Elmwood Players Win Drama Festival

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30213, 19 August 1963, Page 5

Elmwood Players Win Drama Festival

The winning play in the South Island divisional finals festival of the British Drama League was “Hanjo.” presented by the Elmwood Players. Second place went to the Oamaru Repertory Society’s production of George Bernard Shaw's "Passion, Poison and Petrifaction.” These placings were announced by the adjudicator. Frank Newman, after the second night of the festival on Saturday. The first play of this programme was "One Hour to Dusk.” by the Picton C.W.I. Drama Club. A good deal of tension is built up in this play about six women isolated in the jungle after a revolt by African villagers, but it is a play which can easily become too static. In this case there was some intelligent acting, but the production as a whole was unimaginative. Marie Perano, as Dr. Poole, could have been more forceful: her voice dropped away too much at times. Joan Lyon voided any temptation to overplay the hysteria of the character She portrayed, Daphney Bary displayed sincerity as Sister Lewis, and May Cloughley was convincing as Sister Denny. Joan Freeth’s performance was adequate, while Lyn Hubbard provided the necessary comic relief with a good sense of timing. Team Work A feeling of team work was most marked in the presentation of Eugene O’Neill’s play. “In the Zone,” by Repertory Back Stage (a Dunedin group). Here it is impossible to single out individual actors —all had given careful attention to characterisation, timing was good, voices were strong, and the numerous accents all sounded authentic. A simple, but effective, set helped create the nautical atmosphere, and the sense of emotional strain among the crew of the munitions ship was well achieved. The production was by Ruby Hannan. Supernatural manifestations do not combine easily with sordid realism in the kitchen, and it is certainly not easy to switch from one to the other in mid-play. For this reason, “And Now—the Journey,” presented by the Mimihau Drama Club from Southland, lacked conviction. This production, by Allan D. Pine, would perhaps have been helped by contrasting lighting effects to emphasise the changes from realism to fantasy and back again. There was some good acting here, particularly from Joyce Vercoe and Dorothy Kirby. John Arnott was successful as the drunken Henry, but his playing of the more subdued and remorseful man that Henry later became lacked anima-

tion. Leicester Chilton made a gallant effort to cope with some long, rather obvious, passages, but did not always succeed. Inaudibility was a common fault in this production, and was not improved by some awkward staging. Shaw's lively burlesque. “Passion, Poison and Petrifaction” ended the programme on a bright note. Acting was as stylish as one could wish, with careful attention to details. The production, by June McFarlane, was meticulous. Some good comic effects were achieved in the set. and the stage crew did excellent work with the complicated lighting and sound effects. Everyone, including the audience, found it all great fun. —D.S.