BRITISH DRAMA LEAGUE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23866, 21 July 1939, Page 7

BRITISH DRAMA LEAGUE

ANNUAL FESTIVAL CONTINUED FOUR MORE PLAYS A CONTRAST IN PERFORMANCES The annual festival of the Otago Area of the British Drama League was continued in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall last night, when a further four one-act plays were presented. Widely differing types of plays, including one of New Zealand authorship comprised an attractive and interesting programme, and it was encouraging to note in the proportions of the house a quickening interest in the season. Miss Ngaio Marsh, in her capacity of judge, lent piquancy and distinction to the evening’s proceedings, and again demonstrated the peculiar qualities which qualify her for the delicate and, too often, thankless task of critic and adjudicator at such an occasion. Her helpful advice, well-informed analysis and keen sense of the fitness of things made her periodical commentaries on the various productions all too short for her audience. A Philip Johnson Prologue The first performance of the evening was the prologue to Philip Johnson’s "The Long Shadow,” a B Grade entry by the W.E.A. Drama Class. The players at the outset handicapped themselves, in the eyes of the audience at least, by selecting an offering which was in reality but the preface to a full-length play Notwithstanding that, as Miss Marsh remarked, it was an entity in itself, its main function was to foreshadow what was to follow in the pJay proper. As such it had little meaning to any who were not familiar with the play. “Much of its subtlety and nuances are lost in the absence of what follows.” said Miss Marsh. “ and its content is much more likely to give offence played by itself than if it were seen in its proper context as a part of something larger," The production was put over very well, however, and, in the view of the judge, “ ill-executed it would have been insupportably squalid.” Three male parts were done in good average style, with a fourth displaying unusual quality The women all made very good entrances. but their make-up was ragged. Blurred dialect was one of the defects the judge discerned, and there was also the natural corollary of these, muddled diction and inaudibility. “Marry Go Round’* Sydney Box’s Marry Go Round” was a genuine theatrical experience as presented by the Admiralty Players’ second team. It was an A Grade entry, and obviously impressed the judge almost as much as it did a delighted audience. It is an extremely difficult play, and was described by Miss Marsh as representing a modern trend in the theatre in which thoughts are spoken. She gave several interesting instances of the adoption of this mode and stressed the excellence with which it had been interpreted by the three players who comprised the cast in this play Such a production must depend almost entirely upon lighting for its proper and most effective presentation, and in the absence of adequate facilities the performers were at a disadvantage. Such considerations aside, however she was delighted with the manner in which the piece was executed It required a tour de force of acting, and in her opinion it said a great deal for the dramatic art in this city that it was possible to find three of the rank a.id file capable of doing it properly. The delicacy of touch was delightful, and the staging admirable and Miss Marsh selected the character of Catherine for special mention on account of the excellence of a portrayal which was studded with difficulties. “ Garments of Red ” “ Garments of Red,” by the New Zealand author, W. Ganderton, was one of the most interesting interludes of the evening. Another A Grade entry, it did not reach the standard of some previous productions. Miss Marsh found some cause for this in the defects of the play itself. It had no lack of good theatrical ingredients she said. Movement situation, climax, and interest were there, but dialogue was its chief fault. Its treatment in this respect was archaic and a trifle overpompous. It was good old blood and thunder, but at least audible. Parts of it dragged badly, however, and nothing the players could do at those points would lift it up. The uninteresting static dialogue was a severe handicap, which was handled fairly well in the circumstances Although there were some good character efforts, they were marred by some glaring mispronunciations, which Miss Marsh quoted, and by indifferent movement and deportment. The climax was well contrived, however, and gave a genuine finish to the performance. “ The Monkey’s Paw ” That incomprehensible admixture of melodrama and farce from the pen of W W. Jacobs. “The Monkey’s Paw,” was the B Grade choice of the University Dramatic Society but its three scenes and its unusual content have caused heart-burnings tc more seasoned players than those who presented it last night. “It is good stuff for learning the traffic of the stage," said Miss Marsh. “ but I am afraid that to-night’s company did not fully realise the influence of pausation on the climax of the theme. The play was not fully enough analysed by those who took part in it, and as a result it lost a lot of its effectiveness.” The judge was not unmindful, however, of several good features about the production, and in a carefully thought-out analysis of the performance, left the players with many valuable hints and instructions To-night’s Programme

The festival will be continued tonight, the programme comprising a further four plays, one of which will not be entered for competition. This is “ The Man in the Bowler Hat," presented by members of the Playbox Club. “Murder Scream” will be the first production, followed by "World Without Men." and “ Miss Marlow at Play.”