College Entertainment—Drama

Noel Coward is always popular with the critics and general public, but apparently not with students. Not nearly enough attended the recent performances given by the Drama Club.

"Private Lives" revived by the VUC Drama Club, contains a good deal of all that is best in Coward. In and out of matrimony the unforgivable sins are dullness and pomposity; infidelity slips into a venial category, and the prime marital virtue becomes a rigid addiction to flippancy combined with a capacity to throw off apophthegms in the muddle of a domestic row. To satisfy these conventions, situation tends to take the place of plot. Given two honeymoon couples, the Chases and the Prynnes staying at the same hotel, it follows with a minimum of demonstration that the present Mrs. Prynne was formerly Amanda Chase. The old lovers meet, go through the motions of falling in love again, and elope to Amanda's flat in Paris. Act II must now be started up and kept going until the jilted pair can arrive on a scene of renewed and violent disharmony. But the emotional possibilities are already exhausted; and characters so slimly conceived can scarcely admit of development. The Coward sleeve is wide enough for the occasion and the brilliance of his vocabulary prevents any disastrous sagging. Once the quartet are brought together, the resolution takes care of itself. Betty Spinley gave a particularly fine performance as Amanda; realising that an unguarded moment's security could wreck the role's coherence, she wiles her way through a number of voltes faces, giving to every line and movement the brittleness and polish that Coward demands. Michael Benge's playing of Elyot Chase was equally well judged, sauvity of manner and vocal furriness accentuated his actions. Catherine Crosse's performance improved vastly as the play progressed and was very convincing in the last act. As the cottonwool Englishman, Chum Patterson was adequate without being outstanding.

Both sets, the twin balconies and Amanda's flat, were very good. It being pleasing to see that the balcony rail did not collapse when Elyot Chase lounged on it. Jacqueline Richards can be congratulated for her excellent work as property mistress, and the same applies to the others responsible for the work backstage.

Pix. Hurrel is to be congratulated for his smooth and natural production.