STAGE SHOWS IN PACIFIC

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 306, 21 September 1943, Page 5

STAGE SHOWS IN PACIFIC

Soldiers’ Appreciation (Official War Correspondent, N.Z.E.E.) NEW CALEDONIA, September 13. Open air picture programmes and iirstclass concerts staged by the Kiwi Concert Party have done much to entertain the personnel of the 3rd New Zealand I)i--vision doing Avar duty in New Caledonia, but recently a tasteful blending of drama and -comedy provided something really novel when' the Base Repertory presented a series of four delightful plays. In every instance the characters were very clevcrlv depicted, and when it is noted that the large bulk of the players were newcomers to repertory or other stire craft, and that rehearsals were few and conducted under extreme difbeulties. the spontaneous applause of the critical soldier audience was well merited. . , , To ensure a successful show, producer Owen Fletcher, Dunedin, was faced'avith many difficult problems, but these failed Io dampen his enthusiasm. He was assisted 'by an energetic baud of willing helpers, who performed wonders, improvising the essential stage and scenes nt the central Y.M.C.A. building, where lighting difficulties were successfully overcome. Appropriate character costumes -were also forthcoming and the whole show went: with a-swing. A number of parts was played by members of the New Zealand Army Nursing Service.