DRAMA FESTIVAL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 234, 15 September 1934, Page 6

DRAMA FESTIVAL

MISS KING’S AWARDS

“Road of Poplars” First

TWO NAPIER TEAMS WIN First place in the Hawke's Bay Drama League Festival, which ended last evening, was awarded by Miss Kiore King to the Napier Repertory Players tor their performance of “The Road of Poplars." Miss King described the performance as the best that she had ever seen played by amateurs, and the applause that greeted the announcement left no doubt that the award was unanimously approved by the audience. The Napier Repertory Players’ No. 1 Group were awarded second place for their tine performance of “Mother of Judas,’’ and third place to “Cui de Sac,’’ played by the Hawke’s BayLittle Theatre Society. The audience last evening was the largest that the festival has had, and the three plays presented were all interesting and well acted. The following are the details:— H.B, LITTLE THEATRE SOCIETY (No 2) "CVL DE SAC” (By Essex Dane) Characters Dr Eleuor Barry ...Margaret Marshall Kate O'Brien Zita Wright Mrs Morris Nola Marshall This play has to do with a female drug addict who had committed a murder, and whose victim was the fiance •f the lady doctor she went to consult. The dramatic opportunities were well taken advantage of. Miss King, in her summing up, said that the play opened well and was creditably performed throughout. She criticised the stilted enunciation of Mrs Morris in the early stages, and commended the lady doctor for her domination of the scene on appropriate occasions. Mrs Morris should have been a more desperate woman, and was rather too clean and neat for her part. The doctor had to refer to her disreputable appearance when she did not •eem to warrant such remarks. The performance, said Miss King. was good on the whole, but her general criticism related to the lack of agitated reactions to dramatic moments. The news of the murder was received in such a Way that it might have been an every day occurrence. The doctor also could have registered more emotion on hearing of the death of her fiance. XAPIER BOYS’ HIGH SCHOOL “THREAD OF SCARLET” (By J. J. Bell) Characters Miggsworth . James Peebles. Bmith Philip Holt. Butters Bryan Byrne. Landlord of Inn Robert Crawford. Breen Rex Oates, ▲ Traveller Deane Harvey. This bright and interesting play had a surprising and effective ending, and centred round the sequel to a murder trial and an execution with the setting in a village inn. Miss King described it as a spirited performance, marred by the fact that the curtain was down too soon before the audience had time to realise the author’s intention. The boys were just a little inclined to recite their lines, •nd the lighting was not very effective. One could see the “works’’ when the lightning flashed, but the thunder got •ver not so badly. Smith was inclined to shake his head too much in emphasising what he had to say. Byrne had a good sense of character. Butters did sot take sufficient advantage of the centre of the stage. * ‘ These are promising young players,” concluded the adjudicator. OTANE WOMEN'S INSTITUTE "THE SIGNAL’’ (By Helen Gordon) Characters Mrs Budd Mrs R. Pilcher. Kate Budd Mrs J. Harbottle. Moira ShandMrs 0. Davies. In this place there is an escaped convict somewhere in the background, and the women in a lonely house have a peculiar interest in him. “The Signal arranged is that two rings on the telephone will mean that he has been-cap-tured, and three rings that he has been »hot. The action hinges on the suspense of these women while they wait for the signal on a party line. In her criticism of this play Miss King complimented the players on their make-up and on t#e general setting. Moira was a little difficult to hear at first, but improved as time went on. Kate was too much inclined to recite her lines, and Mrs Rudd’s moviyneuts were not too good. The important character in this play was the telephone, •nd it was not “played” too well. TINAL ADJUDICATION Mr Cecil Duff, after tendering thanks to all who had helped in the festival, invited Miss King to give her final judgment. When she rose to do so, Mrs W. A. Whitlock presented her with a posy of flowers, and the audience took the opportunity of showing their appreciation of her capable services. Miss King said that this was her fourth experience as judge on such an occasion. The choice of plays in the festival had been good, but the level of the performances was not high on the average. “Some of the players, she said, “have a long way to go yet.” She had no hesitation in awarding first place to the Napier Repertory Players No II team for “The Road ot Poplars.” “I have produced 30 odd one-act plays,” said Miss King, “and this is the best performance I have seen. I would like to give the players an ‘A’ certificate.” Mr Herrick, as patron, presented the eups to the first two teams, and Miss MacDonald, producer for the Napier Repertory Players, was given a special vote of thanks. Miss King also came in for musical honours in the traditional •tyle. Later the performers and those associated with the festival were entertained at supper by the committee of the Drama League.