Comedy first at Repertory

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33463, 19 February 1974, Page 11

Comedy first at Repertory

Brian Deavoll will direct a production for the Canterbury Repertory Society for the first time next month when “Relatively Speaking,” a modern comedy by Alan Ayckbourn, opens on .March 9 as the society's first production for 1974.

Bnan Deavoll last appeared for the society as Jacob Marley in “A Christmas Carol." Among his notable productions have been the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, “Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds,” and Bruce j Mason’s “Pohutukawa Tree,”, for Elmwood Players. “The' Fantasticks” (now in its fifteenth year off Broadway)) for the Christchurch Operatic Society, and Peter Nichols’ “Day in the Death of! Joe Egg” for the former! Group Ayckbourn’s second West! End play, "Relatively Speak-! ing" was a popular success, ■nd has been translated into a dozen or more languages and produced all over the world.

The four-member cast (all have “plum” roles) comprises John Hendry, making nis first Repertory appearance since Colonel Gray-Bal-ding in "Simple Spymen" 10 years ago. Daphne Milbum, last seen in “Restoration of Arnold Middleton” in 1971, Peter 8001, and Kim McGavock (Helga in “Halfwav Up The Tree").

The season will end on March 16.

A cast of 22 is required for the society’s second production. "Dylan”, by Sidney Michaels, to open May 25. This will be directed bv Jennifer Blumsky. Based on “Dylan Thomas in America,” by John Malcolm Brinnin, and "Leftover Life to Kill”, by Caitlin Thomas, the play recreates the poet’s decline during his two final American tours on the solo-read-ing circuit. It ran for 278 performances on Broadway In 1964, and Sir Alec Guinness received the New York Critics’ Circle Award for his performance in the title role.

June Harrison, of Blenheim, will direct the year’s third production, “The Barretts of Wimpole Street”, by Rudolph Besier, to be presented from August 3 to 10. This play, now regarded as a theatrical classic, was first staged by the society in

1945, produced by Paul Latham, and there have been many requests in the last few years for a new production. It has a cast of 17. The rest of the year’s programme has not been selected.