THE THEATRE
She Stoops to Conquer." At the Mercury.---" Sleeping Out." At the Piccadilly.
HE C.E.M.A. production of She Stoops to Conquer at the Mercury eatre is prior to an extensive tour of the Royal Ordnance Force and Munition Workers' Hostels. Goldsmith's famous, comedy ucceeds or fails according to the ability of the actor who plays Tony Lumpkin. It is a most dangerous part, a perfect booby-trap, that is generally so misconceived and artlessly handled as to turn a brilliant comedy into an intolerable bore ; for it is essential that Tony, in spite of being a " lumpkin," should have great charm. Luckily, Stanford Holme strikes the perfect balance, and instead of groaning inwardly whenever he appears (which is almost every other minute) we are delighted to see and listen to that prodigiously comic and entrancing creation of Goldsmith's, a country bumpkin but of breeding and wit, who, though more at home in the stables and the inn than in the boudoir, yet has all the native grace and sense that an Irishman of genius could give him. Mr. Stanford Holme's production is commendably straight without " period " incrustations and he is supported by a lively and versatile Miss Hardcastle in Thea Holme ; the rest of the company, including Edward Burnham as Hardcastle, give him admirable support. I foretell a great success for this rollicking and witty comedy among the munition workers, for it is solid comic fare, far superior to so many thin water-gruel comedies and non-human farces of most contemporary playwrights.
The author of last war's farcical success, A Little Bit of Fluff, may win again with ills new farce, Sleeping Out, for it is ingeniously contrived to amuse. Its chief interest, however, is sociological, for it exposes a cross-section of the British public, its tastes and habits which, while offering nothing to commend, must I fear be accepted —and not too priggishly—as true to life. jAMES REDFERN.
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