CONTEMPORARY ART S
THE THEATRE
Pacific 1860. By Noel Coward. (Drury Lane.)
SAMOLO, where the action of this musical romance takes place, differs from most theatrical islands in having a latitude and a longitude. These are given in the programme together with such faits divers as its length (rob miles), its width (70 miles) and the disturbing fact that " the Northern Coast—approximately from the mouth of the Yekki- bolo River to the mouth of the Belo-bolo River—is entirely unpro- tected." Not Prospero, not Long John Silver, not even the Admir- able Crichton got as near as this CO a place in Whitaker's Almanack. Samolo is a real island.
This makes it clear that the piece could not have been called Caribbean r860, but has, as far as I can see, no other bearing on it. Mi. Coward is not, here, concerned with reality. His plain but highly varnished tale is of a famous singer who visits Samolo, falls in love with a young Englishman, goes away to do some more singing, and then, drawn by romance, comes back again a year later for the happy ending. It is a pleasant entertainment, out of the same stable, but not in the same class, as Bitter Sweet. The music is agreeable without being haunting, the production is flawless and the dresses are extremely handsome. All the cast do well, but it is Miss Mary Martin whose quizzically romantic approach to the heroine's part enthuses warmth and vitality into the somewhat stereotyped activities of her fellow puppets on Samolo ; she is throughout extremely well sup- ported by Mr. Graham Payn as the hero. Mrs. Calthrop's decor, beautifully lit, is a masterpiece of design and execution. In short, the manner of this production is beyond praise ; the matter is less
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