DEMETER'—A GREEK MASK
One of the most ambitious and certainly one of the most charming programmes yet presented by the Literary Circle of the Otago Women’s Club was given on Tuesday evening, when the circle held its annual party. Mrs E. L. Eastgate (chairwoman) presided, and gave a short outline of the programme, the first part of which consisted of three dances, arranged by Miss Eileen Service, each descriptive of an old Greek legend. The three Service sisters (Misses Eileen, Mama, and Beryl) interpreted these, artistically arrayed in classical Greek‘draperies, suggestive of the characters portrayed. The dances were purely Greek in character, and were given with a grace and ease very delightful to watch. The second part of the programme was a presentation of ‘ Demeter.’ the story of a Greek myth, presented as a mask in a Greek theatre. Mrs V. E. Galway introduced each scene, creating in a few words just the right atmosphere for its setting. The characters were as follows; —Demeter (the Earth Mother), Miss Eileen Service: Persephone {her daughter), Miss Dorothy Clark; Hades, Mrs A. A. Fairbairn; Athena Mi ss Shiela Ncilson; Artemis and Hermes, Miss Billie Mitchell; Greek chorus—Misses Mania and Beryl Service, and Nancy Iverach. The music for the ploy, adapted from Chopin and Grieg, was interpreted by Mrs J. C. Mason. The play was produced by Miss Eileen Service, and the dances of the chorus, which expressed the emotions of the play, were entirely her creation. The three dancers, arrayed in opalescent draperies of jade silk, veiled in grey chiffon, expressed in rhythmic action the main ideas of the story. A dance by Persephone, in her fluttering draperies of primrose, among the flowers, was a charming number, and her poetic lines were exquisitely delivered. Demeter, the earth mother, in her robe the colour of ripe corn, with her flowing hair bound with a wreath of wheat and with a bunch of wheat tucked in her girdle, made a charming picture, and gave, a most dramatic interpretation of the character. To her appeared Hermes, in gold winged helmet. with winged feet, to be her messenger to Hades, from whom he brings back the crowned Persephone. The mask ends with the crowning of Persephone with flowers and with a joyous dance of the nymphs. Lady Ferguson expressed the appreciation of the audience. and congratulated Miss Service, Mrs Galway, and those who had taken part on their wonderful effort, which had been crowned with such success.
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Bibliographic details
Evening Star, Issue 21581, 29 November 1933, Page 13
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410DEMETER'—A GREEK MASK Evening Star, Issue 21581, 29 November 1933, Page 13
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