South Brighton C.W.I. Drama Concert

Press, Volume C, Issue 29555, 3 July 1961, Page 2

South Brighton C.W.I. Drama Concert

Three one-act plays, all with intriguing plots that kept the audience guessing, were presented at the South Brighton Country Women’s Institute's drama concert, held in the Methodist Hall on Saturday evening. Before the curtain went up on the first play, the producer, Mrs D. Milbum, appeared on stage. She said the audience had come on the wrong night and that the play they were to see was only being rehearsed. With that the curtain went up on “All Right On The Night,” by Stella Wyn James, <and the actors made it an amusing farce by deliberately forgetting their lines and tripping over “props.” The second play was presented by the New Brighton Townswomen’s Guild, whose members were guest artists for the evening. Their performance of “Fail Not Our Feast,” by Vincent Grodefroy, made the most of the suspense in this mystery plot with its touch of fantasy. The play concerns an annual meeting of three school friends and contains penetrating studies of their characters. A twist ending lends an atmosphere of tragedy and some satisfaction to the puzzling story. The play was produced by Alison Fox. Romantic Fantasy "The Rounderlay Tradition,” by R. F. Delderfield, ended the programme. It is a romantic fantasy set in England in the present day with an oldworld flavour provided by four family ghosts. The story concerns the 21-year-old daughter, Ophelia Roun-

Iderlay, who is preparing to celebrate her birthday and announce her engagement to a wealthy young man. One of She ghosts cautions her to marry for love rather than money and tells her of her own life and unhappy marriage. The producer was’Mrs Milburn.

This play and the first had been sent to the South Brighton C.W.I. by its “link” institute at Melbury Abbas, Dorset, England. "The Rounderlay Tradition" will be entered by the South Brighton C.W.I. in the British Drama League’s festival this month.

During the intervals between the plays, action songs and a poi dance were performed by Maori singers led by Mr Pehi Rameka. The songs were presented with guitar accompaniment. At the end of the evening sprays were presented to the guest artists and to Mrs Milbum. by the president of the C.W.I. (Mrs G, Hodgkinson).

The drama concert is held every year by the institute to raise funds for the drama circle’s costumes and properties. On Saturday evening the concert was well' supported and the organisers consider this year’s efforts have been the most successful of any.