THE COTTONIAN
For the rest, the wicked uncle, an avaricious, ambitious man was played with great assurance by Hall, whilst nephew Paul, weak and vacillating, tarred with the same brush as uncle Gaston, was adequately portrayed by Martin. Tasker, as SubLieutenant Espoir, the new romance for Marie Louise, wished into her life at the last moment by the three angels, provided the final happy link in the chain.
This was a happy choice of play, completely suited to the end of term feeling. The producer can feel very contented about his achievement.
'KING LEAR'
By WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Cast
Other Servants, Messengers, Attendants, Soldiers, etc.:
S. Convey, MI. A. Coyne, N. J. Tasker, R. A. Chadwick, W. M. Cudahy, P. C. Kenny, P. J. Drury, \f. A. Fuller, N. H. Brigden, R. Fallowell.
Sound Effects
R. F. Brumby, D. A. Finn, C. E. Grewcock, B. J. Godwin.
Hazlitt considered that King Lear is the best of all Shakespeare's plays, for it is the one in which he was the most in earnest. Like all the tragedies, it has to do with a hero who is assailed by forces greater than he contains in himself and whose full nature he does not come to know until it is too late and death ends his struggle. King Lear begins with a familiar Shakespeare theme-the opposition between appearance and reality ; the problem of innocent goodness confronted with the glib cunning of the hypocrite. The hypocrite, Goneril, Regan, can act goodness more convincingly than the good person, Cordelia, can he good. What can Cordelia say truthfully of her love for her father which will assure him better than the protestations her sisters make falsely ? 'Nothing'. So the good is made to appear wicked and the wicked take on the face of goodness. Lear is deceived by the appearance and commits a great wrong in disclaiming Cordelia and the reality she embodies. Out of it comes pain and suffering for himself and others and the drama revolves round their response to it. Lear is finally transformed by it and comes to learn that ' 'charity endureth all things'-that patience is the only refuge, the only defence against those who 'are wiser in their generation'. The same is true for Gloucester, as the king says ; 'Thou must be patient'. The inhuman hurt of ungrateful, deceitful daughters ; of a malicious, cynical son ; of the very elements themselves as expressions of the world in which 'as flies to wanton boys we are to the gods'-all must be borne. "Henceforth", exclaims Gloucester, "I'll bear affliction till it do cry out itself 'enough, enough' and die".
With a fearful, violent rhythm the play reveals Lear thus made wise and patient,
Earl of Kent
Earl of Gloucester Edmund
King Lear
Goneril
Regan
Cordelia .
Duke of Cornwall Duke of Albany King of France Duke of Burgundy Edgar
Oswald
Fool
Doctor
Herald
K. J. MARTIN
K. S. MIDDLETON
D. J. DE VILLE
V. ROUND
P. E. GEOGHEGAN
F. J. HAYEs
A. ALLEN
P. R. THORPE
1'. V. RIDLEY
N. J. TASKER
C.J. Doyle
R. F. WooKEY
P. C. GALEA
A. L. BARNET
C. J. DOYLE
N..1. TASKER