DUNEDIN SHAKESPEARE CLUB.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20365, 23 March 1928, Page 12

DUNEDIN SHAKESPEARE CLUB.

JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS. There were record bookings for scuts in His Majesty's Theatre for last night s readings of selections from several ol Shakespeare’s works by the members of the Dunedin Shakespeare Club, and the theatre was completely tilled. Tim club hud reached, and even passed, tho period ot its jubilee, and it was to commemorate that event the readings were given. Many members who have in the past delighted the audience with their readings, but have abstained from taking a prominent part in the readings for a considerable time, made their reappearance, and enhanced tho pleasure of the evening not a little. Amongst them may he mentioned Mis Laurcnson, Mrs Wakefield-Holmes, Messrs C 1, Calvert, T. G. Brickcll, and J- U. Stephens. , . Prior to the programme being proceeded with, Mr J. C. Stephens president, addressing those present, tb< ? , COl . n ' mittee had thought it desirable that he should say something about the club s history and acknowledge its debt to those who had gono before. The club was formed on October 17, 1877 tor the study of Shakespeare and the cultivation of the art. of reading aloud. They were_ therefore a little late in celebrating the jubilee, but the theatre could not bo obtained niiti. late in December, and it was thought desirable therefore to postpone the ceffihratlon to this year. The club was affiliated to tho British Empire fohakespeaio Society, whoso headquarters were m London and there were similar clubs or societies, all over the English-speaking world, but tho Dunedin Uub was. hu thought, tho oldest of them all. Iho Dunedin Club was formed by, and consisted of, eight men viz., Dr ElT 1 ’ Messrs A. H. Burton, A. Barrett, Thomas Bracken, M. G. Hocles, Jv b. Hay, T V. Whitson, and J. H- Chapman, lor some years men only were admitted, and at the public readings male members had to take the female parts. It was recorded for instance, that at a public reading of ■‘Much Ado About Nothing, Mr Alfred Burton took the part of Beatrice and made the hit of the evening. That was understandable when they read Cult, although six feet in height, he. could, upon occasion, assume a delicate an. Mi bur ton was one of the outstanding figures m the club’s history. Ho was a most accomplished and versatile readei, and a great favourite with the audiences.. While his success was most pronounced m such characters as Dogberry and bir loby Belch he could take successfully almost any pait. It was but bare justice to Ins memory to repeat what was said of him in an article in the Shakespeare Quarterly that "his enthusiasm and his untiring eneigy last survivor of the original eight. Hu, alert and cultivated intelligence, lus wide knowledge of general literature, aud # passionate love of Shakespeare, made him a master from whom it was a privilege to learn Air Whitson served tho club foi nearly 45 years, and for 16 years was president. The club bad several times been on the brink of ~, j, Agy of those crises occurred m - when an appeal for support was n^eitcd in tho Otago Daily limes. This was signed by IbofessorManiwamngßrovn, Air Whitson, and Miss Iw<h I. de Cane. Miss de Carlo took over the sccretarj ship at a time when the fortunes of the club vere at a very low ebb, and that lady was one of those to whose efforts was specially due the continued existence of the chili. It was a great pelasuio to the dub to know that Miss De Carlewas one nf that evenings audience. Dming us cau-et the dub bad had. Ike assistance of many of Dunedin s leading citizens. As president, chairmen of public readings ; lecturers thereat there had been Cmet Justice Prendergast, Mr Justice Uiapman, Air Justice Johnston, Mr Justice Wi - liams, Sir Robert Stout, Dean 1 itihett, Professor Mainwaring Brown } rofewoi Salmond, Professors Gilray, and the He .. P. W. Fairdough and Saunders. As active members, in addition to already mentioned, there had been b Frederick Chapman, Sir Wiffiam Sim, Mr Rich art* Hudson sen., Mr G. Israel Dr William Brown, Mr J. »■ Callan and Mr Fred. Calvert. He bad Lard depreciatory, and, indeed, sneering, remarks about the Dunedin Shakespeaie Club. But the fact that the club found il.c moral Hall and the Burns Hall too Snail'tor «io“* TSS,-r»i°&"a three Jw after rear, seemed to show that the iear ings were not without merit, ike opportunities of witnessing performances o Shakespearean drama were bo inlrequeut in DuSi that he might surely claim that the dub bad served a oseful puipoiC in the past 50 years m keeping the pla>s before the public. Perhaps he might even go so far as to accept the judgment of one of the local papers, that the club bad exerted a valuable educational influence in Dunedin. P on y remained to thank the press and public ot Dunedin for the support they had given the club throughout its c-arecr. <lfr . Tho selections read were from The Merchant ‘of Venice, ‘ Henry VIII, “Henry V,” “Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet’’ “Hamlet,” “The Taming of the Shrew” “Othello,” and “ Twelfth Night, and while the reading of passages from ah these was very enjoyable Mrs„ is to bo specially complimented foi hei readin" of Katherine in Henry VIII. A similar compliment has to be extended to Mrs Wakefield Holmes for her readme of Ladv Macbeth.” Miss A. Wmkcl’s reading of Katherine in “ The Taming M Shrew ’ Mr J. B. Gallon’s interpretation of what falls from Fluellen m cMm tho leek” scene from Hemy A, ,n which Mr T. G. Brickcll was a commendtio PUtol • Mr S H. Osborne as McrSo in “ Borneo and Juliet,” in tho dud scene with Tybalt, and Mr «L C. Stephens s Sir Toby Belch; an outstanding character in “ Twelfth Night,” wore all highly commendable. In a united direction there was nothing better beard than the reading of what transpires between Othello andl lag , hv Messrs A. C. Hanlon and J. B. Callan. Tho latter was particularly successful m conveying to the audience the insinuating methods by which the crafty, subtle logo poisons the mind of Othello against Dosdemona Mr Hanlon’s masterpiece was m the «ceno from ” Hamlet.” Again in a united Erection, Mr S. H. Osborn and Miss A. Winkol were both clever and amusing in the scene from The lamffig o the Shrew,” and the gentleman was decidedly good as the swaggering Mercutio in “Borneo and Juliet The chorus was supplied by Miss L. .Morton At intervals during , the evening Mis ATeda Paine sang “ Heigh-o-ho ! foi a, Ha s SS” and “WU the Sacks,’ and Mr G W. Johnstone Who is bynia, o’f Schubert’s most beautiful songs Both singers were recalled.