DRAMATIC RECITAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 298, 5 September 1918, Page 7

DRAMATIC RECITAL

BY PUPILS OF MR. AND MRS. GUI,FORD BULL. The Concert Chamber was crowded last night for the annual recital by tho pupils of Mr. and Mrs. Culford Bell. Many of the people present were, of course, or friends of the performers, and as most of these performers were quito little people the audience was not disposed to be critical. Her Excellency the Countess of Liverpool was present. , The younger pupils_ all appeared in sketches or playlets suitable for production by such performers. Into the sketches were introduced a songlet or so, and a danco as opportunity offered, and the costumes were such as aro worn in Fairyland or tho other places where the scenes were laid. The pro-gramme-opened with a fairy play, ''The Never Never Land." This item was remarkable for the excellent performance of Leo Smyth, a child of quite unusual parts. She yas tho little girl in, the story, the girl wlio wanted to go to the Nover Never Land. After a talk about her . 'idea with a matter-of-fact and incredulous brother, she falls asleep and dreams about tho coming of fairies and about the wonderful. Never Never Land. The other players in the little drama were: Raymond Whitehead, Olga Glilbeid, Bonnie Flanagan, Betty Wilson, Jim Gilberd,- Madge Castle, Maynard Thomson, and Maxwell Bosher. The next children's item was a sort of potted melodrama of the coloured picture-book sort, with savages and sailors on a desert island, and a cannibal feast that did not happen. One of the chief performers ill tms play, Jack Telford, was too ill to appear, and as,he had to rescue the fair lady from the ravenous cannibal queen his part could not bo left out. It was played by Mrs. Culford Bell. The others taking part were: Hazel Davies, Tlielma Perkis, Mavis Halliday, Jean Drew, Kathleen O'Brien, and Roy Wall. Tho third and only other item of this sort was a masque entitled "The Passing Year," the theme of which was a battle between a friendly goblin and a malicious sprite, a struggle in wizardry for the happiness of grief of other people in the coming year. The characters in this play were Jack Williams, Willie Knox, Leah Hyman, Fanny Hyman, Jolin AVatchinan, Keith llowe, aud Nancy Cashman. .The rest of the- programme was. contributed by pupils more or less grown up, somo of whom wore well-known public performers. Miss Fanny Kutner gave a Dickens sketch—the interview of tho manicurist (Miss Mowcher) with Steerforth in "David Copperfield." Miss Kutner is a capable elocutionist, and this was a good piece of work. Miss Mabel Gallichan attempted tho Lady Macbeth sleep-walking scene. Another Dickons item was thivt by Mr. Lionel Inch—the scaffold speech of Sidney Carton in "A Tale of Two Cities." Mr, Cyril Smith gave a clever sketch, an unpleasant one, entitled "The Waster.!' Other performers appeared in recitations, musical monologues, and character sketches. Their names were Mrs. Robertson, Miss Aggie Atkins, Miss Miriam Jacobs, Miss Doris Stevens, Miss Maisie Burt, Miss Sheldon, Miss Marjorie Troup, Miss Wiren, and Keith Riddcll. There is to be another recital with a neiv programme to-night, aud again tho proceeds of the entertainment are to go to tho Navy Leaguo.