SPECTATOR COMPETITION No. 335 Report by Blossom G iven the first

lines of the lyric which Dryden wrote for his Marriage a In Mode,

MPetitors were asked to compose a similar lyric, suited to the modern cinemagoer, to introduce the film of any one of Shakespeare's plays.

1

at,Eld rrai tAir abei E.

bed Eva (ire "••■ 041, the modern cinemagoer has been Ofklined beyond redemption; by a majority 141111)0re than ten to one you have accredited h, with the intellectual capacity of a ..ler°u! Many entries are certainly lively wsluhadies of the twentieth century and, for

t it may be worth, 1 am grieved by the

aet that the bawdy and near-bawdy entries te hargenerally of a higher literary standard the others—especially those attempted " the original style of our Will. In short, he entries referred to nineteen of Shake- hoILre's plays, Macbeth led the field by a 1 head from Romeo and Juliet, and 4lere was little originality.

but A. Lindon tackled Romeo and Juliet half 131115i really got into his stride at the -Way mark : BoV. what a scene on the balcony! What helluva nuptial dawn ! On L tlle other hand, R. Kennard Davis pro- 'Iced a very near miss; his Bassanio makes vi erY substantial contribution to a pro- Itie for the Merchant 'of Venice: If You're deep in a mess, and your creditors Press, And hope to obtain your committal, et a good-looking wench to appeal to the bench,

You're bound to secure an acquittal.

suggest two guineas each to G. L. A. Allan M. Laing. One guinea goes to !lees Collingwood for entering into the it of the thing with a certain breathless Eldon, and the remaining guinea is for V. Fordham.

0 the following, `. . . my second best With the furniture' : J. R. Till, H. A. C. Os, R. Kennard Davis and Rev. D. M. enhalgh. PRIZES (a. L. A.) 'MACBETH' Cold winds blowing o'er the blasted heath, Witches three from the cave beneath, Best be ordering King Duncan's wreath— It's sleepy time up north.

Cawdor cutting up the Royal Scot, Dagger showing where dagger's not; When poor Lady M. says, 'Out, damned spot!' Then it's sleepy time up north.

Someone at the doorway keeps knocking and knocking,

Knocking the night away, is Porter keeps them knocking, his language shocking,

They're knocking till break of day.

Ghost around you when you entertain, Birnam coming to Dunsinane, How I'd hate to be a Scottish thane, When it's sleepy time up north!

(ALLAN M. LAING) 'THE TEMPEST'

This fair exemplar of our Shakespeare's art Was written at the summit of his powers : The ripe experience of his garnered years Dropped from his pen in music magical, Most apt. First hear the rumble of the storm, The mariners' despairing cries : 'Lost ! Lost!' Then note discord harmonious in calm Resolve itself. The fresh and balmy isle Electric is with song. The very breeze In orchestrated zephyrs, rarely sweet, Sighs through enchanted space. In such a scene Has Shakespeare laid his tale of human wrong, Of human passion, angry like the storm, And like the deep sea, cruel. Mind, eye, ear.

In this great drama shall find ample food To raise the soul to an exalted mood. Stupendous drama of Ancient Britain! Most colossal ever written ! ! I Lear, the king, is old and crazy; Married daughters bad and lazy. Both these witches stand to gain When the father goes insane. Youngest daughter, sweet and pretty; Only one to show him pity : Running true to madman's form, Lear stays out in thunderstorm. First to die is faithful daughter, Lashed to death by so much water. Curtain falls as Lear expires To the sound of heavenly choirs.

(The wicked sisters lose their lives PS. By poison pact and slashing knives.)

(E. W. FORDHAM) 'MACBETH'

Should witches, blest with second sight, Your fortune seek to tell,

Beware! Beware! lest they are right, And lead you down to hell.

We shott, you how ambition stirred

By fortune telling, may

Its subject drive on undeterred

To crime some evil day.

We show you a black-hearted wife Urging a husband on To deadly use of murderous knife, With all compassion gone.

We show you how their ghastly deed Drove both to well-earned doom— Ambition, like a poison weed, May lead on to the tomb.