"POETRY IN PUBS"

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4801, 23 June 1939, Page 2

"POETRY IN PUBS"

—o INTERESTING MOVEMENT. A CULTURED TASTE. London, May* 22.

The English public houses, which remain open every night until 10.30 or 11 o’clock, play a more important part in the social life of the counti y than is sometimes appreciated by visitors from abroad. In them public opinion is often hammered into shape, and darts and shove ha’penny are not the only methods of spending an evening. One of the more recent interesting movement is “Poetry in Pubs,” and the latest addition to the plays

produced is Mr. Bernard Shaw’s “Man of Destiny.” It was given by a strong company of “The Taverners” at the Postman Arms, Marylebone. Goldoni’s “The Four Bears,” was also on the programme. Recently the company went to Manchester. Their visit was a big-

success, and they had about 500 people at the Yew Tree, Northenden. It was one of their biggest audiences, the peak being the initial gathering at the Downham Inn, in Kent, where Mr. Masefield spoke and there were 800 people. That was nearly two years ago. The movement has established good will in many districts, and sometimes customers do “turns.” At one place the son of the landlord gave readings from Shakespeare and Kipling. Bar-

men and waiters, when they have an opportunity, give every help. In Nottingham some local poets and an

“oldest inhabitant” gave “turns.” Their biggest audiences in London have been at the Manor Inn at Chingford Hatch, where they had 200 people.

The public’s likes and dislikes have been studied, and the mainstays are still Shakespeare, Kipling, Tennyson and Masefield, but Browning will go down well in certain districts. Bret Harte and A. P. Herbert are popular, and the dramatic productions include “The Little Man,” by Galsworthy; “The Proposal,” by Tchekov; “Progress,” by St. John Irvine; and “St. Patrick’s Day,” by Sheridan.