THREE ONE-ACT PLAYS

Taranaki Daily News, 11 August 1932, Page 7

THREE ONE-ACT PLAYS

PRODUCTION FOR CHURCH FUNDS. TALENTED performances given. Apart altogether from the fact that the proceeds were for the general funds of St. Mary’s parish, the 'three - amusing one-act plays performed in St. Mary’s -hall, -New Plymouth, last night thoroughly deserved their overflowing audience because of their talented interpretation. Produced under the direction- of Mrs. J. C. Nicholson, Mrs. E. A. Walker and Mr. Mac Robertson, they bore evidence of careful preparation in scenery, stage settings and general presentations. The first play was “The Stepmother, by Arnold Bennett, written around a day’s episodes in the livds of. Mrs Cora Prout, a novelist, and her secretary, Christine Feyershuin. Being, a literary person' of some fame, 'Mrs. Prout was, of course, apportioned dialogue of the bright variety, but for calculated efficiency, clever repartee and meticulous correctness of grammar she-was outshone by her thoroughly assured secretar'v." In this part Miss K. Morey, had the principal share of the work and performed it very well. She was ably supported by Mrs. J. C.- Nicholson as * Cora Prout, Mr. D. Hetherington as her rtepson, Adrian Prout, and Mr. St. Leger Reeves as Dr. Gardner. Having fallen in love with the doctor, who lived in the flat below,' Dlrs. Prout was perturocd because she thought he had written a scathing criticism of her novels in their references to medicine.. She de-cided-to refuse him marriage per a secretarial message,' but fortunately the perspicacious Miss Feversham discovered I the doctor’s innocence in time and gave him S'ris”- a® an answer. Then it was found that the author of the offending article was hone other than the stepson a medical student who since his banishment from the household because of his affection for the secretary. had taken to journalism. Needless .to say the curtain fell upon the prospects of a double wedding. Miss Dora Bedford aS Mrs. Parrish, tins gentle, refined. mid-Viptorian wife of a clergvnian, was the -star .of the next pieced a very clever sketch by Ronald Jeans entitled “The Old Lady Shows her Muddles.” So well was she made up for the part that it was only by reference to the programme that, one could recognise Miss Bedford in the Sedate, greyhaired lady in a long, old-fashioned gown. Always desiring to . please, She decided that she would give a surprise to her modern son (Mr. Mac Robertson) by mastering all the slang terms for the benefit of his ultra-modern fiancee (Miss K. Morey), who was to arrive on her first visit from London. So, unknown to her son, with the help of her equally sedate husband (the Rev. Fordham Clarke) she daily practised with a glossary of slang. But tho vesults were woefuL “And what is the meaning of ‘ton hole,’ my dear?’? he asked during the last lesson. “It is a term of, endearment,” she replied. No, no, he said. “That is ‘old top.” . • . And so it went on-a hopeless muddlement. Then when she was left alone the fiancee she did her best to show her motherly regard and affection and to make the visitor feel at home. She was delighted with the gift or a purse from her future daughter-in-law “I think it’s an absolute dud, s i'.d she with well-meant but misplaced terminology. . , “He told me you. were a priceless lemon’ ” was her next faux pas. And . . . “He must have been ‘well-oiled when he met you.” , . , . And then, when the girl complained to her affianced that she had been insulted, tho unsuspecting old lady attempted to show the extent of her affection and the o-roundlessness of the allegation y u teriirt the greatest modern eulogy ci which she capable. “Why,” she said, “I think she’s perfectly blotto. The final play of the bracket was Gertrude Jennings’ amusing <tory of backstairs in a large English house. Its title was “Scraps,” which was the name of a game played, by the servants during the evening, tho modus operandi consisting of piecing together the Private correspondence of the household a.ter it had. been thrown in the wastepaper basket. The plot Was built on a burglary for which tho blame was taken by a man-servant (Mr. Mac Robertson) in order to shield from publicity th® guilt of a ne’er-do-well son of the house, .he discoverv from the correspondence that the master of the house was not quite so grateful as ha had appeared to be was I’eached after some amusing servanttalk to which the following contributed: Mrs. J. H. Sheat (Beatrice, a kitchenmaid), Miss Sheila East (Florrie, underhousemaid), Mrs. J. W., Reid (cockhousekeeper), Mrs. J. S. Church (Miss Wilson, lady’s maid), Miss Dorothy Simpson (Grace, head parlour-maid) and Miss Dora Bedford (Bessie, head, house - maid). All performed: their parts very creditably. • During the intervals between th^ plays Miss Constance Wtharri’s Glc® Singers gave concerted numbers. v . The vicar, Archdeacon G. H. GiYin, expressed thanks to Mrs. White and Messrs. W. O. Weston arid T. C. List for donations, to. Messrs. Inch and Bellringer for papering the scenery, to Mr. Ivan Watkins, for flowers, to the entertainers, especially those belonging, to other churches, arid to MesdamCS NidholsOn And Walker and Mr. Ttobertaon fw staging the plays.