PRAISE AND CRITICISM

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20349, 13 November 1937, Page 15 (Supplement)

PRAISE AND CRITICISM

A NEW ZEALAND DRAMATIST DRAMA GOOD, COMEDY POOR “A fortnight ago,” says a writer in “The Listener In,” a Melbourne radio paper, “I paid a compliment to Mr W. Graeme-Holder for his fine prize-win-ning play, “The Time Factor.” The play was drama —good drama. And last week we heard a comedy, ‘The Wraith,’ from the same pen. But It was poor comedy—very poor comedy. And not only was it poor comedy, it was a poor play, and despite the unsupported efforts of Arundel Nixon, who tried to pull It out of the depths, It was poor entertainment. “The two paramount qualities which gave Mr Graeme-Holder the prize in the New Zealand competition—the two qualities which must decide the winning of any play competition—characterisation and dialogue, were sadly lacking, and only situation i<femained. “And since the average comedy situation calls for clever handling of characterisation and dialogue to hide its natural banality, if there is nothing to handle tiie show must flop. And flop it did.”

QUEEN VICTORIA PORTRAYED ON SCREEN For the first time Queen Victoria of England is portrayed on the screen in England, and In the above scene are the Queen (played by Anna Neagle), the Archbishop of Canterbury (C.V. France), and Lord Conyngham (Hubert Ilarben). Boxer os Song Writer Tommy Farr, the Welsh boxer whom Joe Louis defeated hopes to introduce a song which he has written, “Maybe I’ll Find Someone Else,” Into a film in which he is appearing. “I think I got the inspiration from thinking about all my past romances,” In said. "The film people are crazy about it I”