AWARDS MADE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27443, 17 July 1950, Page 6

AWARDS MADE

Annual Drama Festival GREEN ROOM CLUB FIRST The Repertory Green Room Club’s presentation of “ X Equals O ” was judged the best A Grade entry In the British Drama League’s festival which concluded on Saturday night. Written by John Drinkwater, the play was produced by Roland Watson and presented by the club on Thursday night. The judge, Mr W. J. Mountjoy, junsaid that he had experienced difficulty in making the award and that it was only after some hours thought that he had reached a decision. The play placed second, “The Mad Women of Challiott,” which was presented by the WEA Drama Class on Friday night, had many excellent points, 'the judge said. As with the winning group, some of the players were excellently cast, but others had not risen to the standard expected. This entry was produced by Rodney Kennedy. “ How He Lied to Her Husband,” which was presented by the Independent Group on Friday evening and produced by John More, was placed third. “ I had no difficulty here,” Mr Mountjoy said when . making the B Grade awards. “The Training College Dramatic Society’s presentation of ‘ Poison,, Passion and Petrefaction ’ was by far the best, and although it was a B Grade entry, I awarded it the highest marks in the festival.” t This did not necessarily mean that it was better than the senior entries, but it was far ahead of the rest of the plays in its section, the judge added. The same society was awarded second place with its presentation of “Anti-clockwise,” which was produced by Noelene McCaughan. .“ Poison, Passion and Petrefaction” was also judged the best comedy. The producer was Jean E. Ballard. The best original production was the Wakari WEA Drama Group’s "No Proof,” which was produced by a WEA tutor. There were two entries. The playwriting awards were:— Gwenda Burt’s “Prim Exit”, 1; Mrs Christine Pollock’s “ Cupboard Love,” 2; Mrs Healey’s “Second Spring,” 3. Six entries were received. Saturday’s Programme Four plays were presented on Saturday night when there was once again a large audience. The programme opened with the Invercargill WEA Drama Group’s B Grade entry. “The Three Mrs Madderley’s,” which was produced by Dorothy Slater. The players were not heard to advantage at the back of the hall and the judge based most of his criticism on this important point. The play had obviously been rehearsed in a small hall, he said, and the voices did not have sufficient vitality to attract and hold the attention of the audience. The pace could also have been almost twice as fast. Most of the cast, however, showed definite pomise. “A most amusing play, but it could have been made even more so.” This was the judge’s comment on the Repertory Green Room Club’s presentation of “ Diane the Hunted.’ Set in a room in the King’s Palace, the play lightly dealt with court life in 1563. People were gracious and elegant during that period, Mr Mountjoy said, but this presentation had lacked the necessary light and dancing quality. The movement and spacing was not well done nor had the players made a true characterisation. He felt that not enough time had been devoted to rehearsals and that more could have been made of the beautiful dresses of the period. He was very critical, the judge added, because this was an A Grade play and the standard in the area was high.

Another presentation by the Invercargill Drama Group concluded the evening’s entertainment. This was “Mrs Adis” which was also produced by Dorothy Slater. The judge described this as a “quite praiseworthy production which improved towards the end. This cast showed distinct promise. Included in the programme were three Tchekov excerpts taken from the “World Theatre” compiled and arranged by Mr Frederick Farley. This performance, which was not tor competition and was not criticised, was given by the WEA Drama Class.