A NEW ZEALAND DRAMATIST IN LONDON

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21710, 30 July 1932, Page 22

A NEW ZEALAND DRAMATIST IN LONDON

By C. K. Allen.

By the latest English mail comes word of the production at the Arts Theatre, London, for a Sunday performance, of “ As It Was in the Beginning,” a comedy by Merton Hodge. Dr Merton Hodge, a* he was known in this city, was for some time on the staff ‘of the Dunedin Hospital. As a member of Selwyn College, where he spent the greater part of his undergraduate days, he was well known as a writer and producer of plays and sketches for performance at the annual capping concert. He was, however, interested in more serious stage work, and his friends looked to the day when he should realise his ambition by submitting a full-length play to that most exacting of all audiences which assembles in London on a Sunday evening. “As It Was in the Beginning” is concerned with the love story of a young medical student who goes north from Chelsea to prosecute his studies. He is betrothed to a girl who bears the provocative name of Jill. He returns fully qualified, having in the meantime taken up with another lady named Anne. In the end Charles, the young doctor, appears to be off with the new love, and on with the old. Such in bare detail is the plot of the play, so far as one can gather from the not very communicative summary of the critic of the Observer. One gathers that this is a play that depends upon dialogue and character-drawing rather than upon plot. Miss Athene Seyler enacted the part of the young doctor’s mother. The name of this delightful actress is a guarantee that “ As It Was in the Beginning ” was considered worthy of first-class representation. Miss Seylcr’s peculiar bent lies in the direction of somewhat shrill and piquant humour. It remains to be seen whether “ As It Was in the Beginning ” will find its way into a regular evening bill. New Zealand dramatists who have “ made good ” (to use an expression abhorred of Mr 6. K. Chesterton and defended by Dean Inge) may be counted on the fingers of the hand. Mr Reginald Berkeley, who once resided in Auckland, had his first success with a farce which had a war setting. This was “ French Leave,” which enjoyed a very' considerable run at the Apollo Theatre. His most notable achic § out so far, however, is “The Lady With the Lamp,” a play which takes its place by the side of “ Abraham Lincoln,” by John Drinkwater. In “ The White Chateau ” Captain Berkeley, or Mr Berkeley, as he probably prefers to be called, experimented very successfully with a wireless play. Afterwards this piece was converted into a play for the regular stage. Mr Arthur H. Adams, whose “ Tapu ” was produced by the Pollard Opera Company with music by Alfred Hill, had a play produced in the West End of London. ■ This was “Mr Pretty and the Premier.”

Mr G. H. Clutsam, a New Zealand composer, was associated with the immensely successful production of “ Lilac Time” at the Lyric Theatre. He was set the task of adapting Schubert’s music to the needs of this opera with Schubert himself as the protagonist. Afterwards Mr Clutsam attempted to repeat his success by adapting the music of Chopin for an opera with a Polish setting which was produced at the Savoy Theatre, and enjoyed merejy a success d’estime. A young dramatist from Wellington had a farce produced two or three years ago at Kew, where there exists a theatre which is regarded as a nursery for West End successes., In this Instance, however, the success did not seem to be forthcoming.

It remains to bo seen whether Mr Hodge will succeed in maintaining a hold upon the London stage—a precarious hold at the best of times. One gathers that he has definitely dedicated himself to the prosecution of the dramatist’s life. He has formed a friendship with Mr Beverley Nieholls, who has written several plays and reviews for production in London. The first of Mr Nicholls’s plays, “ The Stag,” was given short shrift, but he has since been moderately successful as a writer of acts and sketches for reviews. It is possible that Mr Hodge may find his opening in this class of work. The apprenticeship be served as writer-in ordinary for the capping carnival in Dunedin should stand him in good stead, A London review sketch may require a little more finesse than an act for the capping, but the creative urge is required for both. Mr Hodge has this in common with the author of “ Mr Pretty and the Premier,” that both he and Mr Adams were concerned with the concoction of a capping programme. One awaits with interest for the next venture of this young dramatist.