POPULAR COMEDY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22137, 17 June 1935, Page 12

POPULAR COMEDY

"MR. PIM PASSES BY" LITTLE THEATRE SUCCESS TWO NOTABLE PORTRAYALS Although it is by no means a new play to Auckland audiences, there is much to commend the Little Theatre Society's choice of A. A. Milne's "Mr. Pim Passes By" as its 39th production. The play opened its season at the Town Hall concert chamber on Saturday night and, although it challenged memories of some of the finest artists of the English stage, the deftness and charm of Milne proved as pleasant as ever.

The play, of course, is one of the happiest creations of a dramatist who excels in the field of light and typically English comedy. The story of the widow who marries again, only to have Mr. Pim pass by several years later with a series of alarming announcements concerning her first husband, is almost too well known to need repetition. A country squire, a pillar of rectitude, with his life built on the corner-stones of church, law, conscience and county, discovers himself married to an unconscious bigamist, but the playwright, through the wit of his finest female character, and the wondering pertinacity of Mr. Pim, smooths the way to happiness for the squire, the squire's wife, tjie square's ward and the squire's pet aversion, in the shape of a young artist who paints clouds as triangles. Mr. Pim. complete with Panama hat and tightly-rolled umbrella, is well played by Mr. Dan Flood. Almost like a caricature of a messenger in Greek tragedy, he makes his five appointed visits to the Marden household, leaving bewilderment and consternation behind him as he unfolds the story of the man from Australia who died through a herring bone becoming stuck in his throat. Mr. Flood meanders delightfully through the play with an air of never-ending surprise at his own mental aberrations. Even memories of the perfection of Bouccicault in the part could not detract from the merit of his performance.

However, the acting honours of the plav undoubtedly go to Miss Althea Parker, for her notable portrayal as Olivia, the woman who finds her happiness menaced by the threatened resurrection of a dead husband. Her work throughout is uniformly good, and she combines an excellent stage presence with real acting ability. Her work in the second act, particularly in the few crowded moments immediately preceding the curtain, reveals stage ability of a high order. Mr. Graham Brown-Douglas acts capably as Olivia's problematical husband, George Marden, J.P., giving a very creditable sketch of the traditional English country gentleman. Miss Dulcie Dunningham, a young lady of irrepressible enthusiasms, and Mr. Terence Morgan carry the lighter romantic interest, and Miss Edna Craig, as the elderly but athletic Lady Marden, and Miss Ngaia Hughes, as the inevitable maid, complete the cast. The play, admirably produced by Sir. Frederic McCallum, will be repeated nightly until Thursday.