Agreeable Theatre

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31029, 7 April 1966, Page 18

Agreeable Theatre

A first-class theatrical experience was enjoyed by a capacity audience in the Provincial Council Chambers last night. This was the public presentation by the New Zealand Players Quartet of its programme for senior school pupils. Directed by Alan de Malmahche, and featuring a youthful and versatile cast, this is probably the quartet’s best production to date. Excerpts from “Resounding Tinkle,” “I Remember Mama,” “The Glass Menagerie,” and the screen plays of “Tom Jones” and “Becket” were carefully selected and linked to give a very fair idea of each play. The introduction, “Let’s Make a Play,” was a brief and entirely palatable lecture on what makes drama come alive. Quite the most impressive work seen on stage in Christchurch for many months was Dennis Lili’s playing of inumerable parts (three in “Tom Jones”). With changes of gesture, costume, accent, hair style, but never of make-up, the whole personality changed. His Henry II was not quite as successful as the other parts—perhaps the excerpts chosen did not give him sufficient time to build up the charm that Becket found so difficult to resist.

The other parts were amazingly successful—it was a virtuoso performance. Pat Lili, Cecily Polson and Dennis Richards filled out the cast in competent style. Pat Lili, in spite of her youth, managed credible portrayals of middle-age—her Mama was quite charming, while as the mother in "The Glass Menagerie” she was quite horrifying. Cecil Polson was deeply moving in “The Glass Menagerie” and disarmingly ingenious in “I Remember Mama,” but her rather strident voice was rather disconcerting in the part of Sophie Western. Dennis Richards gave competent, if unexciting, performances—the best was as Tom Jones where in his final scene he gave hints of being capable of a really swashbuckling performance; it was unfortunate for Mr Richards that Tom’s most dashing scenes had to be excised for a schools tour. This was most agreeable entertainment—a little bit of everything, presented in a thoroughly professional manner—a reminder that there is still plenty of magic to be found in the theatre.

The programme will be repeated in the Provincial Council Chamber tonight. —P.S.