CRITICALLY SPEAKING

New Zealand Listener, Volume 29, Issue 737, 28 August 1953, Page 5

CRITICALLY SPEAKING

Sir,-The splenetic outburst from Bruce Mason in his review of Outward Bound from 2YA on August 13 was an offence against good taste besides being very ill-informed. He had the effrontery to sneer at Sutton Vane’s masterpiece, which was considered worthy of inclusion in a volume of Great Modern British Plays edited and selected by J. W. Marriott. In his: preface Marriott refers to its "triumphant first act" (which nearly put Bruce Mason to sleep) and describes the play in general as "a remarkable play." Bruce Masom saw fit to sneer at the mentality of the public in the 1920’sa period about which he obviously knows nothing. For Bruce Mason’s benefit that period of the 1920’s marked the impact of Ibsen and G. B. Shaw on the English theatre (to mention but two names). During the run of Outward Bound in England (I toured with this show in the Provinces, playing the part of Tom Prior) most of the towns we visited had the unusual experience of . héaring the churches use the theme of Outward Bound for the Sunday sermon -so great was the impression made by this "trashy" play. Further, the papers were filled with letters commending the play to all thinking people. Again, Bruce Mason was "dreadfully embarrassed" at hearing "Duke’s" prayer beginning "Gentle Jesus, meek and mild"---a note of utter simplicity and sincerity which should be (and always was in my experience) one of the most moving moments in the play. Bruce Mason also stated that he would prefer oblivion to being examined by a "hearty, rugger-blue parson." Doubtless Mr, Mason’s ego would. demand nothing less than the Deity by virtue of the fact that he has written a sordid play himself and as a playwright in the modern idiom (from which God save us all) is far removed from the common herd. I do not defend the production of Outward Bound (I did not see it), but I take strong exception to anybody making such derogatory remarks about a play which has stood the crucial test of time and box office and been twice filmed, as well as being performed. in the better part of the world. I consider that Bruce Mason’s jeremiad was an insult to listeners as well as to Sutton Vane, and I am at a loss to understand how or why such an un- informed person could be permitted to use the radio to inflict his adolescent views upon an intelligent public.

L. ASSHETON

HARBORD

(Lower Hutt).

(Abridged. Ed. )