REPERTORY THEATRE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 299, 19 December 1933, Page 11

REPERTORY THEATRE

FINAL PROGRAMME SUCCESSFUL FIRST SEASON. For the final programme of the season the members of the Wanganui Repertory Society produced three one-act plays, namely “A Marrying Man,” “Pan in Pimlico,’’ and “E. and 0.E.” The programme was interesting in that it revealed a general all-round progress. This society was started only a few months ago. It now has its own theatre, its own properties, and now the theatre is equipped with comfortable theatre seatings. The player-members are numerous enough to enable a company to be assembled which differs in personnel from evening to evening, and from play to play, and this provides one of the freshening factors which repertory makes available. Throughout the season there has been no dominance of any particular persbnalities. The society was wise in setting a high standard from the outset, when “The Last of Mrs. Cheney” was staged at the Duchess Theatre, Aramoho, and it is safe to say this standard has been maintained. “London was another highgrade production. The strength of the society, apart, that is, from individual members thereof, has been revealed by the excellence of the club-night programmes. These have served among others two important ends—they have discovered talent and they have allowed members to gain experience. It was the experience of the players which stood them in good stead last night. This applied particularly to the third play, in which Stella Cuthbertson and Nancy Wilson had to engage in rather long sessions of dumb acting. When characters have to contribute by gesture and facial expression only their task is a weighty one, for they make the scene by their contribution. Without their work the scene means nothing. The first p?ay last night was “A Marrying Man,” by H. Brighouse. The characters were: Sailor, H. J. Melville; Ist Mrs Brown, Brenda Bond; 2nd Mrs Brown, Edith Gilberd; 3rd Mrs Brown, Joan Bullivant; producer, Mrs. R. E. Cuthbertson. H. J. Melville is an experienced artist who can handle broad comedy, while Brenda Bond, as the First Mrs. Brown, gave a true rendering of a difficult character. The play is, however, a difficult one, despite the frequency of the laughs from the audience. “Pan in Pimlico.” The cast was: Fauns, Kathleen Hoar, Flora Howie; Flower Seller, Lexie Rankin; Sailor, Eric Naumann. Producer, Mrs. S. Rankin. As an interpreter of low life Lexie Rankin has few equals, and Eric Naumann provided an adequate cock-ney-sailor. The fauns, however, taking their cue from the darkened stage, were righly subdued in tone, but the mistake was made by Kathleen Hoar of talking into the set and not to the audience, hence inaudibility. “E. and 0.E.,” by Crawthay Williams. The cast was: Mr. Smith, lan Forlong; Mrs. Smith, Stella Cuthbertson; Her Mother (Mrs. Mclntosh). Nancy Wilson; Solicitor, Peter Saunders; Mr. Crosby, Moritz Mark. Producer, Mr. Paqualin. lan Forlong has been an assiduous worker throughout the season, but he has not mastered the art of articulation, yet this deficiency was almost absent when ho carried the character of Mr. Smith. Despite the fact that he was speaking from a bed he continued to throw his voice very ably. At times he was a little too vigorous for a man about to die in half an hour, but this fault occurred seldom. It was god acting. The same can Ido said of Stella Cuthbertson and Nancy Wilson. Moritz Mark is properly cast in puckish parts and the role of Air. Crosby suited him admirably. Peter Saunders, who took the part of the solicitor, is gainging both confidence and experience, and it is to be hoped that next year wider scope will be found for him. The producers are to be congratulated upon their efforts.

ART UNION DRAWN

FIRST PRIZE TO AUCKLAND LUCKY TICKET HOLDERS. [ Ter Press Association. I WELLINGTON, Dec. 18. The art union was drawn this morning. Following are the principal results :—• First prize (£2000) E 72343, Royal 'Oak, Auckland. Second prize (£500) A 20912, “Ishorwood,” Springston. Third prize (£2OO) —121828, 66, Greonlane, Auckland. Fourth prize (£lOO) —031780, “Last Hope,” 55 Symonds Street, Auckland. Fifth prize £5O) —122810, ‘‘Unlucky New Zealand,” 61 Elizabeth Street, Sandringham, Auckland. £25 prizes—041765, ‘‘Last Lap,” Christchurch; E 65702, ‘‘‘Wet Show Week,” Clinton. £10—165754, ‘‘Smiling Through,” Pahiatua- 097973, “Money Wanted,”Wellington; E 39026, ‘Say When,” Wellington; H 76253, ‘Min and Bill,” Box 11, Tuai, Waikaremoana; H 22003, “Smiler,” 6 Union Street, Brighton; 172341, “Luck’s In,” Christchurch; 043856, S. Fleetwood, 123 Leinster Road Christchurch; E 56822, Miss M. Hutcheson. 82 Clyde Street, Island Bay; A 42820, “Our Luck,” Frankton Junction; E 65883, ‘Good Companions,” Clinto, Otago; H 95247, “Ngaire,” Cameron Street, . Ashburton; A 87002, Mangariki; H 210.10, ‘Mick,” Port Levy, Lyttelton; E 37890, “She’s Our,” Levin; A 42497, “Hairy Legs,” Glenafton; 065769, ‘Kia Ora,” Auckland; 085624, “J.P.,” Christchurch; L 7169, L. B. Adams, Heathcote, Christchurch; 186699, “Just Me,” Hopeland, Woodville; 192043, “Tuscan Star No. 7,” Wellington.