DUNEDIN REPERTORY SOCIETY

Evening Star, Issue 24004, 1 October 1941, Page 10

DUNEDIN REPERTORY SOCIETY

SEPTEMBER SOCIAL EVENING A very attractive and varied programme of one-act plays was presented at the Repertory Society’s social evening on Monday. The first p,ay, ‘ Sunday Costs Five Pesos,’ by Josephine Niggli, presented by the Drama Class, and produced byMr Frank Canyon, was a sketch on a lovers’ quarrel, with a very attractive Mexican setting. The cast, which was evenly balanced, was as follows : —Berta, Miss Ailsa Skinner;. Salome, Miss Grace Douglas; Tonia, Miss llowena Lindon; Celestina, Miss Pat M'Douall; and Fidel, Mr Lionel Powell. The second offering was the hardy .perennial, ‘Followers,’, a “Cranford” sketch by Mrs Gaskell. ' The scene is set in the parlour of Miss Lucinda Baines at “Cranford,” in June, 1859. It is the room of an old maid of the period, over-crowded, with fragile furniture, spattered antimacassars and china. The costumes of the period are picturesque, and the producer, Miss Florence Paccy, made full use of these. As Lucinda Baines, Miss Betty Blacklock made her first appearance in repertory 7 plays,' and is to be congratulated on her success. Others taking part were Nanna Newey (Helen Masters), Billy Loan (Susan Crowther), and Les Jack (Colonel Bedfern). ‘ The Warming Pan,’ by W. W. Jacobs. wasa highly diverting comedy, produced' by Mr Douglas Skene. This-play 7 was excellently cast, each character part being particularly vyell done; The' plot centred round the intrigues of an old sailor; designed to induce his daughter to marry a youth of ; his choosing. He persuaded- his elderly companion to make a proposal of marriage to her, 'with the intention of making her so ridiculous that she would be forced to accept ■ her youthful suitor. The consternation of -the male trio when the daughter, being aware of the plot, accepts the proposal, provides some of the most amusing moments in the scene. The cast included: Mr Boom, Mr Charles R. Smith; Mr Raggett, Mr Douglas Skene; Dick Tarrall, Mr Keith Willock; and Kate Boom, Miss Doris Jones. It was announced that the next major production would be ‘ Inquest,’ to take place in November at His Majesty’s. ,