“MISS HOOK OF HOLLAND”

Taranaki Daily News, 30 September 1929, Page 3

“MISS HOOK OF HOLLAND”

CLOSE OF NEW PLYMOUTH SEASON GIVEN . ENTHUSIASTIC FAREWELL. Miss Hook of Holland and her attendants. ■ were given -an enthusiastic , farewell by a crowded audience at the I Opera House on Saturday evening, which saw the close of the four night season. LWhatever cause the members of the I New Plymouth Amateur Operatic Sd--1 ciety had to complain of lack of appreciation of their efforts by the public on the earlier nights, they certainly had no cause for complaint on Saturday night, as from the rise of the curtain they weie greeted with such warmth that it was reflected from the stage, the performers responding ■ by imposing an extra snap into their work. . The play went with a swing throughout the 3J hours. (questionably the members of the society have scored another distinct success; and it is no fault of theirs that it was not_ a financial success also. Prior to the final fall of the curtain a wealth of floral and other tributes were showered on the players. With the gay streamers thrown into the audience from the stage, the theatre certainly presented a carnival atmosphere. Mr. W. C. Weston, president of the society, stepped before the footlights and thanked" the public for their patronage. He also thanked the performers for the excellent show they had put on. There were also three real workers behind the scenes to whom a large measure of success was due —Messrs. MacDiarmid, H. Collier and Wyatt. He also thanked the producer, Mr. Theo Tresize for the excellence of his production. He remarked that the society was going to lose Mr. Wyatt, and while they would regret his departure from. New Plymouth they wished to congratulate him orchis promotion. Mr. A. M. Mac Diarmid, chairman of the committee, said that while the president had mentioned only three names the whole of the committee was entitled to a share of praise, as indeed were alt who had assisted in the production. He had hoped to be able to announce that as the;, result of the season a considerable sum would be available for distribution for charitable objects. Unfortunately, they would be unable to do so because, as far as he could see, the society would be considerably out of pocket. They had not received the support from the public that they had exP The idea of giving the proceeds to charity was not, as had been suggested, a move by the committee, with the idea of drawing the public so as to ensure that it would pay expenses. The idea had not come from the committee but from one of the cast, Bandmaster Van Vvnt, and' the committee • had decided to* devote the whole proceeds accordingly They had done their best and it they had not had good audiences they | could .not help it.