“NIGHT MUST FALL”

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28524, 1 March 1958, Page 14

“NIGHT MUST FALL”

Repertory Society Production

“Night Must Fall,” by’ Emlyn Williams, is the first production undertaken this year by the Canterbury Repertory Theatre Society. The season began last evening at the Repertory Theatre and the concentrated attention of the audience after the first act proved that the play has lost little of its power with the passage of years. The story is not exactly simple, but it proceeds inevitably to the £nd that everyone soon begins to expect. This is a pattern that offers some difficulty to amateur actors, | and the task of dominating the drama of a situation which is implicit from the rising of the curtain may well be beyond them. Some members of the audience were doubtless conscious of this state of affairs from time to time last evening. Occasionally the proper atmosphere could not be maintained, and the audience was aware of this. However, generally speaking, the cast was at least equ?l to the parts that had to be played, and one or two of the actors gave clever performances. The first act sets the, situation, a complicated one, and it took some time and effort to get the play moving, as might be expected. But with the entrance of Dan -‘Night Must Fall” begins to develop tremendous pace, and an occasional awkwardness can easily be overlooked.

The acting honours rest with Doreen , Corrick as Mrs Bramson and Trevor Pitt as Dan. Mrs Bramson was played as both formidable and foolish. The character was sharply outlined, indeed all too human. Dan, however, is a psychological monster from whom anything is to be expected, and Mr Pitt faithfully portrayed the heights and depths which, are within the power of an unbridled imagination. Mrs Terence, the cook, as acted by Dorothy Withel, was expert in repartee, and the role of inspector Belsize offered few problems to Barrie Philpott.

The rest of the cast tended to be swept along by the speed and interest of the play. Malcolm Garrett, for instance, seemed not to be , suitably cast tas Hubert, whose presence in “Night Must Fall” is difficult to account for, so ineffective are his words and actions, except in so far as they help show up Olivia’s nature. As Olivia Branson, Dorothy Smith acted bravely; but it may be doubted whether her performance was flexible enough to make the audience really understand her intensity and her sudden changes of mood. The stage was skilfully set to mirror Mrs Bramson’s personality, and the feeling that the house was built in a forest clearing was conveyed to the audience. “Night Must Fall” was produced by Frank Newman. At the end of the performance Mr Newman read a telegram from the playwright, who is now in New Zealand, expressing good wishes for the success of the present production. —C.E.S.