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SMAD. An Organ of Student Opinion. 1937. Volume 8. Number 4.

"And So To War."

"And So To War."

A winning play in a South of England Drama League Festival, and its writer's first effort, is a work with ideas. It was very' scathing and reminiscent of last year's Extrav, "Hell's Bells." A biting indictment of modern dictators, finance and religion. We congratulate the producer on changing the name of the leader of ten million workers to the Right Honourable Robert Temple. The character struck us as possessing many very familiar touches. His exclamation of "watch me nut him in dungarees" seemed to make the audience think of certain articles of great assistance to footracers.

Tossman, the dictator with the non-Aryan nose, was outstanding. Everyone enjoyed the manner in which he snorted out his commands.

Dowrick, as Bob Temple, was good, but enjoyed his own jokes too much.

Joyce Cruttenden as Miss Grace Manful, a woman's leader, tempestuously reminded us she was not going to have any more babies. Only Fanacci, the dictator, did not seem to believe it. A little bit of over-acting, perhaps, but quite effective. Peter Finch, Norman Banks and Keith Hutcheson all gave satisfactory performances. Neither Brian Fawcett nor David Cohen, however, have yet acquired that essential "stage presence," but a little experience should have a beneficial effect.

Dorothea Tossman's production, although not quite as polished as usual, perhaps from the nature of the play, was very effective.