BARRIE PLAY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 169, 19 July 1941, Page 9

BARRIE PLAY

GRAFTON CLUB PRODUCTION

Dramatic enthusiasms of a quarter of a century ago, or more, are recalled by the ) production at St. Andrew's Hall, Symonds Street, by the Grafton Shakespearean and Dramatic Club of the Barrie play "Alice Sit-By-The-Fire." In opening a season 01" five "nights the Grafton Club's players presented a version which enabled patrons to recapture the delights of Barries whimsical sweetness when exploiting: phases of youthful ideals and sentiment. In places the roles were elocutionary rather than dramatic character studies, but there were also well-studied roles, and the general effects got the right atmosphere to keep patrons interested and entertained. Edith Amos in the difficult title role of the young matron seeking to recover the understanding of her children after long separation, gave an intelligent lead, and Max Robertson, as her husband, kept the action steady. After a slightly shaky start, Joyce Crosher and Marie James gate definite and effective shape to their £aftti as tfteiddtdmatic girls with wo'uld-be cofvhtaticnted ideas about the jplace of man it| the general scheftte of things. Joan Snfirwin, a tnaid, and Lucy Booth, a nurse, alto did effective character work. Other Member* of the cast were Glenn MacNanghton, Edna Woolford and Douglas Morison» The play, whose producer is Nell Lush, will be presented nightly up to and including next Tuesday.