FOUR PLAYS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 17, 22 October 1943, Page 5

FOUR PLAYS

WOMEN'S INSTITUTE CONCERT PLUXKFT BENEFIT PROGRAMME The re-staging of the four winning plays of the recent Drama Festival held at Edgccumbe, resulted in a really firsit class programme being given in. aid of the Whakatane Plunket Society in the Grand Theatre last Wednesday evening. The warm applause which greeted each play was sufficient indication of the manner in which they were enjoyed by the large and appreciative audience and we heartily endorse the general expressions of commendation which were to be heard on all sides. "Novelette" Possibly with the idea of saving the best for the final item the plays were given in the reverse order of their awarding and the first curtain therefore ascended on the .scene of the play "Novelette" podueed by the Whakatane Institute and awarded 4th place. Here Ave saw a well acted dramatic interlude with the very English' background of Kensington. Mrs Norman (the producer) is lo be congratulated on her versalality and handling of a very heavy and difficult part. As Mrs Belinda Sikes she was really splendid and made her audience boil at the artful penetration of the old scoundrel she so cleverly portrayed. Mrs Cole. as. Ella the sewing maid was convincing and Mrs Stewart as the pompous cook, very telling. The parts of Iris (parlour maid) and. of Ivy (the kitchen maid) were taken by Mesdames Sims ami Crozier in good consistent style. "The Great Crime" This play had wide appeal and was staged, with all the poignancy of the war atmosphere of enslaved Czeeho-Slovakia, by the Waimana Institute. The costuming of the players must be especially commended. The interpretation of the keypart, was. most ably carried out by Mrs J. Wardlaw, who at times reached powerful heights, in performing the tragic role of Zita, the. girl whose lover betrayed his own country. We liked also the handling of the part of Helen, her destraeted mother, taken by Mrs H. Wardlaw. Here was consistently good acting of a kind which does not shine.' The character never wavered from the stolid peasant type which it sought to convey. Lizbeth the gossipping neighbour was ably taken by Mrs. Cooper while, the part of Sophy the younger daughter taken by Miss Mitchell shone particularly at the conclusion.

Mr L. Duckcr the only man of the whole evening;, carried out the diil'icult impersonation of Heinrich in a manner which did him great credit. The play was produced by Mrs J. Mitchell. "Snowed Up With a Duchess" Otakiri selected a play of the lighter nature of the above, and Ave must compliment Mrs Cristall who besides being producer took the. main part of Mrs 'Odge„ the good lnd\ r in who.se house the incident of the play took place. As the Avarmhearted though somewhat frowsy housewife she was particularly good. Mrs Jessup made a very dignified Duchess of Sattcrton whose life was devoted to social and benevolent work; while Miss Tunnicliil'c gave a very good portrayal of the detestable Mrs Cholmonly-Jones the. social upstart Avho makes a fatal mistake. Mrs Peck cultivated an excellent French accent to produce the convincing personage of the expressive Madam Valve. "No. 10" With the smell of ether streaming from the stage a touch of stark rcalifem Avas. lent to the hospital scene portrayed in this play. Nursing sisters and probationers bustled through the scenes as the. play took its; course and we can definitely say that the audience really lost itself to the plot and the eon\'ineing acting of the leads. Mrs Hod son as Sister Helen the imperturable ward sister was excellent. For natural acting her work would be hard to beat. The difficult part of Roberts the emotional nurse who fell in lo\'e with 'No. 1.0,' the. unseen patient around whom the play is written was- admirably taken by Mrs Spiers. The. other nursing parts and that of the Avardsmaid were capably taken by Mesdames List, Learning, Burgess, Fluvell, Malpas and Miss Wilson. (Continned at foot next column)

Mrs Jesperson gave a good interpretation of the role of. the bereaved wife (Mrs Maitkmd) and. also in, a dual capacity, as the somewhat forbidding Matron. Altogether the experiment w:ls a great success which could well be repeated, annually with popular approval. Mrs X. 0. Cairns, president oil the Plunkct Society, took the opportunity of publicly thanking those who had token part for their kindly interest and assistance.