ONE-ACT PLAYS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 109, 10 May 1945, Page 4

ONE-ACT PLAYS

HUTT REPERTORY THEATRE

Tragedy, comedy, drama, and romance were rerpesented in. four one-act plays presented on Tuesday evening in St. James's Hall. Lower Hutt, by (he Hntt Repertory Theatre. The first play was "Mrs. Adis," by Sheila Kaye-Smith and John Hampden. Tt depicts how tragedy enters the life of Mrs. Adls, who, to keep her word, is forced to shield her son's murderer. The characters were Mrs. Adis (Miss Joyce Beale); Vidler (Mr. 6. A. Blundell), Peter Crouch (Mr. John Forster), Kemp (Mr. Ron Doit?), Hobd.cn (Mr. Peter Grace), and Tom Adis (Mr. E. J. Bentley). "

In "The Philosopher of Butterblgglns," by Harold Chnpin, the audience was kept in happy mood by the sayings of Grandfather David (Mr. ,T. M. Carlson), whose philosophy was found in having his "am way" against the wish of his married daughter, Lizzie (Mrs. J. McCallum), and caused a clash of strong wills. Other characters were Jean (Miss Dorothy Patterson), David's niece, and Alec (Robert Thompson). David's grandson. The audience was kept in a. constant state of tension in the dramatic play "The Ghost of .Terry Bnndler," by \V. W. Jacobs and C. Rock. This had a wholly male cast as follows: Somers (Mr. G. A.--Blundell), Penfold (Mr R. St. .1. Pedler), Malcolm (Mr. It. Westbtiry). Dr. Leek (Mr. Britton Chndwick). Beldon (Mr. Lewis .Ingger), George (Mr. It. A. Leslie), Hirst (Mr. ,T. M. Carlson). A romantiß touch was given In "The Language of Love," by Edward Percy, a play with a setting in 1840. In this the dresses nf the period were well displayed by Miss Dclborah Deedes (Miss Berwyn Gibbons), Mrs. Penelope Jones (Mrs. Sugden), Susan (Miss Joan Cowie). Letitia (Miss Ruth Andrews), Rosemary (Miss Rosalie Leslie), and Elizabeth (Miss Audrey Fag). Jane (Rosemary Sugden) was n parlourmaid. "' Outstanding characters in the plays were Tovee Beale as Mr. Adis. Mr. G. A. Blundell -is Vidler and again as Somers, Mr. J. A. Carlson as David and ngnin as Hirst, Mr. R. St. T Pedler as Penfold, Mrs. Sugden as Mrs. Penelope Jones, and Miss Berwyn Gibbons as Miss Deedes. > The minor parts of otjier characters were well sustained. The first two and the inst pln.v-s were produced ,by Mrs. Mary Mackenzie aiAl the thin! by Mr. J. M. Carlson "' Considering the facilities, the scenery " i u<r])tfn£ wore good. They were under the rlirection o f Messrs. R. Doig and K. J. Bentley. Items by the orchestra under the leadership of Mrs E. Rothwell were much appreciated.