UNUSUAL DRAMA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26545, 21 August 1947, Page 4

UNUSUAL DRAMA

“THE WIND OF HEAVEN" A COMPETENT PRESENTATION One very encouraging thing about the Dunedin Repertory Society is its willingness to tackle any theatrical proposition which might be regarded as within the bounds of its legitimate interests. A passing preoccupation with something approaching mysticism may have prompted the selection of “The Wind of Heaven” as its major production to follow “ Our Town.” It is strong fare for a repertory society and equally strong fare for an audience, and there was apparent at His Majesty's Theatre last night a tendency for members of the audience to clarify, the proceedings sotto voce for the benefit of their neighbours and. perhaps, to assure themselves that their interpretation was sound. Certainly the applause, considering the size of the audience, sounded more like a slightly baffled observance of convention than the genuine expression of enthusiasm of an audience which knew what was going on and was enjoying it. The players’ work deserved much sturdier acclaim. “The Wind of Heaven” is inclined to be variable, which is somewhat surprising considering the distinguished pen from which it comes. In its abrupt transitions of mood and atmosphere, its philosophical truths and flashes of Celtic intuition, “ The Wind of Heaven ” is inclined to. lose some of the force of its direction, and consequently some of its cumulative effect. In retelling the story of the birth of the Saviour—substituting a Welsh hamlet for Bethelem—Emlyn Williams undoubtedly undertook the most noble task of his career and bis approach to the subject has obviously been one of religious sincerity. In fact, there are moments when his' theatrical judgment appears to have taken second place to his emotions. Briefly, the play tells of the performance of a miracle in a Welsh vil-' lage. The young son of a domestic servant is credited with the bringing back to life of a soldier who has returned from the Crimea only to die of cholera. This, and his subsequent healing of “a score of persons mortally sick” creates repercussions ; n the village, and in particulars, in the household in which his mother works The author has left the interpretation of the strange events open, offering in the curtain words of one of the characters a set of plausible alternatives. The play was written with integrity, and it demands equal integrity of its performers. The cast has been well chosen. As the circus proprietor who is the symbol of repentance—a role originally filled by the playwright himself in the London production—Roland Watson has added to his already impressive list of polished performances on the local stage. Although bearing the burden of some of the less successful moments of the play, his transition of character was skilfully and convincingly handled. As Mrs Parry, within whom a religious sense is revealed, Molly Faulks created a neat cameo in the rather rigid frame of her part. Her voice, which carries well, had sometimes a hard edge which peculiarly underlined the feelings of the character she portrayed. As Bet, the servant, Margaret Freeman was never too self-consciously-Touching in her humility and she shared with Charles Smith the ability to sustain a particularly difficult accent without becoming entangled in unconvincing vocal contortions. Betty Johnston was attractive and competent as the youthful Manna, and she handled her difficult emotional scene admirably. William Pryor’s manner was excellent, but he showed a slight lack of expression in his philosophic “ fancifying ” in one of the earlier scenes, taking the lines at too fast a pace. This minor fault was not evident in later scenes. Betty Dillon made a commanding Mrs Lake, and Robert Cornish completed the cast in a role which, though the pivot of the play, called upon him to do very little and to say nothing. “The Wind of Heaven” was a tribute to the producing ability of Miss Kathleen Falconer, and a considerable amount of credit must be given to the most impressive setting designed by Hugh Sutherland. The prompt opening curtain on the first night caught out maliy belated members of the audience, and it is to be hoped that the cast does not have to compete with the rustle of late arrivals during the remainder of the season. “The Wind of Heaven” is worth seeing in its entirety