HAMILTON SHAKESPEARIAN CLUB

Waikato Times, Volume 84, Issue 13209, 26 June 1915, Page 6

HAMILTON SHAKESPEARIAN CLUB

KING HENRY V

Hampered by wet weather and a hazardous entrance necessitated by the Borough Council's street alterations the Shakespeare Club could hardly expect a large audienceat their opening reading on Thursrday night. Nevertheless the hall was moderately filled, and.the audience was well repaid for facing the unpropitious elements. In welcoming the club's supporters to the beginning of a fresh season, the president, Mr E. Wilson, referred to the set-back which all forms of amusement had suffered owing to the great war. The club in general meeting he said, had discussed the question of suspending operations during the present crisis, many members feeling ill disposed for any form of amusement at this time. The general feeling was, however, that it behoved us who remain at home to keep brave hearts in spite of personal griefs, and to do our best to keep things as nearly as possible at the normal. Should the necessary support members be forthcoming, therefore, the club would hold readings every three or four weeks during the winter as usual. "Henry V." was happily chosen as the opening reading. It commemorates two of the greatest feats of arms in English history. It is full of the bustle and turmoil of war, of rousing patriotic sentiment, of feeling references to the inevitable sadness as well as the glory of war—a play to stir all hearts at this tremendous time. The heavy work of the play of course falls upon "Harry the King," a pait most ably sustained by Mr Manning. He was especially good in the stirring speech before Agincourt, though the heroic passage beginning "Once more into the breach, dear friends," met with almost equal applause. The role of Chorus fell to Miss Seddon, who delivered her lines with considerable force and commendable clearness of diction, though obviously more at home in her second part of Katherine. Miss Hey wood, who appeared first as Hostess, and later as Alice, is a new reader, who proved herself a most decided acquisition. The club has lost several of last year's lady readers, but apparently will have little difficulty in replacing them. The comedy parts met, as usual, with the lion's share of applause Mr F. Swarbrick's Pistol being particularly appreciated. Mr R. Ranstead read Mejur and Gower with more force than we have ever yet heard him in Shakespeare, and has proved his capacity for larger parts. Randolph (Mr Kingsford) and Fluellen (Mr 11. A. Swarbrick), were also well sustained and admirably contrasted in styles. The secondary heroic parts were somewhat marred by the heavy "cutting" necessary to reduce the play to a suitable reading length. Messrs Seatoi and Gudex, who read respectively French King and Dauphin are readers new to the club, but obviously old on the boards. Mr de la Mare read Exeter, and Mr Wilson the Constable. A "find" for the club was Master W. Jess, who read the Boy with a clearness of enunciation and absence ?f 9ta £ e fright, which would do credit to much older reader^.

MW DDATUPR

lake Woods' Great Peppermint c'u* and you Will stare the evil off.