DRAMA LEAGUE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 October 1938, Page 5

DRAMA LEAGUE

NORTH ISLAND FINALS THREE PLAYS PRESENTED LAST EVENING. FURTHER PERFORMANCES TONIGHT. Following on the successful annual festival of the Wairarapa branch last week, the North Island Elimination Festival of the British Drama League opened in the Opera House, Masterton, last night. Three plays, entirely different in character, were presented to a large and appreciative audience. The festival will conclude with a further three plays this evening, following which the judge, Miss Elizabeth Blake, will select the play to go forward to the national finals at Hastings on October 26. \ Last night’s programme opened with “White Queen, Red Queen” (T. B. Morris), an historical tragedy, presented by St Matthew’s Old Girls, Masterton. This play, which was the winning effort i in the Wairarapa area, was produced by Mrs E. J. Rich. • The Levin Playreaders presented something entirely different in character, “The Theatre of the Soul” (Nicolai Evrinof). Although the play is of the usual length, the action actually takes place in the period of half a second. The scene was the interior of the Human Soul. “The Theatre of the Soul,” the winning play in the Manawatu area, was produced by the Rev Dr I. Fraser. The third play last evening was a comedy “A Girl for the'Hall” (Margery Nugent) , presented by the Pioneer Club Drama Circle, joint winners in the Wellington area. The producer was Anne Lane. The casts of last night’s were as follow: — St Matthew’s Old Girls, Masterton: “White Queen—Red Queen”; cast: Katherine of Aragon, Queen of England, Jocelyn Betts; Anne Boleyn, Peggy Mirams; Mary Tudor, Norah Robinson; Jane Seymour, Barbara Barton; Elizabeth Hammond, Catherine Maunsell; Madge Skelton, Elizabeth Bunny; Mary Wyatt, Patricia Gill; Margaret Pole, Jocelyn Hornabrook; Page, Vivienne Rich. Levin Playreaders: “The Theatre of the Soul”; cast: The Professor, Mr W. Hocking; Ml (The Rational Entity of the Soul), Mr N. M. Thomson; M2 (The Emotional Entity), Dr I. W. Fraser; M 3 (The Sublimal Entity), Mr L. J. Hair; Ml’s Concept of the Wife, Miss M. Blenkhorn; M2’s Concept of the Wife, Mrs McAnemy; Ml’s Concept of the Singer, Miss B. Blenkhorn; M2’s Concept of the Singer, Miss M. Parton; The Porter, Mr G. Sorenson. Pioneer Club Drama Circle, “A Girl for the Hall”; cast: Rose Carter, Mona Brien; Flora King, Anne Lane; Winnie Pickerill, Ngaire Cooper; Lois Richmond, Rosalie Bates; Matron, Miss E. Ford; Miss Piper, Mrs L. Rossiter; Mrs Marling, Mi's W. A. Martin. In his opening remarks, the president of the Wairarapa branch of the league, Mr T. Jordan, extended a welcome to the visiting players, and introduced to the audience the judge, Miss Blake. Miss Blake appealed to the players not to be nervous, but to remember that they were all there to enjoy and study the art of the theatre.

THE JUDGE’S OBSERVATIONS. Reference to the improving standard of costume plays was made by Miss Blake in her comments on “White Queen—Red Queen.” “Costume plays in many ways are much harder to tackle than others,” continued Miss Blake, who said that again and again she was happy with moments in “White Queen—Red Queen.” Elizabeth Hammond filled her part excellently as “the gentle blonde with a touch of primness.” She might have shown slightly greater freedom of movement. Madge Skelton was very good. She really felt her way into the period dress. Mary Wyatt, tod, looked as if her dress really belonged to her. Jane Seymour was an intellectual woman and that might have been suggested in the part. She might have thought of herself as reading Greek, said . Miss Blake. Mary Tudor’s was a very interesting performance. She had a sense of dignity, which was essential to the part. Her final scene was poignant and she made a good exit. “She listens very well,” said Miss Blake in her comments on Margaret Pole. Her scene with the Princess was good. It was a nice performance. Anne Boleyn was good, but she might have let herself go a little more. She has real dramatic ability. A slightly greater sense of age might have been shown by the Queen. “I liked her gentleness, her dignity and her sense 1 of tragic greatness.” The Page did her bit very nicely. The setting and lighting were very good. The diction was very clear. The colours of the dresses were excellent, but . the material might have been a little heavier in texture. “This play gave me great pleasure,” concluded Miss Blake. “It was full of care and sympathetic appreciation.” “When this play was written, about 25 years ago, it was regarded as startling,” said Miss Blake, when discussing “The Theatre of the Soul.” “It is still, from a theatre point of view, an arresting play, but I will not go so far as to say it is a great play.” The Professor made a very good, steady opening. The Rational Entity of the Soul (Ml) was easy to hear, but one or two of his movements could have been a little quicker. The Emotional Entity gave a very good performance. His movements were good and his moods changed from violence to tenderness and back again. M2’s Concept of the Singer was definitely' seductive, but could have looked rather more evil. She had a very attractive voice, which however, failed to suggest anything that was common. Her fight scene was excellent. Ml’s Concept of the Singer was an unselfish, artistic and satisfying piece of work by one who showed herself to be a keen student of the drama. Ml’s concept of the Wife was very sweet, as she was meant to be. She was very good in her pleading scene with the Dancer. M2’s concept of the wife was very good indeed. There was another unselfish student of the drama. The Porter and M 3 filled their parts well. The lighting and effects were very good. “It was a very interesting performance.” "This was on an absolutely different scale,” said Miss Blake, commenting on “A Girl for the Hall.” It was a play which depended on a neat handling of dialogue for its success. Although they gave excellent little performances some of the players were inaudible in places. Flora, “the cheeky piece” gave a very nice performance. Her quick speech was very good, and she has a fine sense of comedy. Rose was very good and was easy to hear. Winnie’s gestures were very good. Lois’s voice was an

excellent contrast to the others. Miss Box gave an excellent performance. “Matron gave an awfully nice performance,” continued Miss Blake. “I shouldn’t have minded being at her school at all.” Miss Piper’s was a part that really needed slight exaggeration to get the effect. Mrs Marling was an extremely natural listener. The Matron’s sitting room was perhaps a trifle comfortable for a girls’ home. “There were some very good comedy moments in -this play,” concluded Miss Blake. “What I liked about it was the give and take between the team members.” The plays to be presented tonight are' as follow:—“The Hikers” (Joe Corrie), Knox Players, Southern Hawke’s Bay area; "Dirge Without Dole” (Cedric Mount), Napier Repertory Players. Hawke’s Bay area; “The Old Bull” (Bernard Gilbert), All Saints’ Players, Wellington area.