EDEN
PHILLPOTTS' "Devon comedy" at the Kingsway. The _St. George_ of the
title is not the Cappadocian, but that somewhat irreverent Father in
God, _St. George Loftus_, Bishop of Exeter; the dragons are two quite
unsuitable suitors for the hands of _Monica_ and _Eva_ (daughters of
his dull old friend, _Lord Sampford_), who don't believe in class
distinctions. _Monica's_ young man is the son of a yeoman farmer,
personable, certainly, on horseback and of a blood older than the
_Sampfords'_, but an essential resilient, and altogether impossible when
playing the concertina or after mixing his drinks (or both). _Eva's_
follower is a brilliant raw young man from Glasgow, recently ordained,
with professional ambitions as pronounced as his accent.
The parents try the now exploded method of direct opposition. _St.
George's_ weapons are smooth words and a heart chokefull of guile. Does
his god-daughter _Monica_ want to elope with her yeoman? By all means
let love have his sacred way. But his lordship will contrive in the
_role_ of a strayed and bogged fisherman to be at Stonelands Farm before
the young couple arrive _en route_ for London and the registry-office,
and he will see to it that _Monica_ learns what the daily life of a
working farmer is like, and what the beer (or bad champagne for festal
occasions) and rabbit pie in the kitchen; with sudden frank explanations
as to the imminence of the crisis in the interesting condition of
_Snowdrop_ the Alderney; what, too, is the Stonelands' notion of music
and the dance, with Teddy's braying concertina and cousin Unity's
quavering treble and the ragged bass and candid speech of old _Caunter_,
the head man.
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