PAGEANT, SONG AND DANCE

Taranaki Daily News, 25 November 1926, Page 9

PAGEANT, SONG AND DANCE

Y.W.C.A. ENTERTAINMENT. An entertainment that was both interesting and instructive was given by the Y.W.C.A., and was enjoyed by a large and appreciative audience at the Workers’ Social Hall, New Plymouth, last evening. The programme in the main consisted of a series of tableaux depicting scenes from Shakespeare’s plays. The tableaux were divided into the four classes, Romance, comedy, History and Tragedy, and were all' splendid portrayals of the scenes. The lighting effects throughout did much to add to the beauty and attractiveness of the stage setting. The song picture “Pansy Faces” created a pretty effect and the solo by Miss Hollis and chorus was sweetly eung. The folk dances which followed had the quaint old-world air which is their natural setting. The shell dance, by Miss Daisy Gooday, was daintily performed. Miss Blackmore as “Portia,” in the scene from the Merchant of Venice, portrayed the character very well. In the chorus from “Oberon in Fairyland,” the curtain rose on a eharming scene and the chorus was much appreciated. The fairy dance by pupils of Miss Riley was daintily performed. The scene from the “A Midsummer Night Dream” was enacted by Misses Rustling, Washer and Jasper. The characters of Rosalind aud Orlando, taken by Misses List and Wright, were well portrayed and the setting was strikingly in keeping with the scene. This was, indeed, the ease throughout the performance. Misses Pettitt and Grieve, taking the characters of Touchstone and Audrey, proved a popular item. In the history portion, Queen Elizabeth (Mrs. Harris), Queen Margaret (Miss Jemison), Katherine of Aragon (Miss Smith), Anne Boleyn (Miss Merrilcs), were all excellent. The minuet by Misses Ailsa White, A. Eberlet, M. Hine and L. Mac Diarmid was gracefully executed. The scene from “Anthony and Cleopatra,” with Miss Hollis as Cleopatra and Miss Cavanagh as Charmain, was most realistic. The dialogue between Juliet and the nurse, from “Romeo and Juliet” was given by Miss Davidson and Miss Hartnell respectively. The characters of “Ophelia” and “Lady Macbeth” were convincingly acted by Miss Hartnell and Mrs. Kircher. The song picture “1863,” by Miss Mills and chorus, in their quaint costuming, proved a popular item. During the evening songs were rendered by Mrs. P. C. Davie, Mr. B. Bellringer, Mr. and Mrs. A. B. MacDonald and Mrs. Harris. The entertainment was produced by Miss E. A. Clarke, whilst Miss Leatham and Mrs. H. C. Morgan were the accompanists.