CANTERBURY WOMEN’S CLUB.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18939, 9 December 1929, Page 13

CANTERBURY WOMEN’S CLUB.

A charming party was given on Saturday night by the members of the play-reading circle of the Canterbury Women’s Club. The reception room was artistically decorated with roses, antirrhinums and Christmas lilies, and looked very gay, especially when the guests put on paper caps given them in envelopes. Mrs Ellis, leader of the circle, in a happy speech, presented Mrs Flesher with an Early Victorian posy. The entertainment included two plays and a reading by members of the circle. The first was “Suppressed Desires,” by Susan Glaspell—an amusing American play in two acts, dealing with the dangers of psycho-analysis when carried to extremes and the ultimate victory of practical common sense. The players *'ere: Miss Morgan, Miss Ellen Jones and Miss Batchelor. The reading of a little play by Alan Mulgan, “For Love of Appin,” followed. The scene was a kitphen in the backblocks of New Zealand. The characters were taken as follows:—Mrs Buchan, Mrs H. Wyatt; Mr Harding, Mrs Smailr Angus Buchan, Mrs M’Leod: the Stranger, Mrs Andrews. The incidental verses were written by Miss Jessie Mackay, the New Zealand poet. This was followed by an acted play. “Eldorado,” by Bernard Gilbert. The cast was: Mrs Burrows (a lone widow). Miss Menzies; Betsy Watson (maid of all work), Miss Caygill; James Watson, Mrs Ellis; Henry (his son), Miss Honor Ellis. The play is about an episode during a potato boom, Eldorado being the name of a new potato. Mrs Ellis, in a slouch hat and tattered smock, depicted the miserly old farmer to the life. Miss Caygill, who cooked the precious pound of Eldorados, and Miss Menzies were excellent, and Miss Honor Ellis, who played her part at short notice owing to Miss Greenwood’s absence, made a capital boy. Mrs Smith, who had cleverly “made-up” the characters, was specially thanked for her kindness and skill. Mrs Flesher, on behalf of the club, thanked Mrs Ellis and the Play-reading Circle. Supper was handed round. It was announced that four of the paper caps entitled their wearers to prizes. The winners were: Mesdames Bennett, D. Jones, Bottrell and Danvers Hamber.