SIR BASIL THOMSON

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18673, 30 September 1922, Page 8

SIR BASIL THOMSON

IN A NEW ROLE. •» PLAYWRIGHT AND ACTOR. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, August 10. Sir Basil Thomson, freed from the ties of office, has been amusing himself writing plays. In the district where Hampshire. Sussex, and Surrey meet, near a little town called Rogate. the Fair Oak Players yesterday and to-da,y have been performing two new compositions from the pen of the former Chief of the Secret Service. In one of these plays Sir Basil himself takes one of the principal parts. Fair Oak is a beautiful country house belonging to the Hon. Dougias Carnegie In the wood on the property the great firs, Spanish chestnuts, and oaks provide the stage scenery. And the chief play, “Rufus,” has for its setting just such, scenery as the original action had some 800 years ago. Fair Oak, being not very far from the New Forest, gave Sir Basil Thomson the inspiration to write a play founded on the last days and the death of William 11. The tragedy of this unpopular King of England remains somewhat of a mystery, but the writer of ‘’Rufus’’ has taken the view generally held that ho was tlie victim of a designed murder and not of a mere accident. Tlie author describes the play as an unrecorded episode in history, and he treats the story with a perfectly free hand. Although the last scene ends with a tragedy there is ample brightness and pleasantry throughout the play. Mediaeval costumes blended perfectly with the forest colours, horses caparisoned as ir; those former centuries made a convincing picture, and oven in the bright sunshine, which burst forth to-day after weeks of fruitless effort, the presence of the good folk of the countryside assembled in the amphitheatre was for the space of an hour or two forgotten. One followed the fortunes of King, ladies, knights, and villains With interest or delight. As for the story itself, it can be briefly told. Sir Walter Tyrrell and Sir John Mohun. the Ranger of the New Forest; have taken prisoner a freeman Gurth, notorious for his poaching, and one whose family had been ruined when the Conqueror laid waste the fair county of Hampshire. Gurth is about to be hanged to the nearest tree, but he temporarily saves himself by promising to reveal the hiding place of treasure. Trumpets are heard and the King and all his retinue appear. Too late to avail themselves of the treasure, the two knights, in an attempt to appease the villainous temper of the King, reveal what Gurth has told them. They are bidden to go and bring the treasure back to the King. All the treasure Gurth reveals is a beautiful fairy child who has the gift of seeing into the future. . foretells the murder of the King, at the hand . of Sir Walter Tyrrell himself. We are also shown in a vision the descendants of Sir Walter and of. the goodhearted but weak-minded Sir John Mohun. After a dashing highwayman and an undecided smuggler came two ladies of the earlv Victorian era, who engaged in wordy warfare. These were succeeded by a war profiteer and his wife in a motor car, Sir John Mann, K.8.E., whoso cigar and yellow waistcoat ,so outraged the ancient knights that Tyrrell would have put an arrow through him had the picnic party not hastily fled in 'their car, (he chauffeur holding on behind. Both the knights realise that their return without the rcasure will mean possibly a dungeon for them. Gurth reminds them of the fairy child’s pronouncement’ that the King will die. Tyrrell sees a way of ridding England of a tyrant. He acquaints- other two knights of - his plan. That evening the King is lulled to sleep with a sleeping potion. When he awakes the revels keep him in good humour. Suddenly the cry goes forth that the Royal stag has been seen. The King rushes into the woods with his bow, and as he shoots at the beast the three knights behind him loose their arrows.' The arrow with the white feather, from Sir,, Waller Tyrrell’s ■'how pierces the heart of the King, and he falls. With a cast of some 50 players, including some professionals from London, the scenes were imposing. The horses were a delight, and behaved themselves with perfect naturalness, while the Fool’s donkey entered into the performance with evident pleasure. Among a- multitude of enemies the Fool remains true tp his master to the end, and as he looks on the King for the last time be says; ‘‘With all his faults thick upon him he was a lion among dogs.” THE KNAVE AND THE TARTS. The second piece, also by Sir Basil Thomson, showed how the Knave of Hearts became an Honour. It will be remembered that, after the Queen of Hearts had made some tarts, the Knave stole , them. But according to Sir Basil's excellent piece of fooling, he stole them to save all the other Knaves of the pack from sudden death They and their kings and queens had all been bidden (o a party, at which they were to regale themselves with the Queen of Heart’s tarts.,.. Though Swearing to guard them” and-give -his, life for them he is tempted to taste tHdm. He'at once realises the danger to the various members of the Royal families and there and then empties them out into the bracken, was sentenced to swallow the tarts, but luckily bis loyalty is discovered in time, though he has already consumed enough to make him speechless. 11l as he was, he recovers to receive from tire hands of his master the “Order of Modesty :irt the Fifth Degree.” Sir Basil Thomson himself appeared in this plav in the delightful character of the ancient Seneschal, Throughout the two pieces incidental music was played by a verv fine orchestra hidden among the trees. |