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Salient. Official Newspaper of the Victoria University Students' Association. Vol 44 No. 8. April 27 1981

Powerful, Striking Drama

Powerful, Striking Drama

This backdrop then served as the location of some of the most powerful and striking drama to be seen in Wellington this theatre season. There was also a fine blend of first class acting that distinguished the entire show. These facets were evident right from the start. In Scene I Alistair Macfarlane's de Baudricourt was excellent, displaying a detached and languorous cynicism although the Housekeeper (Alison Macfarlane) was a little hard to hear. Joan (Simone Kennedy) made a strong start, deftly interpreting Shaw's truthful character as an unaffected and inspired country lass who does not mince her words - the blustering de Baudricourt being routed in no time. She was also strong at court showing an innocent incapacity to manage or flatter what she saw as bad government, soldiering and politics.

The dramatic tension of the Court situation was also nicely captured - Mark Harris' Archbishop was full of steely austerity - especially in his harsh admonition of Joan's pride and presumption. The Dauphin (Kevin Nonweiler) was suitably pathetic, although I felt the role was slightly burlesqued without any glimmers of Charles' essential canniness shining through. Rex Pekin's Dunois had impressive assurance, warmth and strength particularly in the urgent warnings he issued to Joan. Scene 4 was excellent in that it hammered out Shaw's most treasured themes with assured style. John Batstone's Earl of Warwick resounded with aristocratic authority - he was positive the Maid was a threat to Europe's gentry while Jim Grant caught to a T the bigoted Englishman affronted by the Maid's French nationalism. While Bishop Cauchon (Lewis Martin) was the impressively still and grim embodiment of the Church Militant determined to save the girl's soul and uproot the heresy of individual inspiration. In short a man obsessed with his institution - the Catholic Church - the light of the world.