“ARMS AND THE MAN”

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 53, 26 November 1941, Page 4

“ARMS AND THE MAN”

Resplendent Costumes In Repertory Play Splendid uniforms with gold facings, as worn by dashing Bulgarian and Serbian army officers in the eighties, and authentic and -beautiful frocks of the same period, with much embroidery, made the costuming of special interest to the audience when G. B. Shaw’s “Arms and the Man” was presented by the Wellington Repertory Theatre in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall last night. El en the manservant and peasant maid wore colourful clothes, .which in the light of today would be regarded as elaborate fancy costumes. A lovely hooped dress worn .by Raina, the heroine (loan Flack), was of gold net over green taffeta. A gold net frill edged the white blouse, heavily worked with Bulgarian and some Viennese embroidery. A green velvet eorselette sash finished the waist. The headdress which framed he r face was of gold and green flowers and flowing ribbons. In another scene, blue smocking trimmed the heavy white night-dress she wore. She added a floor-length cloak of deep blue velvet with- a collar of soft S ve V f ur - Catherina, her mother. (Constance Kelly), loved colourful clothes. Her first appearance was in a yellow underdress worn -beneath a patterned neg-, lige with frills at neck and sleeves finished with a jewelled belt. A red dressing gown with frills at the neck and round the hem .was worn over a blue gown. A genuine dolman jacket of the 1886 period was a highlight of her third costume. It was of red plush with a variety of fringes finishing the available spaces and was cut to take the skirt fullness of a purple bustle skirt. A voluminous white frilled jabot cascaded down the bodice front. , ... Gay swinging skirts covered with double embroidered aprons, an embroidered velvet bodice with full muslin sleeves, high red boots and coloured head kerchief made the costume of Louka, the peasant maid. This part was played by Marjorie Eberlet, The Serbian army officer, Biuntschli (Howard Wadham), had a powder blue uniform with rust and gold froggings and gold neck 'band, lhe Bulgarian cavalry officers’ uniforms, equally resplendent, had gold facings and touches of white and red on deep blue jackets. White riding breeches, hi-h boots, and airgrettes surmounting their shakos added a further debonair touch. These parts were taken by A G. Brian Douglas, Alan Bowdfell and R. S. Allright The manservant, Nicola (Burnett Ross), wore an embroidered shirt and over-tunic, full white trousers and embroidered 'western European hangings, fashion-, able iu the “eighties,” decorated Raina’s bedroom, which was in a house in the Balkan mountains. The Turkish influence was noticeable in another setting, with its porcelain stove, draperies and pottery. The producer was Miss Helen Gard’ner.