HIGH SCHOOL THREE ACT PANTOMIME WAS COLOURFUL SHOW

Taupo Times, Volume IV, Issue 187, 26 August 1955, Page 1

HIGH SCHOOL THREE ACT PANTOMIME WAS COLOURFUL SHOW

The three-act pantomime " Tfie Enchanted Waitz," by Frederick Davis. presented at the War Memorial Hall by the Taupo District High School on Tuesday and Wednesday nights iast week, with a luatinee on Tuesday afternoon, was a colourful production that deserved the acclaim that it received from large aa,diences. Costumes aricl scenery drew most favourable comment. and reflected much credit on all those whose hard work helped to produce the final result. Stage direction was in the capable charge of Mr Charles Leslie; who also took the part of Petunia Periwinkle, Court Charwoman, with uproarious success. Principal boy was June Schmidt, as Johanne, a Minstrel, whose performance was marked by grace and poise. Pat Bostock, as the fairy queen, Shona Torepe as Puck, and Jan Walford as Tanya, the king's daughter, took their parts well, while June Armstrong, as Court Prima Donna, and Geoffe Foote, as Old King Cole, played with experienced assurance. Others whose performances all contributed to the general success of the pantomime were Dick Ward, Master of the King's Music; Keith Bogue, Lord Chamberlain; Ian McLeary, Prince of Sumatra; Deanna Stanley, Thebadinus; Rosemary Aldworth, Thegoodinus; Leonard Dance and Allister McGregor, Attendants of the king; Julia Stanley, Nina's maid; Ian Birnie and Richard McGreevy, guards. The chorus of townsfolk were most effectively costumed, and were Marie Houghton, Robin Booth, Beth Snooks, Rosalie Forster, John Calkin, Ken Christensen, Morris Nelson, Jim Robertson and Estelle Braddock. A charming group of fairies cornpnsed Aroha Mika, Raewyn Yin, Patricia Carson, Rere Rewa, Beverley Harnett, Suzanne Foote, Mary Logan and Gail Pearse. The three ballerinas, who had been trained by Eunice Birnie, as Ballet Mistress, were Roseanne Redwood, Jaqueline Fooks and Harriet Rewa. Their dancing was one of the highlights of the production and their outstanding performance was a great tribute to Mrs Birnie s tuition.

Harriet Rewa, Margaret DonneLy, and Florence Balmforth were effective as the King's fiddlers. In their combined role as the donkey Kevin Murray and David Loughlin drew a full share of the audiences' applause The show owed a great deal to the work of June Armstrong, Music Director; Thelma Sherwood, accompaniste; Ian McMillan, Pat Dixon, Peter Smith and Kevin Perry, E>ecor and Stage Management; and to those who undertook the onerous work of producing costumes. including many mothers and other helpers, with Mesdames D. Baker, Calkin, Peart, Sinclair, J. Pearse and Miss B. Coley. The stated object of putting on this type of entertainment was to givq some purpose to the music and drama work of the School, and to give pupils the opportunity of giving public performance. All concerned in the production may well be pleased with the considerable measure of success achieved, and the experience should encourage them in planning similar future enterprises.