POPULAR "RUNNYMEDE."

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 235, 4 October 1937, Page 3

POPULAR "RUNNYMEDE."

SEASON OF THREE WEEKS. Extension of the season of "Runnymede," the colourful locally-produced costume play, which concluded a. fortnight's season at His Majesty's Theatre on Saturday night, for a further week proves the degree of popularity which has been the lot of the production with Auckland theatre-goers. Well deserved, this success must be most gratifying to producer, principals, players, orchestra and ballet, '-prop" workers, ushers and scores of others who have put into the play many nights of hard work. Every one of the hundreds of spectacular and carefully designed costumes was made in Auckland; every piece of scenery and every shield, sword, banner, cushion, emblem, etc., came from the fingers of Aucklanders. With splendid music, a theme reminiscent of "The Yeomen of the Guard," well-balanced staging and clever presentation of stirring pageantry and tableaux as part of the story itself, "Runnymede" has earned a place which will not be denied it in the history of local theatricals in this city. The play may Tiot depict English history exactly as historians have it, but it tells a fascinating tale in fascinating fashion. Tt has the appeal of pageantry and colour for children and that of its opera bouffe plot, characters and music for adults. Among the players the work of D. Myer Robinson as the gaoler of Lackjov must be singled out. His is a fine performance, in which many emotions are touched with facility and power, ranging from heavy drama to farce and burlesque. In Mr Robinson's hands the gaoler becomes a vivid personality. A similar effect is obtained by the jester (Ernest Reid), who tools delightfully in continual sideplav. 1 he principals are all good—Leslie Russell smgs snlendidly in the hero's role as the Karl of Winton; Winifred Hill looks charming and sinas nleasinglv as Lady Constance: Elsie Bell-Booth makes a firstrate soubrette. as Prudence, daughter of \\ arden Maunsell (Georee Tarr); Allan Mr-Skimming a nd Jean Douslas are most repeal in the strnicht dramatic rolps of Kins John and Queen Eleanor: A. Webster MeSkimming's Archbishop of Canterbury is an imposing figure; Dame Corf-huvl acts well in a Katisha role, while C. S. Mn-1.-ln sT-.r M ks admirably in the dijal roles of the old villager and the gen«eman in the brief prologue.