REPERTORY THEATRE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 166, 19 July 1946, Page 3

REPERTORY THEATRE

PRIESTLEY PLAY VERY WELL PRODUCED “I HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE.” | (By H. C. j.). The production of J. B. Priestley’si “I Have Been Here Before” must be. rated highly. In this it was helped by I the play itself. The basis of .he plot is ! the theory held by a German pro as-! sor exiled'to England that ’ife consists of a series of recurrences, with sometimes an individual breaking out of the plane and continuing existence in ' an ascending spiral. With this philo-i sophic foundation the author had the problem confront ng himself of building up the incidence of the current occurrences and at the same lime expounding the theory in order that the audience may have the material wherewith to interpret the events as they occur. The scene is laid in North York-; shire during Whitsuntide week-end j where husband and wife arrive unexpectedly, where a teacher is in residence already and to which place comes the German professor, Dr. Gortler, unceasing with his questions. The professor knows what *s going to happen and it does. Without the theory as the unifying line ’.he play would be thin. A:; it is it is • oth an intellectual treat and an exciting spectacle. Peter Wilson carries the character of Dr. Gortler without a break. Ho is always Gortler, not Wilson, cad provides a splendid niece of characterisation. Accent and gesture even to the suffling gait were consistently sustained and perfect. Leicester Aitken as Walter Ormond, gave a very sympathetic lender ng of a man who nresses forward in his business because he is afraid to stop and face the unhappiness in his heart. This role could easily have been made morbid, but it was given with line understanding of the psychological implications. At first Ormond closes his mind and seeks escape in work and whisky: it is the mental opening up of this man that is the ch ef business of the play. The part provided excellent opportunities for subtle graduations and these were achieved. Il was high-grade work. Hugh Percy as Olliver Farrant, had an emotionally restricted field in which to operate. A teacher on leave heading off a breakdown and then falling in love against his will has his business pitched too much in the same key throughout the play. Within the limits imposed upon him Percy did

Iris Aitken, besides undertaking the duties of producer.^carried the important role of Janet, (Drmund’s wife. Thi; is a difficult part for the same reason that, the role of Farrant is diflicuk, the emotional experience runs in a straight, line, there is no complexity nor development. Such a part could be easily overplayed, a false note could creep in unawares and spoil lhe whole performance. That is why t is so important to play it with restraint. Jans Ormund as played by Iris Aitken, is intellectually alert, yet feminine enough to see some things that logic docs not always reveal. Hilda Latham as Sally Pratt, rills the role of the innkeeper’s widowed daughter with a sincerity that does her great credit. Burdened with dialect, full of Yorkshire directness rhe part, lacks continuity, it being employed to keep the play together, the author having endowed it with little more than bits and pieces and not much characterisation of an original quality. The same can bo said of the part of the innkeeper, Sam Shipluv. n which role Dick Tizard was quite at home. The grouping of the scenes wa well thought, out and equally wni managed: Iho scenery is appropriate: the tempo of the play moves up and then eases off to avoid the tension becoming overstrained. The intellectual interest is dominant throughout, but is saved from overburden by an . a-p'-om-iate emotional finale. Tne theory of Dr. Gortler is proved which satisfying, and the audience has the added gratification o r seeing evenis work onl “delightfully’' even though the theory be ignored.