Drama Festival for City To-day

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 196, 21 August 1935, Page 10

Drama Festival for City To-day

MANY TALENTED TEAMS WILL APPEAR Alanv talented. teams of players will be taking part in the festival of drama which begins to-night in the Empire hall. The festival is being conducted by tho Manawatu area of the British Drama League (New Zealand branch), and has for its primary object the encouragement of community interest in theatrical work. Such an eminent authority' as Professor Shelley, of Canterbury University College, has been secured as adjudicator, and his criticisms are bound to prove most helpful. The teams which will compete in the senior festival are: Manawatu Women's Club, l’lay Reading Circle, ‘‘Little Cl lass Houses” (Philip Johnson and Howard Agg); Alarton Play Readers, “Cradle Sung,” Act 3; Alarton Play Readers, “A Sunny Morning”; Y.W.C.A. Lyceum Club, “Air. Sampson”; Grave and Gay' Players, “Midsummer Night’s Dream”; Alanawatu County Club Reading Circle, “When the Whirlwind Blows”; The Unnamed Society, “Love in the Ape House”; Pohaugiua Women’s Institute, “Witcn's Brew” (Dorothy AlcCardle;; Foxt.on Women’s Institute, “Women at War” (Frank Percy). Presentation of these plays will occupy to-night and Thursday, while on Thursday afternoon there will bo a junior festival of three plays, commencing at 3 p.m. There will be a charge of Gd ail over the hall, while at night the charges will be Is and Is Gd. i'o ensure a good hearing for the players, the doors will be closed at 7.30, and opened at half-hour intervals. The variety of the plays, the long preparation that has been cievoted to them, aud tho intense enthusiasm aiteiidiug the festival, are all auguries that the entertainment will be of a very high order. /

In the junior section on Thursday afternoon, there will be three teams participating: Palmerston North Boys’ ixigh. School, presenting ‘ ‘ Campbell of Kilmohr” (J. A. Ferguson); St. Andrew’s Little Players (Levin), presenting “Green Broom” (Eileen Douglas); and Y.W.C.A. Lyceum presenting “Kind Comfort” (Laurence Hausmaau).

On Friday the three-day school of drama —to be conducted by' Professor Shelley—will commence, extending over the week-end. There will be a number of lectures on different phases of stags work, and in All Saints' Church on Sunday night a religious play'will be given; The secretary is Mrs. S. T. Bristow.