Prizes Presented In Essay Contest

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30426, 28 April 1964, Page 12

Prizes Presented In Essay Contest

Shakespeare was a mirror in which mankind could see a reflection of itself, said Miss Janinka Chuml, winner of the Theatre Arts Guild essay competition, when reading her essay at Beaths, Ltd., yesterday. I In ah essay spiced with quotations Miss Chuml showed the relevance of Shakespeare’s writings to the present day. The romantic love of Romeo and Juliet, she said, was akin to the problems of adolescence, many modern businessmen had an ambition similar to that of Macbeth, Henry V’s oration before Harfleur still typified the call for patriotism in war, Mark Antony had described modern . polititians, and Prospero had shown the tragedy of sin and its expiation.'

Miss Chuml, a pupil of the Convent' of the Sacred Heart, Baradene, Auckland, had been flown to Christchurch to receive the prizes. She received books, stockings, chocolate, records of Charles Laughton’s readings from Shakespeare, a travel bag, and was taken on an alpine flight. She flew . home to Auckland in the afternoon.

Miss Chuml was presented with an official medal produced by the Stratford-on-Avon Trust. The medal, in a blue leather-bound box, had on the front a profile .of the bust of Shakespeare inscribed “William Shakespeare 400th Anniversary.” On the back was a Grecian frieze showing two figures, the masks of tragedy and comedy, the torch of knowledge, and a book of Shakespeare's works inscribed, “We shall not look upon his like again—15641964.” ! Miss Linda Cox, from

Christchurch Girl’s High School, who won second prize, said that Shakespeare could have lived in any age, and Hamlet in a dinner suit would be as convincing as in the more usual velvet. “In Shakespeare all men bleed the same blood, and this shows the essential humanity he advocates in his plays.” The prize-winners and guests were welcomed by the general manager of Beaths, Ltd. (Mr D. Ogilvie), and the prizes were presented by the Canterbury Public Relations Officer (Mr C. N. Todd). As the winner of the poetry contest (Mr B. Southam) had refused to accept his prizes they were awarded to Miss P. |M. Hosking, of Palmerston (North, who was second, and Mr J. N. Langabeer, of Auck--1 land, who was third. Miss Hosking read her two .poems, “Fairy Tales” and [“Short Story,'-’ but Mr Langabeer's longer poem. “Way Of Life,” will be read today. Mr J. Kim, producer of | “Coriolanus,” at present running in Christchurch, said that Shakespeare's plays were drama rather than literature. “Coriolanus” was very different from the betterknown tragedies, and was done too seldom.