“THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE”

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24959, 21 August 1946, Page 2

“THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE”

NOTABLE PRESENTATION At the Radiant Theatre last evening a large audience rocked with laughter at the drolleries and the absurdities of the ever-popular Gilbert and Sullivan opera “The Pirates of Penzance,” presented by the pupils of the Christchurch West High School. It was a first-class performance, and the staff, who must have unselfishly devoted hours of their leisure to the training of the cast, could hardly have failed to be gratified at the success achieved by their pupils. The producer ( w as Miss C. M. Miller, and the musical director was Miss M. E. Osborn. The magnitude of their task can be gauged from the fact that they had trained 82 performers, besides a school orchestra of 12 instruments, and trained them well. Miss E. Chambers and Miss L. Aldridge were responsible for the effective ana colourful dressing of the entire company. The headmaster himself (Mr C. A. Noble) and Mr Mervyn Bull, who was on the staff until recently, when he left to take up a post in the North Island, had devised the stage settings, H. M. Cameron and J. R. Reader were stage managers, Ruth Kaye was prompter, but her services were not often required, and ’those three stalwarts who have given of their best to so many theatrical groups—Messrs T, Howers (in charge of the theatre), Dundas Walker (responsible for making-up the players), and J. Alexander (who attends to the lighting effects) again lent their aid. Outstanding in the cast was Dorothy McCulloch, who has a lovely soprano voice, and sang and acted pleasingly in the role of MabeL P. Sumner, as the pirate apprentice, a slave to duty, looked every inch a hero and played naturally and with restraint, and Joyce Ironside as Ruth, the pirate maid, was admirable, her diction being so clear that not a word she spoke or

sang was missed by the audience. Much of the fun of the evening was provided by D. L. McCree, who, as the Major-General, moustached and monocled, nimble and slick, made the most of every opportunity, and by G. Grundy, who enjoyed himself thoroughly and really looked as if he believed it was a glorious thing to be a pirate king. The part of his lieutenant was played. by I. Bartram, who has a good voice; Elaine Penney, Georgina Haddock and Thelma Illes were charming and graceful as the General’s daughters, and K. R. Smith was the sergeant, who was convinced that a policeman’s lot is not a happy one. “The Pirates of Penzance” will be presented again to-night and to-mor-row night.