“HOUSEMASTER”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 May 1939, Page 5

“HOUSEMASTER”

CAPITAL ENTERTAINMENT IN OPERA HOUSE. LITTLE THEATRE SOCIETY’S SUCCESS. A capital entertainment was provided in the Opera House last night, when the Masterton Little Theatre Society presented -“Housemaster,” a three-act comedy by lan Hay, to a small but appreciative audience. It must be very disheartening to a society of this kind to find that its efforts meet with such a poor response from the public. The attendance last night was most disappointing in numbers, but those who were present were quite enthusiastic as to the general excellence of the play presented. “Housemaster” is well worth seeing. It is highly entertaining and what is mpre, the society has achieved a notable success in its presentation. It is to be hoped that the attendance this evening, when the play will be piesented for the last time, will be more worthy of the society’s excellent work. The presence of three attractive and carefree young girls in a British public school, where they came, with thenaunt, to take up their residence with one of the housemasters, and the interference -with school tradition by a sanctimonious and heartless headmaster, recently appointed to the position. provided the theme around which the story was written. Naturally, the sudden arrival of such high-spirited young ladies created no end of problems in an institution of that kind and gave rise to many amusing situations. The action of the play takes place in the study of Charles Donkin, housernaster. Mr. John Kennedy, who ably filled the role of the housemaster, Charles Donkin, had a big task, as he was on the stage most of the evening He appeared to be quite at home in his characterisation, which he portrayed faith ■ fully and well. As Victor Beamish, one of the masters, Mr. Vin Wilton was able to give loud and forceful expression of his objections to ladies coming into their midst, though when they did arrive he offered to give up his bedroom for their benefit! He imparted plenty of vigour to his part. Ml. George Morice appeared as Frank Hastings, another master, who had been engaged to the aunt of the girls for fifteen years. The part of Philip de Pourville, an outside master, was filled by Mr. Neville Flemming, who oven "did not mind being run over" by the girls’ car. Mr. Wilfred Free □ave a good characterisation of the headmaster, the Rev. Edmund Ovington ("Egg” for short), who wished to upset all the present rules of the school by ordering that there should be no more interhouse competitions, no more prizes and no more regattas a ruling which caused a revolt among the boys. He succeeded in making himself thoroughly disliked. Miss Jean Douglas, as Barbara Fane, the aunt of the three girls, gave a good account of herself. The girls themselves, Miss Bebe Francis (Rosemary Farringdon), ’ Miss Phyllis Shearer (Chris Farringdon) and Miss Rhoda Burling (“Button” Farringdon) were all as vivacious as their roles demanded and their parts were excellent. Others in the play, all of whom acquitted themselves well, were: Evan Jaine, -Bimbo” Farringdon (a pupil); MissMolly Dwyer, Ellen (a maid); Miss Helen Gill, matron; lan Prior. “Flossie" Nightingale (a pupil); Mr. John Lawson (sir Berkeley Nightingale, a politician and a member of the school board, who succeeded in finding another appointment for the “Egg” and retaining Donkin as headmaster after he had resigned): Allan Douglas (Travers); Rex Daniell ( Pop ). and Lawson Pither (“Old Crump ) all pupils of the school. The play was produced by Mrs Peggy Mirams and the stage manager was Mr. T. C. Wynne, both of whom are to be congratulated on their capable work.