D. H. Lawrence radio play

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34045, 8 January 1976, Page 4

D. H. Lawrence radio play

“The Widowing of Mrs) ;Holroyd," by D. H. LawI rence, will be presented in, Radio New Zealand’s concert! iprogramme next Wednesday' afternoon. Although the novels of) (Lawrence are widely ac-j i claimed, his early attempts; (at drama have tended to be I neglected until recently. It was an impressive series of revivals at the Royal Court Theatre in Lon- I don in 1968 which attracted ; (fresh critical acclaim. In this'! BBC Sixty-Minute Theatre (radio version of “The Wid-i 'owing of Mrs Holroyd” the ( lead role is taken by Judy! Parfitt, who was widely), praised for her performance . iin the part in the Royal i Court production. ' The play is set in an English mining village. It tells!’ the story of a woman mar-'' ried to a drunken bruite who!* makes life intolerable for) 1 her and their two children. Another man who is in ■ love with her persuades her • to run away with him. but scarcely 24 hours elapse before she discovers that her drunken husband has met with a fatal accident. She ried to a drunken brute who then finds her feelings comfused and wonders whether; her own coldness and con-i scious superiority may have 1 , (driven him to drink.