?, Rotherham

‘Rotherham Playgoers are to be congratulated upon their excellent performance last night of Arnold Bennett’s three-act comedy “The Title.” It would be foolish to say that the acting was faultless, but certainly critics found a good deal more to praise than to condemn. The stage manager, Mr. D. Dale, must have been on the alert for defects that might have been overlooked during rehearsals, and the repeat performances, to-night and to-morrow, will be the better for the alterations that he made in the lighting arrangement during the second interval. Once again Jack R. King, stands out in the cast. He gives a fine characterisation of “Culver,” the poor distracted Government official who is torn between principles and loyalty to his family when he is offered a baronetcy, and whose private secretary even claims his consideration. A mastery of facial expression such as he possesses is essential to the role. Margorie Watson plays the part of a typical wife as Mrs. Culver and has to act in a manner that most husbands would agree typifies the woman, but her task is not an easy one and she makes fine work of it. Clement J. Rees - playing a juvenile rôle for a change - and Winnie Hubbard are well suited to their parts as the two children, and Clifford Gowman puts his best into the rôle of Tranto. It is a pity that Arnold Bennett did not give the private secretary more to do, for one would have liked to have seen more of Gladys M. Jarvis. Donald Dale plays Sampson Straight, the impostor, and Helen Sipson is the parlourmaid. The play is produced by George Price’ (Sheffield Daily Telegraph, Wednesday 8 February 1939). ‘[Two weeks previously] Rotherham Playgoers gave a sound production of “The Title,” Arnold Bennett’s comedy, which I last saw many years ago at the old Sheffield Repertory Theatre. The first act, somewhat inevitably, was slow, but thereafter it was slick-paced work, with hilarious “cat-and-mouse” scenes between Marjorie Watson and Jack King as Mrs. and Mr. Culver. Producer George Price and Stage Manager Donald Dale had contrived to obtain plenty of playing space without making the scene seem bare, and on such a small stage this is an achievement’ (Sheffield Evening Telegraph, Wednesday 22 February 1939).