SHAKESPEAREAN PLAY

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 148, 20 December 1945, Page 12

SHAKESPEAREAN PLAY

FIRST ORIGINAL COMEDY

"Love's Labour Lost," considered to be the first comedy written by Shakespeare, and the only one in which he used his own plot, was chosen by the Wellington Shakespeare Society to be presented at its final meeting for this year. * The. play has scarcely ever been performed even in England, and the only occasion that can be traced on which it or any part of it has either been read or performed in New Zealand was in 1890 when in a dramatic entertainment by the students of Canterbury College, in the Theatre Royal at Christchurch, the badinage scenes between the lords and ladies were performed in costume.

The society's abridged presentation, which was highly successful and most entertaining, was directed by Mr. H. P. yon Haast, who was present at the performance in 1890.

Those taking the leading roles were: Princess of France, Mrs: Clarice Ross; Rosaline, Mrs. J. K. Edie; King of Navarre, Mr. "W. G. Ross; Biron, Dr. O. C. Mazengarb; and others taking part were: Mesdames D. A. Herbert, C. G. Bloore, Misses Rose Carte, Sybil Williams, R. K. Reilly. and Messrs. D. A. Herbert, E. C. Feltham, J. Holly. C. G. Bloore, F. L. Parkin, J. P. Nicoll, and H. F. yon Haast.

At the conclusion of the play 'the ladies in the cast were presented with floral posies which had been made by Mrs. S. F. McLean. Dr. O. C. Mazensarb presided at the meeting, and Mr. E. C. Harvie proposed the vote of thanks.

Copies of the first, second, and fourth folios of the play, which had been nlaced in the showcase by Mr. C. R. H. Taylor, chief librarian of the Alexander Turnbull Library, were viewed with great interest by members.