JOHN DIGHTON COMEDY

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29800, 17 April 1962, Page 17

JOHN DIGHTON COMEDY

Aranui High School Production John Dighton’s comedy, “The Happiest Days of Your Life,” opened a two-night season in the Aranui High School assembly hall last night, and there was no doubt that the audience, which filled the hall, found ft an outstanding success. “The Happiest Days” is one of the happiest choices for a school production. It is a comedy of errors laced with just the right proportion of double entendre, and an adolescent cast can get its teeth into the farcical situation which arises when an academy of young ladies suddenly descends on a school of young gentlemen. In a performance of this kind it is difficult to single out any particular performers, but some of the characterisations were sheer delight. Helen Bonnie’s performance of Miss Gossage the games mistress, was one. Her courting of the senior assistant of the boys’ school. “Daisy” Billings (Campbell Roberts', was nicely balanced by Richard Harrison’s Disk Tassell, who was equally good as the nonchalant young man-cum-moon-struck calf in his pursuit of the beautiful Joyce Harper 'Gail Stephens). And the headmistress. Miss Whitchurch was most ably played by Monica Rowe, who gave and assured performance in which she showed the capacity to relish a line and to time a laugh—a rare achievement in one so young. It was obvious that a tremendous amount of work had gone into this production. and full credit must go to the producer, Lyndsey Garden. Miss Garden obviously appreciates that one of the first essentials in school plays is audibility, and this was achieved admirably. But this was more than an elocution exercise. The play was nicely mounted and lit, grouping was good throughout. and from the start a pace was achieved which was maintained right up to the final curtain.

Shop Entered.— About £3 and 100 cigarettes were stolen when the premises of Boyce and Congreve, Ltd., 66 Fitzgerald avepue, were entered during the week-end.