Old Time Theayter
HAVE never been able to see much of a plan in any NZBS Double Bill. But last week’s 1YA offering, by yoking
together Maria Marten and Box and Cox, gave us an enjoyable hour of Victorian popular theatre. Strangely enough, Maria Marten, which, from seeing it more than once and, on one indiscreet eccasion, playing Tim myself, I know can be very funny on the stage, came across least satisfactorily.
True, the truncated version lost much of the play’s melodramatie logic, but something was missing from the acting, too-at least in the unconsciously funny parts. More verve and more = spirited playing were needed to bring
out those ludicrous aspects of the piece which alone make it tolerable today. It was a different matter with Box and Cox, played at immense speed and with joyous vigour by Roy Leywood as Cox, Selwyn Toogood as Box and Dayina Whitehouse as Mrs, Bouncer. Thanks to their rapid-fire delivery and obvious delight, this ingenious farce sounded quite fresh and delightful, and much less of a period piece than I had expected. It is so rare to find a Victorian melodrama that isn’t funny and a Victorian farce that is, that this Double Bill must rank as one of the most unusual play programmes I’ve heard from the NZBS this year.
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19560525.2.18.3
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Listener, Volume 34, Issue 877, 25 May 1956, Page 10
Word count
Tapeke kupu
219Old Time Theayter New Zealand Listener, Volume 34, Issue 877, 25 May 1956, Page 10
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
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.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
Log in