DRAMA LEAGUE FESTIVAL

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 25 July 1935, Page 2

DRAMA LEAGUE FESTIVAL

CENTRAL TARANAKI PLAYS The Stratford Town Hall was crowded last night for the opening of the Central Taranaki branch of the British Drama League’s festival. Four plays were presented, and all were of sufficiently high standard to warrant the supposition that the festival should pi-ove successful. The plays presented, with their authors and cast, were:— “The Distant Relative” (W. W. Jacobs), produced by Mr. W. Hall: Misses Theo Skoglund, Sylvia Cook, Messrs. N. Turnbull, J, Anderson and R. White.

“Escape?” (E. S. Parr), produced by Mrs. E. H.. Young: Mrs. W. E. McCullough, Mrs Farquharson, Messrs W. B. Farquharson and R. L. Wvnyard.

“Be Sure Your Sex Will Find You Out” (Muriel and Sydney Bon), produced by Mrs Stokes: Mrs Newell, Mrs Wynyard, Mrs Stokes, Misses D. Brown, V. Carryer, G. Black and M. Skoglund. “Black Night” (John Bourne), produced by Mrs Uniacke: Mrs L. H. Jardine, Mrs D. Steven, Misses A. Uniacke, O. Uniacke, A. Hardy-Jones, Messrs M. Thompson and A. E. Pollock.

“The Distant Relative,” presented by ,a team from .the Junior High School, was very amusingly done, the play being a typical W. W. Jacobs’ production. The second offering, “Escape?” is a play of the thriller variety, and is of the type that really calls for professional handling. The Avon Reading and Dramatic Circle are to be congratulated on their courage in tackling a somewhat difficult task. Judging by the applause the third piece, “Be Sure Your Sex Will Find You Out” met with the hearty approval of the audience. The play is pure farce, and a burlesque on the amazing amount of hero-worship lavished on film stars by their hosts of ‘fans.”

The fourth number, “Black Night,” was undoubtedly the strongest play • presented. Te Ope (1) gave an admirable presentation, which showed a good knowledge of stage values, the part of Olga (played by Miss Uniacke), being definitely the best individual performance of t* l ® evening. The judge, Mr. Arnold F. Goodwin, Auckland, gave a brief summary of and commentary on the plays and players at the conclusion of each.