Looking and Listening

TVEVER since I possessed • television set I have maintained that the standard, quality and general appeal of TV drama are better than the average cinema.
Of course, there are ups and downs in TV drama-how could it be otherwise with an average of more than two plays a week? Of course. the cinema, with its enormous resources. can do things to which TV cannot aspire.
But by and large TV is better. It is better because it is far more human an actor missing a line adds to the actuality-because it is less pretentious, because it gets at the heart of the matter instead of concentrating on the expensive frills, because iris more intelligent, because the home is a more comfortable and more suitable place to view from than the cinema seat.
Some critics get annoyed because TV does not always exploit the special possibilities and genius of TV. as, for example, it did so well in Rattigan's "Final Test" But that will gradually come and, anyway, do we always want TV to be different? Lots of nonsense is talked about this.
'A nastasia'
This week's chief play. MarcelleMaurette's "Anastasia," was an excellent example of TV making a firstrate job of a very good theatre play. It was an instructive play; it was an exciting play-the denouement being cleverly concealed until the very end; above all, it was splendidly acted and produced, some of the close-ups having almost the quality of a picture.
Do we want more than that? I don't think so.
Last week's "The White Sheep of the Family" I had seen on the stage, but I laughed again as heartily. and wondered again why no one minds a thoroughly Immoral play if the subject is nor sex. Low-brow, if you like, but again. why not a good laugh free (or nearly free) with the family in the home? Let us set our standards at a reasonable level.
If you have missed the first four parts of the documentary "india's Challenge." don't miss Part 5. A splendid piece of work. Don't miss "The Course of Justice" either, on Tuesday. It's the last instalment, "The Assizes."
Look out also for the opening night of the "Proms" on Saturday.
M. B.
RADM. The week began pleasantly with a play on Monday (Home) in the Edwardian time and manne r, "Lord Cammarleigh's Secret." It was an amusing and frivolous affair and one felt it quite natural that the enterprising young actor, Anthony Brook. should get away with the girl, money and all.
At the end of the week we had a revival of Emlyn Williams's "The Corn is Green"-also set about the same time. but far from being frivolous. There we had life in a remote Welsh village and the struggle Miss Moffat had to get education for the miner's children and one promising youth in particular. This play, too, was enjoyable to listen to. A wellwritten radio play is a real treat.
We were given a taste of Gilbert and Sullivan's "Patience" on Thursday (Home), but could not help feeling Oliver Twistish about it. If the whole of a Gilbert and Sullivan opera could not be fitted into the Home Service, why could not one occasionally appear in the Third? There is not enough of a humorous nature on that programme anyhow. I am beginning to feel that Eric Barker's "Just Fancy" is good enough to be very much the sort of relief that would suit it.
The 'Proms'
The 'Third, by the way, is giving two rarely-heard choral works on July 21 and 22. They are Pergolesi's Mass in D and "Divit Dominus" (Psalm 109) by Michael de Lalande. The Goldsbough Orchestra and the B.B.C. chorus will be under the direction of Edmond Appion. The soloists will include Alfred Miler.
That will be something to look forward to, as will be the Promenade Concerts which start on July 25. the whole of the first concert will he heard on the Light.
Graham Greene's "Brighton Rock" (Monday. Home) made very good radio, though, expressed through dias logue alone. Pinky was inevitably rather too conventional a tough. But the special horror of the original was well conveyed. The priest at the end -more a Hollywood than a Greene conception--was a slight disappointment.
Joan Newton.
Another `G.K.' omnibus In the latest batch of additions to Dent's Everyman's Library is Stories, Essays and Poems by G. K. Chesterton (6s.). Most of the obvious favourites are there-some Father Brown stories, unforgettable essays like "king's Cross Station," and haunting poems like "The Wild Knight" and "The Donkey."
Continued front previous column power to change the penance given to him in confession and therefore, unless his penance did consist of five or fewer Hail Marys. their recitation has been of no sacramental value. This does not mean that his confessions have been invalid. What is required for validity, i.e., for the sacrament to take effect and sins to he forgiven, is not the actual fulfilment of the penance but the willingness at the time of absolution to fulfil ii We can assume that Mr. Tweesdale had this willingness; his sins are therefore forgiven and nothing can bring them hack. It is. however, one thing to be forgiven one's sins and another to be let oil all punishment due to them. The Church teaches that we must do penance for our sins, either willingly in this world or of necessity in the next."
7ailpiece
ARECENT convert bought a missal and was using it at Mass. "Am I doing all right?" he asked a friend in an anxious whisper. "Splendidly." said the other; "you are two pages ahead of everyone else."