who offers, for consideration, to bring romance and excitement into their mundane existences. G‘K.C. did not write for radio, but it is amazing how well he comes over, as to the manner born. Of course, this may have been partly due, in this instance, to the NZBS production unit, who did the whole affair with such gusto that it was easy to visualise the scene -and if the Major himself was reminiscent of Colonel Chinstrap, that, for me, only added a final touch of fantasy to an already fantastic play. But the atmosphere couldn’t have come over with6ut the word-spinning of the author, More of the Chesterton stories, please, done in the same splendid style!
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 19, Issue 489, 5 November 1948, Page 10
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243Cheers for Chesterton New Zealand Listener, Volume 19, Issue 489, 5 November 1948, Page 10
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