"THE WHICH ARTS."

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 282, 28 November 1931, Page 2 (Supplement)

"THE WHICH ARTS."

A NOVEL OF THE STAGE

The vogue for novels of the stage and of back-stage life has rather passed, and one wonders whether we are losing for ever the world of the legitimate stage and are to be given in its place a setlnig of Hollywood and Elstree. "The Whicharts"—a first novel by Miss Nosl Streatfield—recaptures much of the glamour and romance as well as the poverty and sadness of the London theatrical world. This novel is creating a stir in England, and will havo a peculiar interest for New Zealanders. Miss Streatfield, the daughter of a bishop, ran away from home and under the name of Noelle Sonning played lead in a theatrical company which toured the Empire. Some of her pleasantcst memories are concerned with her trip through New Zealand, Where she played in all the cities. Criticism that will be passed on this book will chiefly be concerned with the first chapter, in which an extraordinary and decidedly unpleasant situation is treated rather baldly. We begin the third chapter with' three' half sisters, all the illegitimate children of one man who dies, and these children are adopted by a former mistress of the same mail. It is round this very interesting family—if one can call it such —that the story centres. The three children are trained for the stage and it is here that Miss Streat. field's experiences have borne such good fruit. There is a great deal of good character work in the book and no one will find it uninteresting, though some will perhaps be worried by her style, which is rather nervous and broken, and by some of her frankness. Miss Streatfield's next novel will be awaited with interest. The story is published by Heinemann. #