ONE-ACT PLAYS

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 56, 29 November 1929, Page 6

ONE-ACT PLAYS

PRESENTED BY MISS HELEN GARD’NER One-act plays appear to be coming into their own again. Instead of the usual elocutionary entertainment the pupils of Miss Helen Gard’ner gave a sextet of one-act plays to mark the year-end at the Masonic Hall on Wednesday night. These gave excellent entertainment for the most part, despite the drawback of a late start and some rather tedious intervals. The first playlet, “When Did They Meet Again?” (by Harold Brighouse), was a fete night romance in Paris. Susan Carthew has been sent on a brief holiday to Paris, where she is severly chaperoned by the very terse and proper Miss Hislop. It is a fete night, and all the world are in the streets, but Miss Hislop decides, that bed is the best place for her charge. But the girl is restless, and after her aunt's retirement, goes to the window and yearningly extends her arms to the gaiety and glamour from which she is excluded. A minute later a pierrot climbs through the window, swears she had given him a signal, makes love to her, and, being an English man, proposes there and then, is accepted and leaves. Comedy arrives the next morning with Polcliam, it police officer, who . states that a young man had been arrested tho evening before descending from the balcony. He suspects Miss Hislop of an affair, but Susan tells her experience, and there the play ends. A charming end could have been written to such a pretty little romance. Miss Effie Brice was charming as Susan. Mr. Stanley Trlnsen a bold lover and Miss Mary Cooley very convincing as the prudish Miss Hislop. ‘.‘The Old Lady Shows Her Muddles” (the title a burlesque on a J. M. Barrie play) is a comedy sketch in which a dear old lady endeavours to speak the slang of the day to please her son’s fiancee, and becomes hopelessly tangled with the verbal idiocies of the times. The performers were Miss M. Murie, Messrs. J. Elliott tmd C. Vinson.

A capital comedietta was “The Stratham Amateurs Present .” The scene is the ladies’ dressing room, where the nervousness and emotions of the young ladles find expression in such a way that a dear old aunt of one of the players, who vehtures behind the scenes, becomes disgusted at all she sees and hears. Miss Hilda Chudley, bold and natural in her methods, ran away with the honours as the leading lady, causing much amusement by her easy abandon. Others concerned were Miss Gwen Dalton (very good as the aunt), Gwen Carr, Geraldine Palmer, and Messrs. J. H. Bunch, J. Elliott, and R. Charlton.

Sheridan’s “School for Scandal" calls for finesse, ease, a gift for character, and an appreciation for the subletics of the author's text, and was just a little beyond the capabilities of the players to do full justice to. Miss Effie Brice looked vrey well as Lady Teazle, Miss Gwen Carr was animated as Mrs. Candour, and Miss Naney Burnley made a modest Maria. The male parts were assumed by Mr. Vinsen (Backbite), J. Elliott (Crabtree), W. Phipson (Snake), and R. Charlton (Joseph Surface). The scene essayed was the "scandal” scene of the first act, at Lady Sucerwell’s house, the hostess being played by Miss Wynne Murie. The gem of the evening was the poetical playlet, “The Minuet” (by Louise Parkerp, a scene between a distinguished Marquis and his Marchioness before they go to the guillotine at the time of the French Revolution. The chief characters were acted with nice restrait and sublety. by Miss Mary Cooley and Mr. R. Charlton. Mr. J. li. Elliott was also good as the jailer. The final sketch, "At the Photographers was also well done by Miss Isobel Shell, Gwen Carr, G. Palmer, W. Murie, and Messrs. S. Vinsen and J. E. Elliott. One of tlie artistic delights of the evening were Miss Hildil Chudley's songs at the piano. She sang "The Siver Ring (Chaminade), “In a Garden,” and the negro spiritual, "I’ve . Got a Little M heel Turning in My Heart.” ■ The entertainment is to be given at Eastbourne on Decomber 4, and at the Lower Hutt on ucccmber 9.