DRAMA LEAGUE

Evening Star, Issue 23325, 22 July 1939, Page 16

DRAMA LEAGUE

FESTIVAL CONTINUES A.FEAST OF COMEDY Comedy was much in evidence in the programme for the third night of the British Drama League’s annual festival in tho Concert Chamber, There was no suggestion of monotony about the light touch, however, each, play presenting its own particular brand of humour. Of the four plays staged three only were for competition, the fourth being an offering by the Playbox Club. The comments of the judge (Miss Ngaio Marsh) were again a very welcome addendum to each performance; and if this talented lady’s sound advice and kindly criticism are accepted and acted upon by the young Thespians of Otago there should follow an enormous improvement in the many branches of the amateur drama in the province. The first play staged last night was Mikhail Aldon’s ‘ The Murder Scream,’ a B grade entry by the University Dramatic Society. To anyone unfamiliar with the play the early stages would appear to bo entirely unconvincing, but when it is revealed that the cool planning of the hero to murder the heroine —plans worked out in tho presence of the intended victim—and the- subsequent interruption by two American bad men was a faked rehearsal arranged in order that the unsuspecting heroine might develop a real “ murder scream,” the melodramatic melts into the comic.

‘ World! Without Men,’ a B grade entry by St. Hilda’s Dramatic Club, is a. roost amusing' fantastical comedy by Philip Johnson. A woman scientist has completed an invention which, by the mere i turning of a switch, is to eliminate every male creature iu the world. The time arrives, the switch is made, all men disappear into thin air—except one who, by the n’th chance, escapes. An excellent comedy situation is created when each of tho scientist’s lady co-workers finds in turn an excuse to leave, the real- reason being the pursuit of the “ last male.” The Balclutha Dramatic Club presented as a 15 grade entry A. A. Milne’s ‘ Miss Marlow at Play.’ Tho chief characters are a willowy actress, an irate father who calls on the actress in order to protest against the latter’s seduction of his son, only to find him--self in most compromising circumstances, and the actress’s husband. This was another fast-moving comedy, involving a great deal of “ business ” with a bed and a screen.

The non-competitive offering was another Millie comedy, ‘ The Man in the Bowler Hat,’ and, on the whole, it was very well done. Into this play also is introduced an element of surprise, the strange, highly melodramatic doings in the sitting room of John ahd Mary and the mysterious silent presence, of the man in the Ijpwler hat being explained; at the last moment when the man breaks his silence by exclaiming: “ That’ll do; we’ll take it again tomorrow. Second act.” Mr Leo Manning’s John and Miss Edith Clare’s Mary were very good character studies, but perhaps the. palm for artistry should be given to Miss Doreen Harvey, whose brief appearance as “ the heroine ” created amusement and admiration. Mr Tom Tarrant’s wellspoken . “ hero was . another good thing,, while the roles of chief villain (Mr Glen Herbert) and bad man (Mr Colin Martin) were adequately filled. Mr A. CrStephens made the “ sitting part ” of the nian in the bowler hat quite an eloquent one. The festival will conclude to-night, when the plays to be presented are ‘ The Actress ’ (Kaitangata Dramatic Club), ‘ Dirge Without Dole ’ (the Opportune Players), and ‘ It’s Autumn Now ” (Oamanr Little Theatre Society). '