THE COMEDY OF LOVE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20690, 12 April 1929, Page 10

THE COMEDY OF LOVE.

“ ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL.” Fortunately, the greater the incursions into the realm of Shakespearean genius •the wider the variety encountered, else an 18-piay repertoire might pall from its monotony. It was a happy inspiration that moved Mr Allan Wilkie to make the comedy of love follow so hard upon the heeltf of the tragedy of love. It was pleasant indeed to smile and laugh, and catch the infectious gaiety of “All’s Well That Ends Well ” alter mourning at the passionate violence and the funeral if lovely hopes in “Romeo and Juliet.” It is a merry entertainment, one of the most pleasing of the dramatist’s comedies, but different from most by reason of the touch of gravity that can never be quite lost sight of from the first lines to the last. It is a play as full of wisdom and genius as it is replete with humour. And there is the recipe for charm as well—the exquisite refinement of sentiment and drollery that is Boccaccio’s blended with the dramatic skill and comic spirit that are Shakespeare’s. What more tasty ingredients could be offered in the bill of tare? The characters in “ All’s Well That Ends Well ” are charming and diverting folk, even to that blustering old Beau Brummel, Parolles, who is likeable for all his bragging. But that was ever Shakespeare’s way. In tragedy, comedy, or romance, he never expected to “ gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles. He never put virtue intq, the mouths of knaves or made his heroes untrue to themselves. In this delightful story of human life he has framed delightfully human characters. And to complete the general excellence of things _Mr Wilkie has been no less judicious in casting the play. The character of Helena is one of great sweetness and delicacy, and therefore could not have been entrusted to more capable hands than those of Miss Hunter-Watts, than whom few players can wear period dress with greater effect. To see her manage her voluminous skirts and trains is to have a lesson in grace. She portrayed an Helena who was alternatively downcast and gladsome, her variety being the final touch to a winsome picture of another of Shakespeare’s great women. Her great personal charm, rare good humour, finely-dr awn grief, and lovely stage pres-, ence were all brought into play again, and when the curtain was rung down for the last time she had piled the mountain of her audience’s indebtedness higher than ever. She courted Bertram with the scrupulous nicety of female modesty both as maid and' as wife, and even when he left her for the French court that lovely smile still on her charming countenance. ‘'There is no living if Bertram be away,” she cried, and off she rushed to press the suit that would never come from so high a lord to so ordinary, a gentlewoman unless she forced the issue. And when again he left her, his newly-wed bride, this time for the Florentine wars, she soon had done with tears, and was on her way to Italy to try her winning deceits again. She won the good graces, of the Florentine widow (Miss Mildred Howard) and her daughter (Miss Mprjorie Carr) in her own inimitable style, and, having laid her trap well, returned to the court of France, whither her husband had already repaired in the full belief that sue was dead. The incident of the rings was well managed by Miss Marjorie Carr, and was followed by another' of those pretty wooings in which Miss Hunter-Watts is so alluring—a wooing which secured to her the lasting affection of her erstwhile tardy husband. . Bertram proved himself .no less inviting a character than Helena before the play was finished, but he struck one as a very priggish young. man at first. Mr Dennis Barry thoroughly enjoyed himself in the role, and for that reason made an eniinent success of it. “ A poor physician’s daughter!_ Disdain rather corrupt me ever,” lie cried when ordered by the king to take Helena’s hand in marriage. A disdainful lover he was in truth, and later as a widely-acclaimed leader, and, one fears, also a badly-spoiled young man, Mr Barry’s Bertram lacked few of the attributes the author ascribed to him. He depicted wilful stubbornness and youthful petulance with pleasing skill. The comic part of the play tunis on the folly, boasting and cowardice of Parolles, a parasite and hanger-on of Bertram's, the detection and exposure of whose false pretensions to bravery and honour form some very amus* mg episodes. Mr Wilkie could not have done better than take the role himself. He proved a fine exponent of the sword and cloak’ school, and answered perfectly to old Lord Lafeu’s description of him—- ‘ The soul of this man is in his clothes.” He swaggered offensively, boasted in the best manner, and took heavy toll of the broad humour in the ambuscade scene when his false dignity and brave exterior were torn from him by the practical joking of his fellows in arms. Mr Wilkie made him the perfect knave to such effect that the remark of one of the bystanders m that scene, “Is it possible that he . P„ d know what he is, and be what he ’f, png strangely true. The part concluded m the actor’s best style as he delivered himself of those pregnant lines—- "• - - - for It shall come to pass, That every braggart shall be found an ass. Rust sword, cool blushes, and Parolles live Safest In shame; being fooled by foolTy thrive: There’s place and means for every man alive. I’ll after them." Miss Lorna Porbes made an extremely gracious Countess Roussillon, mother of Bertram and friend of Helena. She was beautifully robed throughout, and her acting was distinguished for a sympathy and finish that are both peculiarly her own. She adorned several scenes in particular with her fine presence. Mr Alexander Marsh scored another great success as the foolish, yet withal shrewd, old Lord Lafeu, while Mr Arthur Keane made a welcome reappearance in the habiliments of a jester, adding yet another excellent portrait .to his gallery of Shakespearian fools. Mr John Cairns filled the part of the king of France in polished style, and there was nothing lacking in the performances of the lords, ladies, and soldiers who made up the remainder of a. fairly large cast. “MACBETH.” Mr Wilkie will play “Macbeth” tonight for one performance only, and following a matinee of “Twelfth Night” to-morrow, the delightful comedy-drama “ Much Ado About Nothing ” will be presented for the first time by this company in Dunedin. A special new production of the piece has lately been added to the repertoire with magnificent new costumes, which are shown off to very great advantage in two beautiful dances introduced by Mr Wilkie. So fascinating proved these dances when 'presented in Auckland, that the audience held the action of the play up for an appreciable period ol time in a clamourous demand for an “ encore.” Mr Wilkie plays the character of Benedick, and Mi& Hunter-Watts has the exquisite role of Beatrice, that charming and witty lady,-made famous by the late Mies Ellen Terry. It is a role that is said to be eiftinently suitable for Miss Hunter-Watts. Although comedy predominates in “ Much Ado About Nothing,” yet the play contains one of the most poignant and moving dramatic situations in the whole of Shakespeare,—the church scene, where the bridegroom repudiates the bride at the altar. “ Much Ado About Nothing” should prove one of the most attractive of all the 19 plays in Mr Wilkie’s repertoire.