'THE DEVIL’S DISCIPLE'

Evening Star, Issue 19549, 6 May 1927, Page 2

'THE DEVIL’S DISCIPLE'

AMATEURS GIVE NOTEWORTHY PERFORMANCE FINAL PRESENTATION TO-NIGHT It is difficult to account for ,tlie “starvation” bouse that greeted the Canterbury College Drama Society’s extremely competent production of George Bernard Shaw’s ‘ The Devil’s Disciple,’ at His Majesty’s Theatre last evening. It was a poor compliment to those who travelled so far at their own expense to give Dunedin the unique opportunity of seeing one of the few Shaw plays that have been produced here to he greeted by an audience thatonjy filled a feurows of seats. One,' perhaps, will he pardoned for suggesting that it, was also a poor compliment to Dunedin that a really worth-while production by one of the greatest theatrical craftsmen of the time, as well as one of the world’s snpremest wits and satirists, should have drawn such a' meagre assemblage; Surely the dominion’s chief educational centre has heard of Shaw! Or perhaps, having heard of this amazing Irishman per medium of the cable messages, it has concluded that he is either a hopeless revolutionary, and as such should not be encouraged, or a platitudinarian and , humbugging, highbrow, with n penchant for getting himself into the full ‘glare of the limelight. The fact that the production was in the hands of amateurs might have kept some would-he patrons away, hut if this were the case it is only fair to .emphasise that, though not. skilled Thespians, those who participated in the performance, gave a surprisingly good account of themselves. There were several outstanding performers, and the production went With a smoothness that would have done credit to a professional, company. It is to he hoped that on the occasion of the final- presentation this evening Professor Shelley and his company will be greeted with a house worthy of the play and their own efforts ‘ r £ho Devil’s Disciple.’ as Shaw confessed in his preface, “ does not contain a single even passably novel incident.” “Every old patron of the Adelphi pit,” ho added. “ would, were he not beglamored [by the magic name of G.B.S.] recognise the reading of the will, the oppressed orphan finding a protector, the arrest, the heroic sacrifice, the court-martial, the scaffold, the reprieve at the last moment, as he recognises beefsteak pudding on the hill of fare at his restaurant.” In fact, , 1 The Devil’s Disciple ’ is a typical melodrama of the genus that has done duty since the stage came into being, and no doubt will continue to flourish as long as the world likes to he beguiled with these grotesqueries of life. If ‘The Devil’s Disciple ’ is sheer, unadulterated melodrama. why, then, it might he asked, did Shaw stoop to borrow the shopsoiled goods of the Byron-Robertsori school and display them with such eclat in his own windowsP The explanation, of. course, is that Shaw is something more than a mere dealer in stage productions. As such he probably could have put the purveyors of the “wellmade plays” out of action by the mere fact of his superior accomplishments; and his already reputedly inflated bank balance would, nn doubt, have been increased many fold. Shaw is primarily a reformer, and has merely used the stage for the purpose of broadcasting his philosophy. Fortunately for the world, he is a great dramatist as well ns a great preacher; any shortcomings in ong department being more than made up for in the other. Before attempting his reformation Show found it imperative to turn the world upside down and to administer many hearty thwacks with his iconoclastic sledgehammer on some of our most treasured conventions ‘ The Devil’s Disciple ’ belongs to the period when Shaw’s sinewy arms were engaged in this work of violence, false religion and militarism (of the blatant type personified by Major Swindon in the play), in particular, coming in for special attention. _ Richard Dudgeon, the hero of the piece, in the course of his most rabid hlasphemings, shows that it is frequently those who claim to bo the most religious who are the enemies of true religion. “I was brought up,” he raved in the violent interlude near the conclusion of the first act, “in the other service; hut I knew from the first that the Devil was my natural master and captain and friend. I saw that ho was in the. right, and that the world cringed to his conqueror only through fear; 1 prayed secretly to him, arid he comforted me, and he saved me from having my spirit broken in this house of children’s tears. I promised him my soul, and swore an oath that I would stand up for him in this world, and hy him in the next.” Dick is the real Shavian superman; an incarnation of Shaw’s life force.. He is the only really religions fellow in the play, despite the fact that ho “called his angels devils and his devils angels,” ns is shown by the sacrifice that he was prepared to make for the sake of the minister ot religion who had reviled him. There are many tense moments in the play, but it is, of course, the scintillating witticisms and brilliant sallies of the Fabian tractarian that have given life and vitality to the production, and that gave last night's audience a dramatic treat. The Cchief character, Richard Dudgeon (the Devil’s disciple) was played with tremendous gusto, as befitted the part, by Professor Shelley. The professor gave an accomplished performs ance in a role that would have surely tested the histrionic abilities of a professional. The theatrical world obviously lost one who would certainly have added lustre to it when the professor turned his attention from the stage to the class room. The production was also in the capable hands of the professor. Miss L. Benhara played the part of Mrs Dudgeon with rare understanding. The Rev. Anthony Anderson was portrayed with distinction by. Mr J. Struthers, and Mr W. B. Harris’s General Burgoyno was another striking performance. Miss N. Billcliffe had the most difficult role of the evening in Judith Anderson, and she came .out of the ordeal very creditably indeed, though she appeared to lack the requisite fire and fervor in some of the more dramatic situations. Tlie other characters were taken by Mr A. TV. Russell (whoso Major Swindon was conspicuously well done), Mr D. M’Gregor. Mr E. Rule. Mr H. Nimmo. Mr P. Soljak, Miss Carrington, and Miss G. Burns. The orchestra, under Mr S. De .Clive Lowe, played several acceptable selections between the acts. 1 The production will be repeated tonight. '