For many people A A Milne will mean Winnie-the-Pooh, the teddy bear, and Christopher Robin and the E H Shepard drawings. But Milne (1882-1956), novelist, screenwriter and writer of light verse for children, who wrote humorous essays for Punch and propaganda in World War 1, was also a prolific playwright in the late 1910’s and early 1920’s.
His plays, much influenced by J M Barrie, are sentimental and whimsical. The Dover Road premiered in New York in 1921 and in London in 1922. The comedy, affectionately revived by Nichola McAuliffe and nicely acted, certainly has its comic moments.
Anne (Georgia Maguire) and Leonard (Tom Durant-Pritchard), an eloping couple, take refuge in a strange mansion when their car crashes on their way to Paris. The couple are taken prisoner and put on a week’s probation in order to give them a taste of marital life and check whether they are really suited to each other and ready to take the plunge.
The mansion is run by the very rich and very mysterious Mr Latimer (Patrick Ryecart), who develops a crush for sweet Anne and may remind older theatregoers of Lob, the impish character in Barrie’s “second chance” play, Dear Brutus.