"LONDON WALL" A GREAT SUCCESS

Radio Record, Volume VII, Issue 14, 13 October 1933, Page 2

"LONDON WALL" A GREAT SUCCESS

Superlative Acting By Pauline Shotlander THE Wellington Repertory Theatre deservedly had a most successful. season with its production of John van Druten’s "London Wall." ‘The play was: excellently staged, the office scenery, though simple, being very effective. The honours of the season must go to Pauline Shotlander, whose acting in the part of Miss Janus was one of the finest performances ever seen in Wellington. In every scene in which she appeared she dominated the stage, not that the acting of the rest of the cast left anything to be desired, but because she lived her part so vividly. No one who saw the play can have failed to come away fecling that they had really met Miss Janus, and understood just her point of view. Performances scarcely behind that of Miss Shotlander were given by Sheila Kissel, as Pat Milligan, and W. J. Herlihy as Brewer; these two had plenty to do, and, especially in their scenes

together, did it in excellent fashion. Deserving of special mention was the work of Effie Brice as Mis Bufton; of the minor parts hers was the characterisation that appealed most. Hugh Herd began somewhat shakily as Mr. Walker-"Our Lord’-but later he did very well with his part. As Birkinshaw, the grubby little office boy, Noel Cathie had some good comedy lines, which he put over in excéllent style. Kathleen Smith was effective in her part, though she seemed to miss opportunities in it. Ulrie -Williams .was father too callow and ingenuous as the young clerk, and*much more might have | been: made of the part of Miss Willésden by Miss M. EH. Ahern. oo The whole production reflected great eredit on the producer, Mr. W. 8S. Wauchop, whose practised: guiding hand could be traced’ in the smoothness of the action, ‘The play was, thanks chiefly to the superlative work of Miss Shotlander, supported by Miss KisSel and Mr. Herlihy, easily the most enjoyable repertory production since ‘Milestones."