FIRST DRAMA FESTIVAL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19098, 20 August 1936, Page 3

FIRST DRAMA FESTIVAL

REPERTORY SOCIETY WINS “THE ROAD OF POPLARS” A PLEASING STANDARD A. standard of work which pleased the judge was seen in the four one-act plays presented in the Opera House last night at the first animat festival held in the Poverty Bay area under the auspices of the British Drama League." The winning party', from the Gisborne Repertory' Foeiety, piayed “The Road of Poplars.” The judge. Miss Elizabeth Loe, Wellington, said that she would indicate only iiie winning play'. In the larger festivals such as are, held in England, judges made a practice of selecting three or more in order of merit, but. in a competition where so few plays were presented she believed it, right, to point only to the winner. However, it was found subsequently that one member of the winning party was unable to travel to Palmerston North, where the North Island finals will lie staged, and accordingly Miss Loe those the Gisborne Repertory Society’s other presentation, “Barren," as the next best on the list. CRITICISM OF PLAYS Miss Loo said that she could not say that the standard of work during the evening was high, because it was not, but it was quite a pleasing standard, and she saw good possibilities. She had enjoyed the evening very much indeed, in making her first. acquaintance with Gisborne i:lid the work of its amateur players. They had made a promising begin-

Miss Loe gave a criticism of each play presented. She regretted that the Waikolm Players were prevented from submitting “Tlk* Wayfarer” because of the last-minute illness of one of the parly. Of (he winning play. Miss Loe -Said that Charlie (.Mr. Bob Nicol) gave pleasing variety to his voice. Marianne (.Miss June Irvine) was vivacious. The tourist (Mr. Wilfrid Koliii) should have "got into” his part a tittle more, giving il more work and imagination. The first customer (Mr. Malcolm Dobson) was good in character, but witli a slight- lapse into English intonation. The others who came in (Messrs. Ralph Jackson, Scddon Hill and -Murray Mills) were good. The ad ion of the play went briskly, though it, laggeu a little at times, and too much went on behind the table, with shadow on the faces. This latter was a fault Miss Loo found in most of the plays presented, and she complained’ also about, the lighting. She.added that footsteps were.-jiiot sufficiently' muffled, hollow boards'being heard too much. REALISTIC SETTING The first play presented was “Barren.” played by members of the Gisborne Repertory Society. The setting was a realistic one, and helped to create the right atmosphere. The, opening was a little too slow, and it was difficult to hear, and the judge reminded the players that care must be taken with brogue in dialogue to “get the thing over.” The make-up of Mrs. Dolan (Miss Cora Oman) was not good and Bridget. Dolan (Miss Peggy Bowie) had good changes in voice, and her crying was well doneKitty Clancy (Miss Valerie Cox) made a nice brisk entrance. The postman (Mr. Hugo Wall) was apt to talk too much t,) the audience. The emotional parts at tlie, end. particularly of tile mother, were apt to become too melodramatic. The second on the programme, “Pig Iron.” presented' by members of the "Motu-Mofiibora dramatic circle of the Women’s Institute, also bad a pleasant setting, with just enough effects to give, the atmosphere. The table and chair represented the period very well. The judge also noted another attention to detail. though only a minor point, in that the tea was poured before the milk was placed in the cups. Hannah (Mrs. A. E. I Lcgge) was good in parts, though the distress movements wore rather overdone. Vivienne Condor (Mrs. Al. Marshall) gave a creditable performance, though at times she was unreal and used her arms too much for emphasis. The part of Emma, Howard (Mrs. IT. CL Boys) was a. hard one. and was not- very convincing. Janet Condor (Mrs. \\. A. Wright) gave a vjnv good performance, with clever intevjeet ions when she bad to turn the conversation; there was occasionally a delivery where she was not quite real, but her costume, make-up and all her movements were good. Tim old grandmother was, in that part, an awful old woman. A PLEASING COMEDY i The third play to be presented was “The Actress” by the Waikolm Players, and the judge said that this came as a relief after two of the dramatic type. The dress of the man (Miss Saunders) was wrong, and she appeared to suffer from nerves. The actress (Miss J. Russell) was unconvincing at the beginning, and also seemed to have nerves, but pulled herself together afterwards with a good hit of work at, the telephone. The sou (.Mr. Clarkson) impressed with tiis nervous entrance, hut, did not make quite as much of the part as the judge had hoped, though lie was “not had.” The father (Mr. T. L. Earnshaw) had the bad habit of using his arms too much; that, was a pity, because io a certain extent, lie was promising in comedy. Again the setting for the play was a. pleasant one, hut the producer allowed too much walking up and down across the stage. Before closing, Miss Loe complimented those hack stage, Messrs. A. J. Nicol, 11. McLernon and E. H. Dull, for doing so well with the changes in the scenes. They were changed very well indeed from the one box set.

Earlier in the evening, bliss T.oe was introduced to the audience by Canon A. F. Hall, president of the Poverty Hay area of the British Drama League, who drew attention to the important work the league was doing in England. At a recent' festival 730 plays wore presented. Much help was forthcoming from the professionals, Gisborne was privileged in having Miss Lne to judge ai Hie festival. £ho had gone Home and studied, and although she had had the opportunity of remaining to work there preferred to return to the Dominion to bring us something of her knowledge and experience, lie regretted that there were not more plays at- the first festival for her to adjudicate; there should have been sullieicnt for a programme oftwo nights, but it was pleasing to see so many people present, and he hoped that next, year the number of plays coining forward would be doubled.

('anon Hall 11 1 r-n presented Miss Lne with a bouquet. An orchestra conducted by Mr. Henri lie Lisac rendered atlractivo musical selections before the rise of each, curtain.