QUITE A SUCCESS

Waipa Post, Volume 43, Issue 3354, 29 September 1931, Page 4

QUITE A SUCCESS

"LORD RICHARD IN THE PANTRY." GIRLS' CLUB PLAY HEARTILY APPLAUDED. "Lord Richard in the Pantry," the three act farce presented at the Empire Theatre on Monday evening under the auspices of St. Johms Girls' Club, certainly attracted a lafg<s audience—in fact, the constituted practically a full house. It can be said also that practically every member of the audience enjoyed the fare provided. The play itself, written by Sydney Blow and Douglas Hoare, created quite favourable press criticisms when staged in London, for it was of the light variety of ; entertainment, with some delightful characters and situations. The Te Awamutu presentation and interpretation by amateurs, quite 50 per cent of whom were making their first appearance before the footlights, was decidedly entertaining, and the acting was enjoyable, especially as the cast of twelve included ten ladies. The story was built around a most retiring and inoffensive scion of a noble house of the English aristocracy, that of Lord Richard Sandridge, who after some unfortunate investments, lets his house in Lowdnes Square, and takes a situation as a butler in the household of the widow who rents his home. The situations thereafter provide the "meat" of the farce, and are well acted indeed. Following is the caste of characters:—Lord Richard Sandridge, Mr Keith Storey; Arthur Thompson (his secretary), Miss Vera Holt; Captain "Tubby" Bannister, Miss Bertha Bowden; Carter (Lord Richard's man servant), Miss Gypsy Garvey; Detective-In-spector Brown of Scotland Yard, Mr B. F. Morris; Evelyn Love joy, Miss ' Beta Holt; Lady Violet Elliot, Miss Ellis Rickit; the cook, Rose, Bryan and Gladys (servants of Mrs Gayford), the Misses H. Focke, D. Searle, J. Paterson and M. Storey; Sylvia Gayford, a widow, Miss Hilda Garvey. The bulk of the dialogue fell on the capable shoulders of Mr Keith Storey, and there is a consensus of opinion that he acted his fairly difficult part admirably. Second in importance in the caste was the charming Widow Gayford, and the humour, other than that of Lord Richard, was ably supplied by the cook, whose amorous leanings kept the masquerading butler in a great deal of perturbation. In fact, Lord Richard was an almost continual target for the amours of Cupid—Evelyn Lovejoy started it, and became engaged to a very unresponsive fiance. Cook and Bryan each "had designs" on him, while Widow Gayford candidly admitted to her friend, Lady Violet, that she had fallen in love with him. Of course everything comes right in the end, for after sundry most amusing situations including the solving of the mystery of Lord Richard's valourous deeds in Mesopotamia, his participation with a couple of elusive company promoters in a closer settlement scheme, and the disappearance of Mrs Gayford's silver, Lord Richard blurts out to the , widow his love for her and her only.

The play lasted for nearly three hours, and the interest was sustained throughout. There were none of the long pauses that so frequently characterise amateur productions; the stage effects were in charming taste, the frocks and costumes worn had been judiciously chosen for the various situations, and the music was decidedly appropriate. The Orphans' Orchestra, in itself a very clever combination, provided the overtures to each act in a manner quite worthy of the production—indeed, Mr Moeller and his fellow musicians presented selections that would have received plaudits in any city theatre. At the close of the play the whole company assembled on the stage to receive the hearty congratulations of a very appreciative audience and also a number of very beautiful floral offerings. Not the least of these were bouquets for the producer, Miss Empson, and Mrs Teasdale, president of St. John's Girls' Club, while there was even one for the vicar, Rev. S. R. Wareing, in recognition of his helpful encouragement throughout the rehearsals. Efforts were made to induce Mr H. A. Swarbrick (who had been a very valuable guide in the production work) to pear before the footlights, but he kept out of view, preferring that the honours 'of .the occasion should be accorded the caste, and the producer.

St. John's Girls' Club is to be congratulated upon the undoubted success of what was quite the most pretentious and successful play presented by amateurs in Te Awamutu for years.