THREE PLAYS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 170, 20 July 1935, Page 16

THREE PLAYS.

DIOCESAN OLD GIRLS. Presented in the hall of the Diocesan High School last evening, the three oneact plays and a mime produced by the Diocesan Old Girls' League were exceptionally good. The programme was well balanced, there being both comedy and tragedy, and the players were chosen with line perception for the various roles.

Opening the programme was the mime, entitled "The Mime of the Simple Ploughboy," arranged by Miss Noni Wright. It was sung by Miss Amy Hansard, and others taking part were Misses Una Moore, Margaret Kidd, Peggy Scott-Young, Alice Jackson, and Messrs. J. Parsons and Wallace Smith.

The play "Little Glass House" which followed, was a delightful little comedy by Philip Johnson and Howard Agg. Jn the period of the nineteenth century, it dealt with class snobbery and its incident was full of subtle situation. The part of Madame Rossignol, a young and attractive opera singer, was taken by Miss Noni Wright, who gave a clever interpretation of the dazzling young woman. With consummate skill she handled what might have been a most difficult sccne with three lioity-toity English women. These parts were equally well handled by Misses Lorna Leatham, Eleanor Upton and June Moody, while as the demure daughter Miss Dulcic Mahon also did some good work.

"The Storm," by John Drinkwater, was the next play and here tragedy was the keynote. Restraint was called "for and it is to the credit of the cast that this little play was a decided success. The scene is set in a mountain cottage with a waiting wife and a husband out in the storm. The role of the wife is an extremely difficult one to maintain, but in the hands of Miss Nell Lush it was undeniably an excellent performance. As an old neighbour, Miss Joan Edwards filled her part well, and Miss Barbara Bates, as Joan, the widow's sister, and Mr. Kenneth NVarburton as a young stranger were also excellent. A minor role was taken by Mr. John Thomnson.

Concluding the programme was a burlesque comedy entitled "The Poison Party," by F. Sladen-Smitli. It dealt with court intrigue of olden days and was much appreciated by the audience. A fine piece of work was done by Miss Althea Parker as the queen mother, while other roles were taken by Miss Peggy Scott-Young, June Beale, Messrs. H. McKail Geddes, Ronald Bowie and Clifton Heine.

The producer of the three plays was Miss Nell Lush, to whom full credit must go for her skilful casting and finished performance of each play. Music was under the leadership of Miss Necker. The plays will be repeated in the school hall this evening.