DRAMA FESTIVAL

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 23, 27 July 1944, Page 3

DRAMA FESTIVAL

FIRST ENTRIES PLAYED

Tho thirteenth annual festival of the AA'ellington area of the British Drama Leagu* opened in tho Town Hall Concert' Chamber last night and will continue for the next thre« nights. There are 13 entries. The adjudicator is Mrs. Craig, Mackenzie. The first presentation was by the Peter Tan Players—"Birds of Passage," written by Hining Lenfranc and produced by Kenneth Altken. Tho cast comprised Madge Simmon* (Mollio Newman) ; Harry Simmons, her husband (Noel Cathie); Stewart Frankland (P. AV. Cousins) ; Emily Noakcs (E. Maslln) ; Dr. Midget (G. P. AVilllams); Bob Cooke (Allan Jeason) J a constable (C. G. Chambers). Mrs. Mackenzie's comment was that although th. play presented good opportunities for acting and a very good climax, the player* had presented it rather too slowly, and the production had suffered accordingly. "Background For Tragedy," by T. R. Morris, was played by tlie ..tratbroore Play Readers and produced by H. Baijeiii. Cast: Jim Stone, .gardener (Ron Wiul.le) : Aunie. maid (Belt Wit-tie) ; Florence AA'rags (Freda AVilllams) : Rosa lino AA'ragg (Spase Kduardsl : Harold AA'ragg (John Ewiug); Reverend Soames (Arthur Francis); Dorothy Hall (Nan Lambert); Frank Paynter (Bob Fraser). There was a somewhat similar criticism of this presentation, the judge telling the players that, they had been slow in capping one another's lines to sustain the flow and Interest of tho plot. Written by A". Galitzky, and produced by John Gray, "The Cave" was produced by th. Unity Theatre. Cast: Dr. Solomon Levi (Donald McClymont) ; Krause, a Storm Trooper (Alan Bagley) ; Colonel .Braunkraft (Helnrlch Jorgensen): An excellent piece of work, said Mrs. Mackenzie. The actors took their parts with ease and combined well. The chief fault was a tendency towards the monotone in their voices: Noel Miller, aged 3_ years, died in hospital in Dunedin last night as the result of injuries received when he fell into an open fire at his home at 38 Rolla Street, North East Valley, says a Press Association message. He was admitted to hospital with severe burns on the head, face, arms, and body.