The New Zealand Players have returned to Wellington for their second tour with a better play, and improved teamwork, in their performance of M. Anouilh's "Invitation an Chateau," wittily translated by Christopher Fry and renamed "Ring Round the Moon." they gave us the most entertaining evening in the theatre that we have been offered for a long time. It provided a flavour almost new to us, the "Theatre of Fantasy." and one. I think, that most people enjoyed.

"Ring Round the Moon" states itself to be a "charade with music" and to describe the plot is to grasp a handful of moonlight. It is a fairy tale with distortions of fairy tale figures and situations. Everything about it has a quality of the fabulous. The Ball in the Wintergarden is of the grandest, the rich girl of the richest the poor girl of the prettiest, and the hero is twins.

The tone is elegant and ironic, passing smoothly from one subject or scene to the next. The terms of this fantasy are very amusing, for the playwright is a master of situation, and a brilliant inventor of episodes. M. Anouilh has at his command all the tricks for drawing us into the heart of each moment as it comes along, and Mr. Fry's translation seems to have given an added sparkle to the dialogue.

The Acting

John Carson-Parker, as the twins, moves through the double role gracefully and with style. He had sufficient swagger as the wicked, unprincipled Hugo, but did not seem timid enough as Frederic. On the whole he was smooth and satisfying with the changes from one twin to the other expertly done. Michael Cotterill was excellent as Patrice Bombelles, the secretive secretary, adding Just the right comic touch to the part. Lady India, the millionaire's mistress, was acted with the exaggerated manner of the nineteen-twenties by Rilla Stephens. This was remarkably well done and the irresistibly funny scene where she and Patrice leave the ballroom and continue their tango in the Wintergarden, almost stole the show. Gay Dean as Madame Desmortes, aunt of the twins, delivers her witticisms from a batchair and conjures up far us a spectacular picture of life as it really was. She kept the requisite light touch for the part all the time. The most difficult piece of character acting was Capulet, the faded companion, giggling, twittering and excitable. This part was extremely well acted by Deime Hope. Diane Rhodes made a charming, natural Isabelle, the ballet dancer who dutifully plays a part in trying to capture Frederics attentions. The jealous Diane, Federic's fliancee, was handled quite well by Ruth Alley, but she did not seem to fit into her role as easily as the others. I did not like Edith Campion, as Isabelle's mother. Her voice seemed too high pitched, and some of her movements decidedly awkward. Barry Lineham as the Crumbling Butler, John Gordon as the Melancholy Millionaire, and Roy Patrick as the Lepidopterist, were all first class in their interpretations, though the latter two dropped their voices at certain times.

The production, by Richard Campion, kept the play going gaily and prettily apart from one sag in the fourth act, where some quickening of pace is needed. Above all the stage settings, lighting and costumes blended to give the right finishing touches to the production. The result of this combination of talents is as good a piece of light-hearted entertainment as we have seen for a long time.

—Tony Courtney