Technical College Students Perform an Enjoyable Play

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1059, 25 August 1930, Page 4

Technical College Students Perform an Enjoyable Play

“Pied Piper of Hamelin ” TWO-NIGHT SEASON The students of the Seddon Memorial Technical College gave their annual concert in the College Assembly Hall on Friday and Saturday evenings. The hall was crowded on each occasion. The first part of the programme consisted of musical items by the college staff: Violin solos by Miss F. E. Lee and songs by Miss Adams, Mr. Gemmell and Mr. A. B. Thompson. These items made a very pleasing introduction to the main feature of the evening when the curtain went up and revealed the Market Square of the Brunswick town of Hamelin, in the 14th century. The young players enacted Browning’s famous story of “The Pied Piper of Hamelin.” The scenery was delightfully realistic, more especially that depicting the corner of the square by the “Red Cat” Inn. where the townsfolk refreshed themselves after their day’s labours. There were more than 100 performers, and the costuming must havs been a heavy task; yet it was evident that details in regard to the style of the period and colour harmony among the large choruses had received careful attention. The colours of the costumes were heightened by lighting effects that would have done credit to any professional production. CLEAR SPEECH A feature much appreciated by the audience was the clear speech of the performers. The acting, too, was remarkably good. The weird midnight scene when the rats held conclave and danced about the Market Square was thoroughly enjoyed. The play does not call for only a few “star” players; its effectiveness depends more upon the very successful “crowd” acting. The performers carried the audience with them as they gazed after the Pied Piper when he piped the rats away to their destruction in the River Weser. The scene was probably the most dramatic and realistic of the evening. This joyful scene was soon changed when, on being refused payment of his fee, the Pied Piper carried out his threat to “pipe to another fashion.” The children followed him and disappeared through a mysterious door in the hillside—all but the little lame boy, who could not keep up with his playmates. He returned to the town and related to the sorrowing parents what had happened. This particular part was very well performed. EXCELLENT ORCHESTRA On both evenings the play went through without a hitch. The solos were pleasingly given and everyone enjoyed the many chorus items. The performance was greatly assisted by the excellent orchestra, consisting of students, ex-students and members of the staff. The success of a production of this kind can only be accounted for by painstaking preparation in every department—elocution, music, costuming and make-up, lighting, scenery and stage direction—and by the hearty cooperation of all concerned. Nearly a thousand people attended each evening and requests have been made for another performance.