THE THEATRE
••• The Druid's Rest." At the St. Martin's.—Sadler's Wells Ballet. At the New.
MR. EMLYN WILLIAMS'S new comedy at the St. Martin's has a Nv eish setting, and a mainly Welsh cast ; this is not to say, however, mar it will not prove as agreeable an entertainment for English audiences as for the author's own countrymen, and perhaps even Illure so, for we are notoriously susceptible to the charms and idiosyncrasies of our Celtic neighbours. Mr. Williams has a sure sense of tne theatre, and his play is the story of a publican (proprietor of the village inn with the pleasing name of" The Dru.d's Rest "), who, smitten by the ambition of winning a special prize in a local Eistedfodd, entertains an unknown stranger (who is really a neighbouring peer, and the donor of the prize), although he suspects him of being Inc police-hunted brides-in-the-bath murderer Smith, because he has come to this inn as a stranger incognito, wishing to conceal his identity, and has given Smith as his name.
What gives this play its distinction—for it is a light comedy of more than average merit—is the conception of the publican's youngest son, a boy of fourteen' an inveterate reader whose imagination must be satisfied with books, or it will create mischief. In the end the boy's mind finds its legitimate outlet in writing the poem that is to win the prize ; up to then, while deprived by his mother of all 'literature, he creates havoc with his ideas. This part was superbly played by Brynmor Thomas, a Welsh boy of fourteen, who apparently was discovered by Mr. Emlyn Williams by means of an advertisement in the Rhondda Valley. It is really an amazing performance, absolutely right in every tone and accent, and utterly convincing' so much so that one can hardly believe that it is acting at all, but feels that Mr. Williams first happened on the boy and then wrote the play -about him. It will be more than usually interesting, therefore, to see young Brynmor Thomas in his next part. The play is well produced, with a cast that is excellent all round. The first performance of Le Spectre de la Rose in a new setting by Rex Whistler was the feature of the Sadler's Wells ballet this week in which Margot Fonteyn and Alexis Rassine gave a most moving and poetic performance ; in fact, this is the best performance of this ballet that I have ever seen by an English company and it was not surprising to learn that this revival had the advantage of the supervision of Mme. Tamara Karsavina. Rex Whistler's costume for Alexis Rassine, and his drop-curtain, merit a special word of commendation. In the same programme was the charming new Promenade and Act II of Le Lac des Cygnes in Leslie Hurry's new setting which I had not seen before. Mr. Hurry has a real flair for theatrical decor and this setting is a great advance on the old one for it has an imaginative quality of design and lighting which greatly enhances the effect of the swan dancers and their enchantment. Actually the music of this act is one of the most inspired things Tchaikovsky ever wrote. The performance was on a high level with Beryl Grey as the Swan Queen and David Paltenghi as the Prince.
JAMES REDFERN.
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