DRAMA FESTIVAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 248, 31 July 1937, Page 5

DRAMA FESTIVAL

' PLAY BY WOMEN’S INSTITUTES. 3 _____ 1 ’ 3 MARONAN BEST IN OPEN CLASS. * MT. SOMERS WIN WOMEN’S SECTION. J / 1 3 A theatre full ±o capacity greeted , the finals of the annual drama festival of the Mid-Canterbury Federation of Women’s Institutes, which were held in the Majestic Theatre yesterday afternoon and evening. In all, nine plays were presented, three in the open class and six in the class for women only. The awards made by the judge (Mrs B. Beeby, of Christchurch) were as follow: Open Class—Maronan 1. Women’s' Class—Mount Somers 1, Tinwald 2. • The plays presented in the afternoon were: “Top Dog” (Hinds), “Number Ten” (Staveley), “Calais to Dover” (Lowcliffe), “Little Glass Houses” | (Metliven). , The plays presented in the evening were: “Number Ten” (Tinwald), “Her Affairs in Order” (Mount Somers), “Shanghai” (Mayfield), “March Wedding” (Hampstead), “Entire Change of Programme” (Maronan). The cast of the prize-winning Maronan play was: Mrs Bartle, Cora, Glasley; Jim (her son), Hector Sparrow; Cannie (his wife), Ruby Smith; Mr Hoggins, Alex. Chambers. The following took part in the Mount Somers play which gained the other first award : Betty Morley, Ngaire Ruddock; Abby Morley, Eileen Scott; Linda Morley, Constance Rathbun; Judith Morley, Esperance Gifkins; Miss Brant, Lorna Goodrich; Nurse, Patricia Beckley. The producers of the winning plays (were Mrs Addis and Mr Colin Corbett (Maronan) and Miss Stevenson (Mount Somers). It was a long programme, but the performance seldom flagged, and the players had a sympathetic audience, quick to appreciate good work. It was evident that most of the institutes had put considerable time into the preparation for the plays, and the Mid-Can-terbury Federation, as usual, had mado complete arrangements to ensure the smooth running of the programme. The judge was introduced by the president of the Mid-Canterbury Federation of Women’s Institutes (Mrs F. Curtis), who extended thanks for the splendid support accorued the festival. It was very gratifying to the people who had the arrangements to make to play to a capacity house. Mrs Curtis thanked all the competitors and the judge, whose comment had proved most helpful. In giving detailed criticism on each of the plays presented during the evening, Mrs Beeby remarked that generally the standard of acting had improved, but the standard of the plays presented was not as good. Some were farces, not festival work. Better material than farces was wanted. Some of the players had put an enormous amount of work in on the plays, but she did not think they would have won anywhere with them. Some had rehearsed hard and others had not bothered. This was not fair to the ones who did rehearse. Players could not get anywhere without rehearsing. There was not a great amount of difference between the plays, Mrs Beeby said. The play presented by Staveley in the afternoon was good. Good performances were given by most players and those who took small parts played well and spoke up well. The same play, as presented by Tinwald in the evening, was exceptionally goou. These players had improved at least 50 per cent, since she had witnessed them last year. The stage was well arranged and the makeup good. The Mount Somers institute, with the winning play for women only, had made more 'effort to do things than any other Institute. The team work was goo'd, all players working together, especially to obtain a good climax. These people had improved beyond recognition, and the judge congratulated them, saying they had done remarkably well. The stage was well arranged for “Shanghai,” presented by Mayfield. Flora could have been stronger. Bert had jerky hand movements. Mrs Patch did not seem to get the pathos of the play, and Joo Patch was very well played by Mr Colin Corbett. “March Wedding,” presented by Hampstead, was a pretty play, although it had not so much to work on as the others. All the players looked w'ell and took up their cues quickly, but there were several little things that had to be watched by them. In the Tinwald Institute’s play, • “Entire Change of Programme,” tiie judge congratulated Cora Glassey on her work as Mrs Bartle, and said she had been even better in the trials. Her exits were good. Jim was a little quiet still, and Mr Hoggins at times let his voice drop. The Bridgepark Challenge Cup, pre- , sented by Mrs S. P. Taylor, was handed over to Mrs Addis, producer of the Maronan play, by the president, who referred to Maronan being only a small institute. She said many people who had been behind the scenes assisting in the performances were deserving of thanks. The success of the festival depended upon the unseen workers. A tribute was paid to the work of the secretary '(Mrs H. J. Constable), who, the president said, had done endless work.