‘Young Woodley7

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 672, 25 May 1929, Page 24

‘Young Woodley 7

Melbourne Praises John Van Druten Play GOOD PLAY WELL ACTED It is a long time since Melbourne has seen a combination better equipped for a stage presentation than the new English company which opened at the Comedy Theatre in “Young Woodley,” says a Melbourne critic. It comes with an exceptionally good play, more than a fair average of acting ability (there is not a really indifferent artist in the whole cast), and the production is remarkable for its attention to detail and the finer points of stage business. Intelligence and a high level of craftsmanship inform the work of both playwright and producer. The author, John Van Druten, has made a very careful study of his schoolboy, and of each adult part, a no less careful character sketch. The producer, Frank Royde, is to be congratulated upon bis interpretation, and an artistic presentation that goes far to make the play a success. With the exception, perhaps, of the rather frank conversation in the prefects’ room (significant for its omissions rather than for what is actually, said), there is nothing to which objection could be taken. The play is an honest and successful dramatic effort, with no attempt to drag in disease or degeneracy for the sake of the box office. While the youth and inexperience of some of the actors make it impossible, in all cases, that they should be outstanding artists, the acting throughout is •of surprisingly high quality, and for once we have a production in which every character is deserving of some praise and not one is conspicuous for a really mediocre performance. Lewis Shaw, as to type, has been happily chosen for the part of Young Woodley; his performance is convincing and rings true at all times. Natalie Moya, who plays the master’s wife — starved for sympathy and handicapped by natural shyness—gives us a very artistic rendering of an exceedingly difficult part. As Miss Moya interprets the part, Laura Simmons is a healthy-minded young woman of rather fine character in uncongenial surroundings, and it would need a very salacious mind to discover harm on the truly maternal kiss she bestows on Young Woodley. Frank Royde’s housemaster is a very fine piece of character study. A truly amazing part is played by Master Trevor Brogan as Cope the fag. As the three prefects, Michael Macowan, George Preston and Edward Ashley, are more than merely satisfactory. Clara Jenkins as a stern parlourmaid, and Guy Hastings as the elder Woodley, both fit small parts admirably. It is rarely that Melbourne is favoured with a play of outstanding merit that has also qualities tending to brake it a popular success. But in the case of “Young Woodley” this happy combination seems to have been achieved, -