A PSYCHIC PHANTASY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 33, 9 February 1927, Page 6

A PSYCHIC PHANTASY

"OUTWARD BOUND" AT THE

OBERA HOUSE

There are theatrical prophets who profess to see a great change coming over the English stage—a change for the better. They, say that, although the theatres of ;London, of New York, and, in some degree, of Paris, may- tq-day. be largely given-, 'over to plays o£ sex, drug-mania,, or inanities that pass- for revues, yet better things are coming. Perhaps "Outward Bound," produced here, at the: Opera House last evening, may be taken: as a straw in the wind of coming change. As a play, it was difficult on seeing it to refrain from recalling a line in the epilogue to "Kin" Henry the Eighth," running,

" 'Tis ten to one this play can never i please all that are here."

: The reason for thinking so was because the play was unusual; not the sort of play that New Zealand playgoers are accustomed to. As a matter of fact, it was a play that might be better read than performed. It is a kind of psychic phantasy. A party of passengers, all dead, are bound-they know not where, and due to arrive they .know not when, to a land which (as-seen; from the deck) is pleasant looking and is called "Hell'". But the gaspin" audience is informed that Heaven or Hell is just what one likes to make it 4.11 have to face the "Examiner"—that is inevitable. He knows all about them, and tneir pasts, their sins, their noble thoughts and good deeds. So the passengers pass before him as before a port doctor They consist of a clergyman and a dipsomaniac, who both died young; a scheming old Lockney charwoman; a faded beauty of humle^ origin, whose combined youthful attractiveness and. sordid cunning had formed her passport into society; and a man whose high position in business life had been attained by ruthlessly beating down o£ his fellows, climbing over hectatombs of victims to his ambitions. There is a pair of lovers, too; "half-ways" they are called, inasmuch as, apparently, they meant to kill themselves, and almost didso, .but a dog's devotion saved.'them in spite of their determined attempt. . The "Examiner" having disposed of the passengers on his list, there is time to !£ ai n» •£ k ?J er f he play ' and conclude that fit would better read than act. But if acted, then it was a very courageous thing to produce it for. acceptance by the majority of present-day playgoers In the future of the British theatre who can tell what play will succeed? Probably "Outward Bound" will rank with the classics. It really ought not to be over the heads of all the theatregoers of today.

Mr. Cunningham (producer), at its close last night, had good reason to be satisfied with the efforts of the cast as with- his own small part in it, Mr. Jack Phillips as Scrubby, the steward, was excellent considering the fingerpost part lie had to play. As did the rest of the performers, he spoke his lines deliberately clearly, and with force. To Miss Henrietta Cavendish was allotted the role of the beauty with a past, and she showed sound knowledge and wide experience in her treatment of , the . character. Mr. Frank Bradley, as Mr. Lingley, the successful business man, proved himself to be a highly competent and realistic interpreter of the part. Miss Zillah Bateman was very touching as the girlvwife, who had resolved to die with her boy husband, and the latter part was safely entrusted to Mr. Charles M'Callum. Mr. Prior, the young dipsomaniac, was at times forced by Mr. Norman Carter; but there were fine moments in his interpretation. The charwoman (Mrs. Midget) was played by Miss Beryl Barraclough, with a hint at a Lanca-shire-Yorkshire accent inappropriate to a London charwoman, travelling all her life from Lambeth to the Bank arid back again. Mr. Campbell Copelin was quite good as the young clergyman.

"Outward Bound" will be played all this week.