KAITANGATA DRAMA CLUB

Evening Star, Issue 22686, 28 June 1937, Page 7

KAITANGATA DRAMA CLUB

excellent and enthusiastic audience greeted the Kaitangata Drama Club’s annual presentation of plays in the Empire Theatre on Thursday evening last. The ; club had been fortunate in securing the services of Miss Elisabeth Loe, of the British Drama League, who assisted with the rehearsals'. The result of her work was plainly evident in the detail and finish which characterised the performance from beginning to end. The intervals between the plays were noticeably short and reflected great credit on the stage manager and his assistants. The programme opened with a fast moving, sparkling comedy entitled ‘ On Dartmoor ’ by Neil Grant. Splendid work was done by the ladies who appeared, as two girls of independent means and somewhat unconventional views of prisoners and prison life. The men acquitted themselves equally well, the detective being convincing, and the bogus escaped prisoner highly amusing, while the real escapee, although he had the smallest part in the play, handled it extremely well and proved himself an actor of no mean ability. ‘A Marriage Has Been Disarranged ’ by Muriel and Sydney Box, dealt with a group of women who, disciplining their husbands to the extent of banding themselves into a Wives’ Holiday League for the purposes of holidaying apart from them, were only too ready to return at the _ first suspicion that their marriages might not be as binding as they , had imagined. Careful preparation was evident in the-setting and in the harmonious and colourful blending of the frocks worn _by the ladies. All were at home in their parts, especially those in the roles of Clarice Holmes and the Stranger, the latter taking full Advantage of the opportunities offered. . The third presentation, ‘ Fire Below, a powerful play by Leonard Hines and Frank King, combining fine comedy with stark’ tragedy, struck an altogether different note. Although a most difficult piece of work it was in splendid hands, each' member of the cast'realising what was expected of him, and all combining to produce a fine display of team work. The final scene between the two women was particularly well done and the whple performance held the audience from beginning to end. Sophisticated modern comedy was the basis of the concluding play ‘Folly of Faith,’ by Michael Bayne, full of witty dialogue and swift repartee. The play needed skilful handling to get it across, but the cast proved worthy of its task. The erring Bevan Griswold was in turn an over-bearing, scornful husband and a guilty defensive brother;in-law. Faith, his wife, was splendidly cast as an empty-headed woman with _no brains but a vast amount of cunning, which she used to extricate herself from her financial entanglements. Pearl, her sister, as mediator between the two, was responsible for a delightful, finished performance, while Hilly the maid was admirably suited to the part. It was evident throughout the performance that careful attention had been paid to the lighting and staging, and this, together with the conscientious work of the producers and players, was responsible for what must undoubtedly be termed the most successful presentation of the club.