AMATEUR ACTIVITIES.

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18159, 25 October 1930, Page 17 (Supplement)

AMATEUR ACTIVITIES.

Isabelle Brook’s Dance Extravaganza. This week I had a look in at a rehearsal of Miss Isabelle Brook’s dance extravaganza “ Happy Days,” and found the younger pupils busily at work on “Revels in a Toyshop.” This scena is very happily conceived, and promises to be strikingly effective. The work done by the tiny tots, under the guidance of Miss Brook, was excellent, and I am sure that “ Revels in a Toyshop ” will be a very popular feature of the recital. Other big features will be “In a Garden of Roses,” “ The Dancing Dolls,” “Scraps from London” (introducing a Ballet of Ragamuffins), and “ Dance-o-Mania ” (including the Hoosier Hop and the Battle of Flowers.”) Several dance soloists from Auckland will assist the Hamilton pupils, and Scott’s Dance Band will be heard on the stage. “A Runaway Girl” at Taumarunul. The Taumarunui Operatic Society will produce “A Runaway Girl” for three nights next week. “Teddy” Parker, formerly of Hamilton, his the chief comedy role. “Going Up” In Palmerston North. The Palmerston North Operatic Society will produce “Going Up” during Spring Show week. The cast includes the. well-known singer Naomi Whalley as Grace Douglas;«Edna Boon, as Madeline; E. G. Seeker, as Jules; and B. J. Jacobs, as Street, the author who writes a novel entitled “Going Up,” but has never been “in the air.” “Going Up” at New Plymouth. Here is the cast of the New Plymouth Operatic Society's production of “Going Up" this week: — Miss Zonne Cydie Strang John Gordon G. G. Cress F. 11. Douglas .. A. M. Mac Diarmid Mrs Douglas Frances Kitto Jules Gaillard W. Taylor Grace Douglas .. Margaret Patrick Madeline Manners .. .. Joan Goodall Hopkinson Brown E. E. Sadd Robert Street R. B. Scott James Brook W. G. Holder Sam Robinson Chas. Blake Louis Harold Winter Mr Theo Trezise is producer, and gives a special dance number. Mr F. Cornwall is musical director. Acting In Schools Stimulates Imagination. The value of acting in schools was emphasised by Mr Rodney Bennett at the City of London Vacation Course in Education at the Holborn Restaurant. “Acting is of value,” he said, “because it induces children to 'feel that literature is alive. From the point of view of reading it is indispensable because it makes for rhythm and timing and encourages them to speak out with new animation. Above all, act-, ing stimulates the imagination.' The more or less impromptu class play is of more real value than the carefully prepared end-of-term play.” Mr Bennett said that play-reading was not popular with the general public because it required the public to use a constructive imagination. That was the chief reason for the popularity of the cinema—it left the public nothing to do. Other Productions. The drama, “A Cigarette Maker’s Romance,” was given by the pupils of j the Napier Technical College for two i nights this week. Mr A. Stanley Warwick was the producer.