J. C. WILLIAMSON COY.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXII, Issue 12525, 10 April 1935, Page 7

J. C. WILLIAMSON COY.

THE WIND AND THE RAIN AND TEN MINUTE. ALIBI ,

The box plans will be opened at Tatitersqll and, IBayly’-si tomorrow morning at nine o’clock for tho two representations of ‘The Wind and .Rain”, to be staged at the Opera House ou Saturday and Monday nights next and for the one performance of the thrilling dramatic sensation, ‘Ten Minute Alibi,’ to be staged on Tuesday night next.

“There may be some slight regrets that ‘The Wind and the Rain’ iwas not written in he Dominion,” wrote a Wellington critic., but that could scarcely he, as the 'basic theme of this thoroughly ckvlighfiil, sweet, wholesome and very human play—• medical student life in Edinburgh—• is the product of an environment far removed from this corner of the Western Pacific. Still New Zealand may well lie proud of Dr Merton Hodge (who was for two years house surgeon at the Wellington Hospital) for ho has created a compact, pleasant and admirably toned play, which alternates in its even flow those touches of sentiment and humor which make the whole world kin. In that perhaps lies the universality of its appeal; for we read that ‘The Wind and the Rain” found ns ready acceptance in America, France, Belgium and Germany as it did in England. Certainly tho play is as remarkable as flic achievement; for tho comedy is not only a wonderfully successful first play (it ’s now in its second year in London) but it is a little masterpiece of eraftmnnehips so rare in first plays. It is t'ruo that alterations were made in the play before it was produced in London by Auriol Lee, but these were not important. There are mo loopholes in the construction f°i: criticism; not, a word of the clever dialogue would he changed had we the option of doing so; while each situation comes so naturally in its proper sequence that, one would l hesi tatc io suggest the merest change. Borides ,TX* 1 lodge owes nothing to anybody. llis play is ns original as it is sweet, fresh human and natural. Every medical man who has ‘been through’ Edinburgh will recognise the homely fidelity of the common room of the students’ lodging house, in which the whole ot the action takes place; the diversity of temperament and character in the students; and may even recall, with the slightest efforts that Scotch ale is a. pretty sound antidote for Edinburgh’s wind and rain. The company to nresent “The Wind and the Rain’ and ‘Ten Minute Alibi” to local playgoers is the same that presented theso plays in Sydney and 1 Melbourne including Mr George Thirl well, a noted London actor. Jocelyn Howarth popular on screen and stage, Arundel Nixon, who is a well known Eng ]isfi artist, Frank Budlyj one of the best character actors in the world today, Harold Meado a distinguished London artist, Tommv -Jav, R. L. Atholwood, Gwen Munro, Nan Tayl°r, Richard Fair. Ron Roberts, Frederick Hughes and other notable artists. “TEN MINUTE ALTBI” *As an ent'ertaiiimeivf' ’ wrote a Sydney critic. ‘Ten Minute Alibi’, which is to be staged en Tuesday night).’ is hard to beat, its thrilling dramatic situations being interpersed with original, clever and Sen ninety humorous comedy. Those who want a mystery play that has not mystery, and yet possesses the absorbing interest cif one, will have their craving fully satisfied 1 . It. has excitement and thrills in plenty, with the romantic note running, through it. Everywhere “Ten Minute Alibi” has been staged, and it is at present thrilling playgoers in no less than 23 countries) heads have been shaken in mystification. Yet actually there is no mystery. The audience witnesses the murder, thus eliminating the usual mystery .element.