18 Chepstow Villas, Notting Hill, London

‘Shaw’s once controversial “Shewing Up of Blanco Posnet”, with guest actor Tom Rutherfurd, was the most interesting part of a double bill of one-act plays presented by Studio ‘68 at 18 Chepstow Villas on Thursday last. Mr. Rutherfurd played the part of the Western bad man who has his heart wrung by a woman with a dying child and almost dies because of his momentary weakness. Mr. Rutherfurd possesses a fine stage presence and knows exactly when and how to bring out the humour in his lines, and in the hands of a less capable actor they could have been rather flat and dull. The remainder of the acting company was made up by students from the studio. Jacqui Delhaye was especially striking as the small town whore out for vengeance and managed to burrow beneath the skin of the writing and show the essential frailty of the woman, and, as The Woman, Katie Flower was admirably restrained in a part that some actresses would be tempted to elevate and make more visibly dramatic. Robert Henderson’s direction showed a good eye for stage pictures and a sensible handling of the ensemble players. The Shaw play was preceded by Robert Anderson’s “The Shock of Recognition”’. The Stage, 27 February 1969. [* At Threshold Theatre Club, 18 Chepstow Villas | Chepstow, West london, London (pinterest.co.uk) is an undated photograph showing the Threshold Theatre Club at 18 Chepstow Villas, Notting Hill, London.]