CHUCKLING COMEDY

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 141, 17 June 1935, Page 15

CHUCKLING COMEDY

"MR. PIM PASSES BY." LITTLE THEATRE PLAY. HIGH STANDARD OF PRODUCTION.

"A pleasant time was had by all" can be asserted with a clear conscience of the full house at the Concert Chamber on Saturday evening, when, as the opening event of the season, the Little Theatre Society staged A. A. Milne's gently satirical play "Mr. Pim Passes By." Both behind and in front of the curtains everything went as merrily as the proverbial wedding bell. With its demand for but one setting on the stage and a small cast, this comedy is not an exacting test of dramatic resources, and the dialogue would carry mediocrity safely enough, but in the four chief roles it does call for a deal of character acting which unerringly defines the quality of the entertainers. Nothing could have marked- more signally the arrival of the society at a . stage challenging comparison with accepted professional standard than the nonchalant ease with which the characters on Saturday night were limned to speaking likeness, and the dialogue was tossed and juggled to display its sparkling and colourful facets. The audience audibly enjoyed every moment of a finely produced comedy and at the final curtain demonstrated in the good old-fashioned way. 1

Dan Flood has appeared in many roles locally in his years of dramatic endeavour,' but none is likely to be marked for his peak in this respect above that of Mr. Pirn. The object of the playwright, incidentally, is to, indicate that the most harmless appearing remark of some amiable idiot may threaten the peace of some quite important households, if not of nations. Mr. Pirn is the amiable idiot, and Dan Flood produced a Mr. Pirn, with whom everyone in the house was ready to shake hands as an old acquaintance whom they had hoped would pass by as quickly as possible—but not on this occasion. His apologetic manner of dropping a brick on the toes of the Marden menage, and toddling off in his absent-minded way quite unconscious of having shattered the crust of priceless county traditions —it was indeed artistic. Then there was Althea Parker, another cherished friend of L.T.S. memories of more recent years. The character she made of Olivia Marden was extremely attractive, as of one able to see the crusted county traditions at their true value, even before the Pirn brick broke the crust, and able to put the pieces together again with nimble wit and advantage to herself, as well as to the county's peace of mind. The Milne characteristic of presenting woman as an able debater Without need for resort to tears surely found the right material at hand in Althea Parker as exponent. In her battle of wits with real and presumptive husbands, and in the midst of a distressing social predicament, she was woman triumphant apparently over a mere matter of curtains. But every ruse of her victory on several other battle fronts was cleverly registered to a delighted audience. Dignified and impressive, if not quite the portly person* one might expect, George Marden, J.P., had in Graham Brown-Douglas a lifelike proxy and medium for the worthy expression of his rule-of-thumb conservative views. His mental wincings under the jabs of Olivia's wit, as she plied industrious needle at the same time on curtains, were conveyed with convincing artistry, and his jubilation at being permitted to win an, argument after it had been deftly twisted to go her way was excellently done.

And so to less experienced members of the cast, with the comment that their youth was not discernible in their performances. In the part of Lady Marden, the real top crust of county society, Edna Craig justified the confidence reposed in her by presenting a characterisation in which the slight exaggeration was nicely drawn to give just the right tone over the footlights. Dulcie Dunningham was not required to produce the nuances of shading and quiet motion demanded of the leading three, but as a dashing and vivacious Dinah she contributed her share to the evening's success like an actress of talent. Similarly, Terence Morgan's Brian Strange was just right in intonation, speech, and action. Ngaia Hughes capably did all that was required of her in the part of Anne, the maid. And so the society scored yet another success, and provided the audience with a joyous evening.

Mr. Pirn will pass by at the Concert Chamber every evening up to and including Thursday next.