TWO PLAYS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20084, 13 November 1930, Page 8

TWO PLAYS.

REPERTORY THEATRE. | an excellent programme. Melodrama by amateurs is, in many cases, subject to the amused tolerance |of the audience. There is always .some | difficulty in taking the players seriously, and this hurdle is a big one for amateur artists to surmount. Once a band of players proves its worth, however, it may attempt the most advanced worltft and present them with all success. The Canterbury Repertory Theatre Society finds itself in this liappy position today. It was formed comparatively recently, and has many excellent productions to its credit. Indeed, its membership is now 410, and active members total SO. Many other attractions in the City Jiad liitle effect on the attendance at the Jellicoe Hall last night, when tho Society presented two works, one by Harold Chapin, "The Dumb and the Blind," and the other by H. M. Harivood "The Confederates." Both were excellently done, and the players held the attention of the audience throughout. "The Dumb and tho Blind" is a touching little exposition of the domestic life of a bargee. The whole of the action takes place in a humble liome —the wife a drudge, and the husband a rough-and-readv workman. The main treats the woman as a slave, and yet to his amazement, finds that his announcement that he will be home more often instead of once a week, is received with delight. Miss J. Heath, as Emmy, the yourig daughter, was in an eminentlv suitable role, which sh<s plaved 'well." Mrs C. R. Williamson, as Liz the wife, was thoroughly convincing, and made her part a living creation. Mr A. C. Bendlo, with excellent make-up and suitably gruff .manner, introduced real drama into his

lines as tho husband, and Mr Wm. C. Collins as hjs friend, Bill Pepper, although having little to do, provided a good foil. An exceedingly interesting sample of melodramatic farce was "The Confedatcs," a tale of matrimonial scheming and the invoking of the assistance of a divorce lawyer in producing financial results. Tho action was laid in New York, where, in his office, at midnight, Solomon Fairbanks received a couple ■apparently bent on securing from each other compromising letteis. A faked murder and the complete hoodwinking of the lawyer, ended the play. As Fairbanks, Mr P. L. Mansell was curt and businesslike, giving his lines with convincing brusquerie. As the wtfman, Miss Olive Booth was smart, sneering, and well cast. Mr W. B. Harris was quite successful in deluding the audience into anticipation of real drama and in bringing it back to laughter, which is, after all, the true property 'of a good artist. In both plays the diction was excellent. A demonstration of Dclsartc, the French system of expression by means of gesture and mime, was given by Miss Kiore King, assisted by Misses V. Tennent and A. Barratt. Miss King explained and demonstrated the exercises for giving balance, control, and relaxation, and showed various stage falls and methods of expressing emotions by movement alone. After going through the mechanical stage movements slowly, and with graphic exaggeration, she and her assistants combined them in two or three short sketches, showing their application and value. The demonstration was highly interesting, and informed the audience, quite frankly, the reason why, among other things, the murdered man or woman is never hurt in his or her heavy fall to the ground. . Miss King was the producer of both plays, and she may lie heartily congratulated upon another success. During intervals Mr Claude Davies played a number of piano solos and provided incidental music for the Delsarte demonstration. The performance will be repeated tonight at 8.15 o'clock.