‘BATS IN THE BELFRY'

Evening Star, Issue 23100, 28 October 1938, Page 2

‘BATS IN THE BELFRY '

A CLEVER PERFORMANCE FOR THE ALAN LOVEDAY FUND During an interval in the performance of ‘ Bats in the Belfry ’ by the Dunedin Repertory Society last night Mrs Loveday, mother of the brilliant young violinist who has been delighting the musical folk of this city during the past few weeks, expressed her gratitude to the Alan Loveday Fund Committee and the many other organisations and individuals who had come forward so willingly to help in the raising of funds to enable her son to proceed overseas and continue his studies. The performance last night was one of these pleasing gestures, and, although circumstances, including wet weather, militated against a very large attendance, the patronage by the public was, all things considered, quite satisfactory. And those who did attend were rewarded by being most pleasantly entertained. ‘ Bats in the Belfry ’ is described as “a very light comedy in three acts,” and the description is apt. There is much smart dialogue, some really witty passages, considerable diverting banter and repartee. It matters little what it is all about; it is, rather, a ease ,of ‘‘ the talk’s the thing.” and the manner in which the best laid schemes go astray only adds to the gaiety of the audience. It is essentially a modern play, in which freedom of speech and action by the characters is taken for granted. They consign each other to hades with considerable abandon; there is little regard for age and experience and much for whiskies and cocktails. But there is sparkle, sparkle all the way. The outstanding character is that of Aunt Miranda, one of those managing aunts, who makes her not altogether welcome appearance in the Morton household and in one short day manages and mismanages the destinies of the members of that household, an illicit love affair between Edward Morton and Lady Carnworthy being one of the tangles which Aunt Miranda, in spite of the use of a hatpin for tyrepuncturing purposes, fails to prevent. Mrs Dora MTherson, cast as Aunt Miranda Bailey, was really splendid. She never missed a point, either of word or action, throughout the play, and the subtleties in the art of lying, in which Miranda was a past mistress, were so cleverly presented that she had her audience continually in a state of highly amused expectancy as to what story she would put over next in order to get out of some tight corner. A remarkably clever and artistic bit of acting. Mr Ken Palmer, the Morton son who is enamoured, more or less, of Lady Carnworthy, also did a particularly good piece of work. As the pseudo Dr Brown, in a state of semi-intoxication, medically examining—with asides to Miranda—Sir Charles Carnworthy, he created one of the most amusing scenes of the play. Mr Bruce M'Kenzie’s Harold may also be set down as a convincing performance, the more or less simple attitude of this son of the manse being well sustained. Mr H. Robinson, too, handled the part of the younger and , even more artless Morton boy effectively. The Rev. Simon Morton is one of the author’s least inspiring characters, a sort of “ fill in,” which Mr D. C. Rose did his best wtih. Similarly, the Master of Gamaliel College, though his influence in the development of the story was much more marked, was continually being edged off the premises, so to speak, by the volatile young moderns. In the circumstances, Dr D. S. Chisholm did very well with the part. Mr Chris. Clementson was a trifle subdued as Sir Charles Carnworthy. Apart from the dominating Aunt Miranda, the men bad most of the “ fat ” in the play, but Miss Katherine Napier adequately portrayed the rather insipid Lady Carnworthy, who so nonchalantly expressed her willingness to go to the nether regions as directed by Edward so long ns that explosive fellow went with her. Less important roles were satisfactorily filled by Mrs Frances Palmer (Jessica Morton), Miss Isobel Newlands (Nora Morton), Mr Maurice Kershaw (Tommy Mintern), and Mr Alex. M'Dowell (male guest). The staging and direction, for which Mr Desmond Greenslade was responsible, were good, and the play as a whole can be accounted a distinct suc06During the intervals between the acts Master Alan Loveday played a number of selections, and was tumultuously applauded. This wonderful boy once more astonished the audience with the ease and confidence which he displayed, and delighted them with the tone and quality of the music he produced from the instrument.