17 FEBRUARY 1956, Page 27

IVOR BROWN as an annalist adds to the usual contents

of a theatre annual his own highly individual impressions of the plays and his own selection of contributions from people Who are supposed to know about one side of the theatre or another. I prefer what Ivor Brown has to say himself to what he has been sent in by George Devine, Louis Kronenberger, J. B. Priestley, Peter Ustinov and Sir Bronson Albery. In addition to the notices and photo- graphs of new plays in London, the reps, the Edinburgh and Pitlochry Festivals and the 11DL amateur festival he gives the casts. I wonder if this is the best possible use of space. All the London ones will be gathered together in the next edition of Who's Who in the Theatre