COMEDY DRAMA FESTIVAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25068, 9 November 1942, Page 4

COMEDY DRAMA FESTIVAL

SUCCESSFUL W.E.A. VENTURE Judged by that most reliable criterion of public taste, the size of the audience, the comedy play festival organised by the Workers’ Educational Association, and held on Saturday evening was an outstanding success. The Y.W.C.A. hall seeing accommodation proved Inadequate to meet the public requirements, and the hall was literally crowded to the doors by an audience that apparently found the competition enjoyable and stimulating. Five plays were presented during ihe evening, by the Dunedin Repertory Society Green Room Club (two), produced byi Mrs Trixie Stevenson and Miss Florence Pacey, the W.E.A. Drama Class. Mrs John Moffett, and the St. Clair Women Players and Otago Women s Club. The results were;

“Widows” (St. Clair Women Players), produced by Mrs P. Bardsley, played by. Mesdames P. Bardsley, P. Rendel, and A. Triggs .. ..••••.•• -• 1 “A Present from Saltsea (Otago Women’s Club), produced by Miss G. Farney .. .. .. .. .. •• J

During the evening the judge, Mr A. C. Stephens, provided a critical analysis of each play at its conclusion. He prefaced his observations with a word of congratulation to the W.E.A. in branching out on a new line in arranging a competition confined to one class of play. Contrary to the impression that might have existed that an evening of comedy would become monotonous, there was a most diverting variety, from “ straight ” comedy to farce and extravaganza, and the audience certainly could not complain of sameness or dullness in the presentations. In his general criticism, Mr Stepncns dealt with the essential requirements of comedy playing, emphasising the need for pace, the absolute necessity of waiting, for laughter, to avoid lines being lost, the care that should be taken in grouping, and the requirements of team work, which the adjudicator considered were met. A special point he mentioned was the caie the' players should take not to distract the audience’s attention from a speaking character bv extraneous movement. He found the winning play excellent as to tempo and characterisation. “ Mrs Smith was a natural actress of great ability. " Saltsea ” was an amusing burlesque on Victorian affectations, in which the players handled the rhythm of the verse ("of iefopf nril v At the conclusion of the evening the president of the district council of the W.E.A.. Mr E. W. Wilson, thanked both the audience and players for co-operat-ing to make the festival a success. A most friendly spirit had prevailed among the competing teams. Mr Wilson paid tribute to. the secretary,. Mr Hudson Stevens, and others who had assisted in the organisation of the competition, and in expressing appreciation of the judge’s interesting and helpful work,, presented him with a book as a memento of an enjoyable festival. '