AN APRIL FOLLY

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 51, 4 March 1929, Page 5

AN APRIL FOLLY

VANBRUGH-BOUCICAULT

COMEDY

"An April folly in three acts," fairly sums up "Belinda," and Miss Irene-Van-brugh and her supports managed to make the folly very agreeable to the large and captivated Saturday night audience at the " Grand . Opera House. As Belinda Tremayne, wife of a long missing husband, and mother of a daughter leaving school, and unwilling to admit either fact, Miss Irene Vanbrugh practises a feminine deception on a poet and a lunacy expert, both of whom have fallen in love with her and propose marriage. She introduces to them her daughter Delia— under the masquerade of her niece—ami promises towed the one who shall lirst discover the niece's missing father, who is identifiable by a mole on his arm. Both the poet and the psychiatrist bogiti the search, thinking that success m ll will win Belinda, whereas success must ineau on the contrary the discovery not only ot Delia's father but of Belindas husband; as however, the astute Belinda has concealed the latter fact by parading., her daughter as Her niece, the pair ot swains set about their own undoing with great enthusiasm. In due course, the molemarked husband is found, but the poet (played by Mr. Komild Ward) is spared any disappointment because at an early stage (after the manner of poets) lie transferred his affection to the niece, and the whole shock falls on the psychiatrist (Mr. Dion Boucicanlt), who only discovers in the third act that his constancy has harboured a supplanter. Belinda as quite "content to recover her husband through the agency of' the duped lover, but as a consolation to the latter she admits him to her library, where a dive into some rare lunacy literature quite distracts his mind from such mundane mat ters as-love and'courtship. Ihe comedy concludes'with an. unheard homily on mental, disease delivered by the lone psychiatrist to. two pairs of entirely uninterested and unabashed lovers. Mr Dion Boueicault presents a remarkable study of a man who unconsciously proves by his personal conduct, his own theories. Nothing/on the border-line ot mentality is more peculiar than the psychiatrist's .love-making—his .head would have only to call his heart as a witness, and no mental hospital authoritiesi. could, possibly refuse him admittance. Mr. .boueicault colours the part .rather highly, and the lines are intoned rather than spoken, but with all these outward; evidences ot eccentricity he still makes the psychiatrist human and loveable. There are, of course, frequent clashes with the poet, whose eccentricity, as presented by- JUi\ Ronald Ward, takes other forms, much more pleasing to the feminine heart—the result being that, Delia (Miss liowena Konakl) is easily conquered, yet she is strong-, minded enough to make him cut his hair. Miss Ronald has good comedy skill, and her tolerant- chiding of her maternal rchi-< tive's giddiness was charmingly dealt out. Such a mother-as Delia, had. might worry any daughter, but the art and charm ot Miss Irene Vanbrugh put the right, face on everything, and so Belinda, instead ot being spanked, .passes from triumph , to triumph. Mr. J. B. Rowe as the husband, and Miss Annie Saker as the HWd, complete the cast. "Belinda" will be staged; to-night, and to-morrow night.

The final production (commencing Wednesday) of tho Irene Vanbrugh-Dlon Bpucicauß talented English company season at -tho Giand Onera House, under J. C. Williamson, Ltd., management will be A. A. Milne's play, "Mr.j Pirn Passes By." When last in Wellington Mr. Boucicaulfs acting, in this remarkable, pieco of humour entitled him to be.classed among the world's greatest actors. Indeed he was the original player of the most original part of Mr. Plm. Tho snowy-headed, littlo, old man, with umbrella in one hand and crump ed Panama in the other,. eccentric, short-sighted and absent-minded, has appealed roost strongly to Dion Boucicault, and his characterisation of the part is among the most irapressivo things on the stage. Little does the old man realise what concern ho causes other people> when, through ills fortgetfulness and inability to complete a thought he merely succeeds in rasing suspicion and fear in those ho lias really sought to befriend and make happy. Always apologetic, excessively courteous, and unaware of the error In discretion, he takes his way in agitation. Miss Vanbrugh, too, as Olivia who bursts into laughter In the midst of the most serious talks with her husband, has a delightful part to play, and she makes the most of it Miss Rowena Ronald and Mr. Ronald Ward also have interesting parts. Box plan at The Bristol.