‘SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL’

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 265, 5 August 1929, Page 7

‘SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL’

BRILLIANT COMEDY REVIVED “The School for Scandal," a comedy bv Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Last.— Lady Sneerwell .... Marjone Carr S na k e Mr. Walter. Phnge Lady Sneerwell’s gcurr Lady Sneerwell’s Joseph Surface .. Mr. Herbert Sheldnck Maria Miss Mildred Howard Mrs. CandourMiss Lorna I'orbes Crabtree Mr. Arthur Keene Sir Benjamin Backbite Mr. Alan Harkness Lady Teazle Miss I J“ nter \V i mle Sir Peter Teazle .. Mr. Allan Vinkie Rowley Mr. William Loekhait Sir Oliver Surface .. Mr. John Canns Moses Mr. Aliles Hastings Trip Mr. Alan Harkness Charles Surface .. Mr. Alexander Marsh Careless Mr. John Cameron Sir Harry Bumper .. Mr. Milton Sands

There are certain fundamentals in hie that never pall, and certainly never grow out of date. Among these may be included love, hate, intrigue ami scandalall older than the pyramids, all younger than yesterday. Gifted Richard Brinsley Sheridan possibly sensed tins universal nil-time appeal ' when he wrote his brilliant comedy, “The School for Scandal,” which was revived by the Allan Wilkie Company (after a lapse ot ten years) at His Majesty’s Theatre on Saturday night. A brilliant and crowded audience (including Lady Alice lergusson and party and the Prime Minister and party) .gave a full-handed welcome to the delightful old play of the “powder and patches” period. It is interesting to recall that whilst Mr. Wilkie was the last actor-manager to produce “The School” in New Zealand some ten years ago, it has been produced at fairly regular periods throughout our brief theatrical history. It was ably played here fifteen years ago by a company headed by Hugh Bucklor and his wife (Miss Violet Paget) in 1901, and “The School for Scandal” was played here with the American actress Miss Nance O’Neil as Lady Teazle; and so it goes back and back to May 8, 1777, when at the Old Drury Lane Theatre it was originally produced to the great joy of the Londoners, who acclaimed it as the most brilliant comedy since Elizabethan times, with the possible exception of Congreve s “The Way of the World,” which it has outlived. “The School for Scandal” is richly endowed. There is scintillating point in every line of its witty dialogue, but being couched in the flowery phraseology of the period it is not always spoken “trippingly from the tongue” by inexperienced modern actors. Then there is the brilliant gallery of satirical portraits in the characters, the picturesque costumes, and a series of most ingenious situations that serve to keep the interest pleasantly fermenting. The “argument’ of the play may not be known to the younger generation of playgoers. Old Sir Peter Teazle, much respected and well-to-do, has been foolish enough to fall in love with and marry a very young and attractive wife from the country. With tempers quite incompatible, May and December soon find one another out. Lady Teazle becomes one of a set of notorious scandalmongers, and out of that association comes an intrigue with Joseph Surface, a smooth-tongued, hypocritical scoundrel, who, false to everyone, professes to be a paragon of all the virtues. Even as he is carrying on with Lady Teazle he docs his best to blacken the character of his generous-hearted but spendthrift brother Charles, and at the same time attempts to ingratiate himself with Maria (Sir Peter’s ward), 'with whom he knows Charles is in love. But the wily Josenh over-reaches himself. He has invited Eady Teazle to his rooms, and whilst she is there Sir Peter happens to call and, catching the glimpse of the petticoat in hiding, Joseph has to confess that it is “a little French milliner who cannot speak a word of English I” The discovery that the snrng, virtuous Joseph is as human as the rest of his set amuses the old man immensely, so that when Charles arrives and Joseph is called away Sir Peter cannot help divulging the fact that they are not alone, and bursting with laughter at length tells him about the hidden milliner. Charles resolves to see the lady who is associating her* self with his smug and ultra-virtuous brother, and an exposure is made, with shattering results. The “screen scene,” as it is called, has probably no rival in the whole gamut of English comedy, and none is more frequently played. Thanks to an experienced cast, “The School for Scandal” was soundly played on Saturday. All concerned knew how to wear and appear at home in the very beautiful period costumes, and moreover, a certain sureness of touch indicated an acquaintance with traditional interpretations. The play was acted in such a lively spirit throughout that the gaiety of those on the stage happily infected the audience. Miss Hunter Watts has probably never been seen to such advantage as in the role of Lady Teazle. She was the bewitching embodiment of youthful gaiety, the beautiful girl, cribbed by country life, itching so to speak to kick over the traces, yet restrained by a certain refinement of mind. In the quarrel scenes with Sir Peter, she tantalised adorably, and her emotional eruption at the end of the screen scene deepened the dramatic effect tremendously. Mr. Wilkie’s Sir Peter Teazle was much too young in appearance and action. He never - for one moment looked the old bachelor that Sheridan drew, but rather would pass for a well-set-up man of forty or thereabouts; indeed, he looked so well in his picturesque square-cut of figured satin that the May and December comparison was simply non-apparent. This was inartistic, as the whole point of the play depends on Sir Peter being “aged.” Still, Mr. Wilkie entered fullheartedly into the spirit of the play on straightforward lines. Elegance of diction and a fine buoyancy of spirit made the Charles Surface of Mr. Alexander Marsh very acceptable. The villainy and pseudo-morality of Joseph Surface were lightly and pleasantly etched by Mr. Herbert Sheldrick. Mr. John Cairns was well-suited to the characteristics of that pleasant gentleman, Sir Oliver Surface (though the “book” demands one smaller in stature)', and his comportment in the diverting auction scene, when he scarcely knows whether to boil with rage or burst with laughter, was good mumming. In that scene Mr. Miles Hastings as Moses was funny, even if he did depart from the text. The scandal-mongering set was a very precious one. Miss Lorna Forbes as Mrs. Candour, ran away with the honours, while Mr. A. Keene’s Crabtree was a capital bit of character acting. Miss Marjorie Carr looked very well in the white wig and voluminous skirts of Lady .Sneerwell, and acted that designing disseminator of slander with considerable spirit. The Maria of Miss Mildred Howard was rather colourless. Good work was done by Mr. W. Lockhart as faithful old Rowley, and Mr. A. Harkness made an amusing fop of Sir Benjamin Backbite. Good work was done by Mr. W. Plinge as Snake. Mr. John Cameron as Careless, and Mr. M. Sands as Sir Harry Bumper. The comedy was well-mounted, and, once more, the costumes were superb. Following an ovation at the end of the performance. Mr. Wilkie said it was a pleasure and a privilege to present these delightful old English comedies. With all the progress that had been made on the stage; nothing better had been written. He would during the season produce, “She Stoops to Conquer,” and ’ The Rivals,” and after that would revive some of the Shakespearean plays, including “Much Ado About Nothing,” which was not played during the last V cllington season. (Applause.)