Humour And Pace In School Revue

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31135, 11 August 1966, Page 10

Humour And Pace In School Revue

Humour, pace and vitality were the keynotes of “Grutchenstein 66,” a revue of songs, sketches and a play presented by Shirley Boys’ High School and Avonside Girls’ High School on Tuesday. The cast made the best of a witty, forceful and, in places, brilliant script, the casting was exuberant and the singing was of the highest standard. It was a daring and ambitious production which succeeded. “Battle of the Sexes,” a series of six sketches portraying the relationship between man and woman from neolithic times to some time in the future, was conventional in theme, but was given zest by a hilarious script. Kathryn Haydon as the neolithic woman was memorably repulsive, while Suzanne Hall as the Victorian lady was the height of effeminate silliness. Perhaps the most brilliant scene of the series was that of the three “suffragents” who agitated for male freedom in a female-dominated world—a parody on an earlier suffragette sketch. The play “Maui and the Sungod” was a polished piece, with excellent scenery and lighting. The acting was consistently good and the scene of the rising of the sungod, just before his being captured by Maui, was excellently handled with convincing sound and lighting effects. An item of Maori songs by a group of 12 girls was firstclass. Their singing captured the spirit and harmonies of the songs. “Down Ye Murderers,” a j folk song protesting against I the execution of Timothy I

Evans for murder, gained tremendous impact by its being acted out. The movements of the actors were slow and anguished, capturing powerfully the anger and pathos of the song. Charles Gard’ner’s singing was superlative, and with his fine voice he was a tower of strength in many of the items.

A hilarious closure to the performance was provided in "Big Iron.” in which the story of a gunfighter in the old west was enacted by the shadows of puppets on a lighted screen. The story was sung by James Doyle. Other singers who gave good performances included Mac MacGregor, Anne Fowler and Doug Hamilton. A group comprising Anne Fowler, Diane Cropp, Sue Cardwell and Fern Scrivener also impressed. A great deal of effort has been put into “Grutchenstein 66,” and the result is an evening of first-class entertainment. Produced by Mr D. K. F. Graham, the production will conclude this night.