DRAMA FESTIVAL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 243, 11 September 1933, Page 10

DRAMA FESTIVAL

WOMEN’S INSTITUTES’ TEAMS. LINTON WIN THE CUP. The Women’s Institutes’- drama festival, conducted under the auspices or the New Zealand branch of the British Drama League, was concluded in the All Saints’ Parish Hall on Saturday evening at a very well attended session, the audience at which was greatly appreciative of the presentations submitted. The cup was again annexed by the Linton team, whose performance of “Lonesome Like” was stated by the adjudicator (Miss Blake) to have been a very natural piece of acting. Foxton, in “The Bishop s Candlesticks,” were placed second as the best all-women cast. The Pohangma team in “The Touchstone” were placed third, and special mention waS made of the Awahuri team in ‘ A Night of the Trojan War,” and Stanway in “The Price of Coal.” Four plays were presented on Saturday afternoon, the teams being as follow: — _ ~T_. T _. Makomako.- —Scene 1, Act TV , Iving John.” Hubert (Mrs Wylie), Arthur (Miss Sargent); attendants (Misses Sowry and D. Day); producer, Mrs Wylie. Miss Blake strongly commended this choice and advised the institutes not to he afraid of trying Shakespearean works, the lines of which should be spoken simply. “Hubert” and “Arthur” had undoubted acting ability. Stanway.—“The Price of Coal (Harold Brigliouse). Mary Bradshaw (MisS B. Turner); Jack Tyldesley (Miss V. Green); Ellen (Mrs Turner); Polly Livesey (Mrs A. L. Dermer). This was considered by Miss Blake to have been a very promising performance. Whakarongo.—“Snowed Up With a Duchess” (Ernest Caskee), Mrs Hodge (Mi's Morris), The Duchess (Miss Mills), The Dressmaker (Miss Vautier), Mrs Cliolmondley-Brown (Mrs Jones); producer, Mrs Olsen. The adjudicator said that this young team likewise • had made a promising beginning. Foxton. —“The Imposter” (Mary Scott) Marion Norwood (Mrs Robbie), Mrs Ashmead (Mrs Byne), Mrs Morton (Miss Pillar), Beryl Morton (Miss O. York), Norah Morton (Miss M. York), The Maid (Miss W. Thomson); producer, Mrs Barron. This was a play with good moments, but inexperienced craftsmanship made it hard to act. “Marion” had given a nice performance.

Six plays were presented as follow in the evening: Awahuri.—“A Night of the Trojan War” (John Drinkwater). Pronax (Mrs Merritt) Salvius (Mrs Bennett), I]us (Miss Mikkleson), Capys (Miss Minogue), Servant (Miss Humphreys); producer, Mrs Bristow. Miss Blake considered that this was an extraordinarily interesting performance of a far from easy play. The dressing wail good and the team at times made some beautiful pictures, with attractive staging effect. Rangiwahia.—“The Hostess’s Husband” (Anon). The Husband (Mrs Bielski), The Hostess (Mrs Thompson). This was an amusing dialogue, and both players, particularly the hostess, had a strong sense of farce. It was interesting as showing how cinema technique had invaded flesh and blood drama.

Sanson. —“The Signal” (Helen Gordon). Mrs Rudd (Miss Fagan), Kate Rudd (Mrs Edwards), Moira Shand (Miss Dwyer) ; producer, Mrs Edwards. The team who played this had definite acting ability, said Miss Blake. Pohangia.—“The Touchstone” (Targuse). Kate McLean (Mrs A. Balmor), Jim McLean (Mr A. Balmer) ; Jeff Balfour (Air T. Sinclair), Nellie his wife (Mrs J. Moar) ; Air Mitchell (Air Alead), Peata (Airs J. Ste.wart) ; producer, Mrs Aloar. This was a play by a New Zealand author with a future, Aliss Blake said. The players were cast rightly and made good pictures. The adjudicator commented favourably on the acting of the men, and said tho secret of natural acting was to think the part. Rongotea.—-“Between the Soup and the Savoury” (Gertrude Jennings). Cook (Aliss Jill Bower), Kitchen Alaid (Aliss Ailsa Buchanan), Ada (Mrs Scott) ; producer, Airs Scott. This was an amusing interlude to the more serious plays predominating. Foxton. —“The Bishop’s Candlesticks” (Norman AlcKinnel). Bishop (Air N. T. Thomas), Persome (Aliss Jean Stevenson), Convict, (Airs D. R. Barron), Alarie, (Aliss Ella Thomson), Gendarme (Airs N. Byne) ; producer, Airs P. Easton.

In this performance Aliss Blake said the team had achieved atmosphere and impression. It was a remarkable effort for an all-woman cast, in which there were essentially masculine characters.

Commenting subsequently upon the productions, Aliss Blake considered that throughout the festival there had been a lot of promising work and she could truthfully say she had not had a dull moment. Courage and humility, Aliss Blake said, were necessary for work of this kind.

Alarks were not announced, as it was not a competition, but a festival. Explaining the marking under the British Drama League rules, Miss Blake said no team had yet received an A certificate in New Zealand, and very few B certificates had been awarded. Linton and Foxton were awarded C certificates. A vote of thanks was accorded Aliss Blake for her inspiration and help by Miss Al. S. Grant, on behalf of North Wellington Federation of Women’s Institutes, and thanks were conveyed to Airs L. Bennett on the motion of Airs Churchill (Bulls) for all her work behind the scenes. The cup was presented to Linton by Airs H. Paterson (Dominion president), who offered her congratulations. Cheers for Aliss Blake and the singing of the National Anthem concluded a most successful festival.