"DAMNED GOOD"

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 33, 22 February 1935, Page 53

"DAMNED GOOD"

First-Nighter’s Opinion of "Ten Minute Alibi" is Shared by Capacity Wellington House

( By

Our Theatre Critic.

"DAMNED GOOD" was the verdict passed on "Ten Minute Alibi" by one hoary-headed: first-nighter as the capacity audience streamed. out of the Grand Opera House, Wellington, on Saturday evening. And "damned good" this play certainly is, as may be judged from the fact that it successfully ‘holds the ‘attention with one setting and a mere handful of characters. Anthony Armstrong; the well-known contributor to "Punch," is the author, and one may venture the opinion that, good as are Mr. Armstrong’s writings in England’s great national institution, the world is poorer by the fact that he has not concentrated his attention: on the. writing of plays. . "Ten Minute Alibi" (I'am not. giving away the kernel of the plot; so don’t read any. further if that’s. what you're expecting) is an almost perfect example of 2 mystery play, and it is safe to say that New Zealand will be divided into two camps by the time the play has reached Invercargill. Its author has not given t everything away-and in this lies half the charm and the reason’ for the phenomenal popularity of the play. George Thirlwell, a young Englishman, plays 'the part of Colin the man who would save the girl he loves from a "fate worse than death." He plays his part in a masterly manner imparting just that degree of uncertainty and nervousness to the role that ‘the author intended. J ocelyn Howarth, heroine of the Cinesound film, "The Squatter’s Daughter," is the only girl in the play-Betty Findon, infatuated with Phillip Sevilla, the handsome and heartless fellow .whose ultimate idea is that she should be shipped to Buenog Aires-with a one-way ticket. Sevilla is cleverly played by Arundel Nixon, Smaller roles are skilfully handled by a cast that is fully entitled to the label of ‘first class." Probably the brightest thrust is the \ remark of the slightly pompous old lawyer, Sir Miles Standish, who is also being cross-examined by the detectives. .. "But dammit, man, you’re not me of the murder, are you? I’m a Conservative!’ -The "play has its comedy touches .(Mr. Armstrong’s "Pwich" sense stands him in good stead here), but they are not allowed to destroy the atmosphere that has been so carefully built up through three acts. The setting is 4 room in Sevilla’s flat in Bloomsbury-a pleasant room with no suggestion of sliding panels or other paraphernalia of the lesser school of mystery playwrights. A large clockthe clock that plays as prominent a part as the leading man-dominates the scene, and almost puts the hangman’s noose round the hero’s neck at -the final curtain. "Ten Minute Alibi" ig the best mystery play New Zealand

has seen in a generation-certainly better than the record-breaking Bdgar Wallace play, "The Ringer,’ which Moseovitch played in the Dominion . about six years ago. And the size of Saturday night’s audience in Wellington certainly looks as if you’ll need to book your seats.