BENEFIT CONCERT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 13, 9 October 1945, Page 5

BENEFIT CONCERT

WOMEN'S INSTITUTE PLAYS

A HIGH STANDARD PRESENTATION A large and appreciative audience attended the benefit con. cert given by members of the Women's Institute Drama Festival in the Grand Theatre last Thursday in aid of funds for the development of the Boy -Scout camp site at Lake Roto'ma. The standard of acting throughout was exceedingly and the ladies concerned are to be warmly congratulated on the splendid effort that they made in order to get the utmost from their respective parts. The first play, 'Ladies in Waiting' (Wendy St. John Maule), was pre- b sented by the Taneatua Women's In. r < stitute and indicated a cameo from P a scene in the waiting room of a 15 large London hospital. The pro- i< ducer Mrs L. Gardner, who also s: took the main lead handled in a t] telling fashion a highly dramatic fi -and difficult part. Her acting at aIH n times was convincing and reached very poignant heights. Mrs A. 1 Moore who portrayed the love-lorn young lady, was also extremely P g6pd. She was consistent and fairly a carried her audience. The cast in- o ■eluded Mrs N. Adams, and Mrs E.. a Lawn as visitors, Mrs. M. Allen and a Mrs M. Hay ward as nursing sisters, P and Mrs B. Bennett as an extreme. 0 ly entertaining cockney visitor. The whole play was well-balanced and a delightfully portrayed. The Whakatane Women's Insti- v tute presented two plays, the first t of which was a bright refreshing interlude representing the scene in s a bride's home immediately prior to 1 the wedding. The title 'One Wedding t Two Brides' (Ursala Bloom) was but 1 a foretaste to the rather surprising 1 plot, and we congratulate the pro. t •ducer Mrs Hepburn, on her work. t Mrs Crozier as the confident and < somewhat dictatorial Mrs Sylvestei, j was a particularly good lead, and i dominated all the scenes in 'which .she appeared. As the bride's mother, she handled Helen (Mrs Cantrell) t and Rosalie (Mrs Jensen) in time- 1 honoured fashion. _ Mts Woods, as 'Mrs Dodds' also gave a good inter- < pretation, while Mrs Murphy, as 1 the nonchalent cook, was a further ] vigorous addition. Mrs Sims was .given a most delicate part to inter- > prate as tbe stage-dazzled 'Syntliia ( .and carried consistently to the final :show-down. As her mother, Mrs Ford' Mrs Print was particularly good. The second Whakatane play, and incidentally the act that carried off the honours at the recent festival, was entitled 'The Chimney Corner (Emmy Atkinson). It presented a highly dramatic sequence with a Jiackground. of belcagured Belgium under the heel of the Nazi invaders. The scene was the living room in the . cottage of Jeanne Libert, and centred around the shielding of an escaped British 1 soldier from the neighbouring internment camp. Mrs Hepburn, who took the leading part of the young and ultra-patriotic. Jacqueline was really excellent, and is deserving of the warmest praise. Mrs Hannah handled the difficult subject of the placid Simone, who ostensibly worked for the Germans, in a manner which was at all times most convincing. The part of the elderly aunt Jeanne Libert, portrayed by Mrs Stewart, was another highlight and never wavered to the dramatic climax. Mrs Murphy handled the part of Helene with, confidence and dexterity, whilst Mrs Muir was also extremely good as a visiting peasant woman. The Edgecumbe. Institute chose •the play 'The Willing Horse' (Isabel Andrews) and proceeded to unfold ti typical New Zealand plot based on .a scene in the. kitchen of th£ imaginery Waituna Hall. The expressions throughout were genuine 'pig island' and we appreciated the introduction of New Zealand scene? for a change. The leading part was taken by the producer, Mrs J. W. Spiers, and her refreshing style anc definite 'aplomb' were always the highlights of tile play. The scene was so true of the type of conver sation and incidents which mus invariably take place in hundred: of New Zealand halls- that the plo throughout was familiar to practic ally all who were present. Miss Jan Wilson selected and produced t.b part of 'Jane' in a manner which di<

her great credit. As the foreboding 'Mrs. King,' Mrs Malpas fairly convulsed the audience, whilst 'Flo,' Mrs E. Thompson, left nothing to be desired. Mrs J. Burgess did full justice to the part of the supercilious 'Helen ' and her ultimate down_fall at the conclusion was worth seeing. Other characters were 'Mrs Goodman (Mrs J. Shaw), 'Gladys' (Mrs A. Waddell), 'Grace' (Miss J. Blair), 'Ruth Redding' (Mrs E. List) and 'Mrs Francis' (Mrs V. Learning). Delightful musical interludes between plays were afforded, by Mr Stewart Pyne (piano-accordion sols.) and Mr J. Denham (vocal solos). At the conclusion of the concert the District Scout Commissioner took the opportunity of thanking the ladies of the various Institutes and called upon all present to join in a round of applause in appreciation of their joint efforts.