THEATRE
Tobias and the Angel. By James Bridie. (Arts.)
THE little Arts Theatre, to which the London playgoer in search of intelligent diversion owes a great deal, has been off-colour lately, and this rather ham-fisted revival of Bridie's first London success shows a continuing staleness. It is not every timid Tobias who has an archangel at hand to teach him courage in dealing with ferocious fishes and bandits and the gorgeous girls of Ecbatana, and Bridie's tale of the lucky one is lively enough in its kindly way. But it calls for lively playing from everyone if it is not to become a repetitive bore half-way through, and liveliness was missing from all _the performances save three, as it was from Judith Furse's production. The Archangel (Anthony Nicholls) has it all his own way, which is natural in archangels no doubt but is not quite' the effect l3ridie intended, one feels. Harold Kaslcet as kaguel and Maxine Audley as his daughter Sara, the beloved of" Stinker" Asmoday—who, you may remember, is shot down in flames over Egypt by Raphael on Sara's eighth, and finally successful, wedding night—provide, with Mr. Nicholls, a little of the looked-for liveliness. The others choose their respective lines and drone along them monotonously. The play falls apart, having no centre to hold it together, and the third act seems even longer than one had expected.
IAIN HAMILTON.
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