DRAMA AT RAHOTU

Taranaki Daily News, 3 August 1935, Page 9

DRAMA AT RAHOTU

PRESENTATION OF THftiEE PLAYS. ACTING ABOVE THE'AVERAGE.

In the presentation of three one-act plays in the Rahotu hall last night the Rahotu Dramatic Club displayed ability well above the average found ih_ most small communities where , the choice of talent is necessarily limited. . The staging reflected much credit on the producer, Mr. J. T. Linehan. . The programme was wisely selected and arranged, honouring sufficiently both heavy and light drama. The acting was on the whole excellent,. even the small parts being taken with convincing reality.' Enunciation was clear and the voices well pitched; there’was little'unessential or jerky movement on the seta aha, rather oddly for ah unexperienced group of players, scarcely a trace of nervousness. Mrs. R. Murray had “made Up the performers Well, if in the first play a trifle too heavily for the lighting. . During intervals two Well executed pianoforte numbers Were given; a solo’ by Miss E. Gilhooly and a duet by MiSses E. Gilhooly and E. Fenwarden, „ The first and most ambitious play, “The Bishop’s Candle sticks,” was capably and sincerely handled. The story, about the bishop whose unfaltering goodness changed a brutalised convict into a hopeful and incredulously grateful man, offers material for tragedy arid pathos which Was' riot neglected by the cast. The performance of Mr. J. T.. Linehan, aS the Convict, was fi fine achievement, particularly in the latef scenes df his dramatic conversion from evil doing. Mr. M. S. Quigley, though he conceived the bishop as a doleful man, gave a skilful characterisation; What comedy therewdS in the play was provided by 1 Miss Phyllis Street, who acted With easy confidence. She brought out well the value of her lines and transformed the petulant sister of the bishop into a Very lovable old woman. Miss Joyce Pennington had an air .of resignation as the stupid maid and Messrs. A. Street, A. Lajtard and J. Hamill as gendarmes wefe duly

stiff and martial. “The Green Monkey was the best play on the programme so far aS performance went, although Ito demands upon acting ability were not heavy. It centred found the’ misery’ of a ymmg man, BrUce Latimer, Whose uncle left him in a legacy a car ed gfeefi monkey, th 6 virtue or vice' ci which was the power of granting its owner any four Wishes he framed. Latitoef, unwisely wishing to be irresistible to all Women, quickly found himself in troubles from which he escaped only by countermanding orders. The Cast was happy in the atmosphere of unadulterated farce and. made the most of excellent opportunities. Mr. R. Pickett as Latiriiet had. little to do beyorid looking permanently worried, but he did that splendidly, especially when he was embraced by his land-’ lady, who knew she' “shouldn’t but she did” find him irresistible, Mr. A. Hamill aS Latimer’s friend had many neat remarks which he “put across cleverly. His strength was complete naturalness. ’ Miss Phreita Anderson, the aristocratic 1 mother of . Latimer’s fiancee who was 1 also overwhelmed by'his charm, gave an ’ amusing sketch of thawing haughtiness.' Of the small parts Mrs. A. Hamill as ! the landlady who caused such ifonster- ■ nation was thoroughly at home and Miss ; Wilhma Murray made a charming fian- > cee. Of Mr. J. Hamill; aS the jealous ■ policeman husband of the laridlady, one < would have been glad to see more. “The New Poor” depicted the Clash 1 between an aristocratic family Which, had fallen On evil days and a family Of ■ lower birth which had become suddenly. ; rich as a result of the -War. It- was ■ comedy with an underlying moral. Much of the play involved verbal . duels between Miss E. Fleming, the new r rich Mrs. Buckle and Mrs. A. Hamill, . the elder Miss Arbuthnot and one of , the new poor. Miss Fleming’s portrayal’ , of the vulgarity and the bitterness . against the “Upper Ten" which made , Mrs. Buckle stand so heavily ,on what > dignity she imagined she had was cleverly done: the icy coolness and authori- • tative manner of Mrs. Hamill provided a .. g-od foil for her. Heather Buckle, with; ’ whom young Eric Arbuthnot fell in love, ’ was an attractive character, fully devel- , oped by Miss W. Murray. Mr. R. Pickett: . was very good arid made the jesting, young Eric Arbuthnot a very likeable' i personality. The acting of Miss Patricia ’ Murray, as Christine Arbuthnot, coni’ sis ted mainly of sneezing and uttering plaintive remarks; yet of the “bit” players die gave one of the most finished performances on the programme. The Rahotu club intends to present the three plays at V* area in a fortnight’s time.