Little Theatre Members In One-act Plays

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 121, 23 May 1941, Page 8

Little Theatre Members In One-act Plays

There was an excellent attendance at the Little Theatre last evening for the first programme of one-act plays for tho season of the Palmerston North Little Theatre Society, the programme being pleasantly varied with elocutionary and musical items. The first play centred round human relationships and tho reactions of a group of women thrown together in a women’s hostel, ending on a tragic note. This was excellently produced by Alesdames N. H. Loch and Lovell with a strong team including one or two new players who put the play over well,- the cast being AHsses K. McCarthy, AI. Christiansen, Carrel, K. O’Connor. D. Floyd, B. Everett, Mesdames Lovell and Howley.

Tho second play, “Highly Improbable,” which was placed first by Professor J. Shelley in the society’s last play-writing competition, was certainly original in theme and a most ambitious attempt to present a world from which the sun had vanished. The unfolding of the fantastic story in the prologue by a series of dialogues became a little wearisome, although the characters were admirably sustained, and good atmosphere was achieved. There was action enough in the scene to follow, with a murder, madness and terror, before the dawning of a new day and something of the sweetness of life returned. Air. S. Bradfield was the author-producer and well deserved the applause accorded the play. The .cast was as follows: “Old Lady,” Alias L. D’Ath; “Air. Confidence,” Air. S. YV. Oliver; “Airs. Fear,” Airs. J. W. Ashwell; “Blind Alan,” Air. AI. Sexton;

“First Alan,” Air. G. Oates; “Second Man,” Air. A. Gorringe; “Girl,” Alias Myra Brown.

Items which were greatly appreciated were as follow: Vocal solo, “The Mountains of Alourne,” Air. Flannigan; recitation, “Old Alose Counting the Eggs,” Aliss C. Cairns; pianoforte solo,

“Invitation to the Waltz,” Aliss AT. O’Connor; vocal solo, “Sing, Break Into Song,” Miss Eunice Scott; recitation, “All Together,” Airs. F. Whittaker; vocal solo, “Trees,” Aliss AT. Penketh; vocal solo, “Youth,” Air. S. Freeman. All the performers had to respond to encores, Aliss Whittaker receiving a double recall. The accompaniments were played by Airs. W. Bigham and Air. G. Oates was stage manager.