SHAKESPEARE EVENING

Evening Star, Issue 23864, 19 April 1941, Page 14

SHAKESPEARE EVENING

The music and play-reading circles of .the Otago Women's Club held a combined " Shakespeare " evening on Thursday, Mrs A. A. Fairbairn presiding over a very appreciative audience. The play-reading circle's contributions were extracts from ' Twelfth Night,' produced by Mrs Wakefield Holmes,' and ' The Dark Lady of the Sonnets,' by Bernard Shaw, produced by Miss Grace Farnie. In the former the characters were: Sir Toby Belch, Mrs Holmes; Maria, Mrs Ralph Paterson; Malvolio, Mrs Oswald Stephens; clown, Mrs 0. M. Focken; Sir Andrew Agnecheek, Mrs \V. JL Gilbert. Those taking part in the play were: Elizabeth, "Mrs R. G. C. M'Nab; Dark Lady, Mrs Cedric Beny.oni; Shakespeare. Miss L. M'Carthy; Beefeater, Mrs Gordon Bell. The music circle's contributions consisted of well-known songs from Shakespeare. Those taking part wero Mesdames Benzoni, G. Black, L. Beaumont, J. Hamer, Russell Laurenson, 11. G. C. M'Nab,- White, Wilson, and Misses Betty Allan, Mabel Grant, and Molly Fenton. The performers were artistically grouped round a Tudor table lit with candles, all the singers wearing the becoming frocks of the period. The songs included ' Hark. Hark, the Lark!' 'Sigh No More. Ladies,' ' Orpheus With His Lute' ' Come Unto These Yellow Sands.' ' Full Fathom Five,' ' It, was a Lover and His Lass,' ' Where the Bee Sucks,' and 'England.' At the conclusion of a very interesting and enjoyable evening Miss Stella. Bayley voiced the thanks of those present to the performers, and supper was I perved in the dining rooni s