THE THEATRE
" Rosmersholm." At the Torch Theatre.
SOME time ago I had occasion to notice an excellent production by Mr. Basil Ashmore of Strindberg's Easter at the little Gateway Theatre, South Kensington, and now Mr. Ashmore is responsible for a superb production of Ibsen's Rosmershoim for a short season of three weeks at another small repertory theatre, " The Torch," in Wilton Street, near Hyde Park Corner. Handicapped as these enterprising young groups of actors are by the inadequacy and ill- equipment of the small stages on which they have to work and by the limited size of their audiences (the Torch holds just under a hundred people), nevertheless it is true to say that virtually all the living art of the theatre in London today is in their hands. Last Sunday Mr. James Agate asserted that out of thirty London theatres " only six are conceivably available for the young, arriving, experi- mental playwright." I think he puts the figure far toe) high, for I know of none of the large accessible London theatres that is thus available. It is a well-known fact that the serious, intelligent public has largely deserted the theatre since it is not catered for there. There is more chance for a young experimental draniatist in Paris, the United States and Moscow (is not Mr. Priestley's new play to be seen first in Moscow?) than in London, and this in spite of the truly colossal success of the Old Vic Repertory Company at the New 'Theatre and of Mr. Gielgud's at the Haymarket. But both the Old Vic and Mr. Gielgud have to play for safety in the classics and established authors. Why? Because to run a theatre in London is a gamble and not an economic proposition on a sound enough basis to permit of marketing new wares.
Shaw's Arms and the Man, Tchekhov's Uncle Vanya and Shakes- peare's Richard III filled the New Theatre to standing room with a new, enthusiastic public. This public is now waiting for the Old Vic Repertory Company to open again. But dare they open with a new play by an unknown author? No, since in a week they could lose so much money as to have to close the theatre down at once. Long ago Mr. Harley Granville-Barker pointed out that the expenses of a London theatre were so high that no play could be kept on long enough .to find its audience, it must be practically full from the very first night to avoid colossal losses. The position has got worse since his day, and as Mr. Agate rightly says the only hope lies in " scattering the theatre "—that is, leaving the West End and all its syndicates of speculators and gamblers.
Well, the process has started, and the future hope of the theatre lies in these small repertory theatres starting in the outer precincts of the Metropolis. At the Torch Theatre the reader may see a production of Rosmersholm which, as far as acting is concerned, could hardly be bettered. Certainly it is the most moving performance of this great play that I have ever seen. I have nothing but praise for the magnificent performance by Joan Miller as Rebecca, and she was most ably supported by Kynaston Reeves as Kroll and by David Markham as Rosmer. A dazzling piece of virtuosity by Esme Percy as Ulric Brendel contributed to make the production a truly notable stage event, and I strongly recommend my readers to lose no time in visiting the unpretentious but genuine little theatre.
JAMES REDFERN.
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