Ashbury College - Ashburian Yearbook (Ottawa, Ontario Canada)

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iz 21 THE ASHBURIAN ANOTHER VIEW OF THE PLAYS Rev. T. C. B. Boon We are indebted to Panorama for this feature. NDER the distinguished patronage of the Governor-General and HRH. Princess Alice, the annual plays were presented in the Auditorium of the Technical School, and while one missed the friendly atmosphere of the Little Theatre with its superior stage and scenery, more than compensation was added in the larger accommodation. Possibly, too, there was even a gain in the greater simplicity and more complete demands upon the imagination, The first play was Fantastic Flight which, as the Headmaster explained in his introduction, attempted to work out the theme of pacifism. Sablin as Noah Boomer had the heaviest part in this and gave a fine performance which promises well for the future. MacLaren was the perfect secretary, deferential and co-operative, while Crump l gave an unusually natural display as the Works' Manager. The two ladies were an outstanding success, capturing everyone's heart with their charm. ln spite of her pacific principles, Hope Tregoring lHurtleyl was quite a dangerous vamp, and there seemed every justification for Stella Boomer lMatthewsJ to get so indignant with her husband in the final scene, the close of which was most stirring. The newspapermen had difficult parts and Lawrence and Price are to be congratulated on their performance. The three scenes of lO66 and All That struck a lighter vein. ln the first the four ladies were the centre of attraction, some of the audience being quite envious of their costumes. The coyness of the Crusader's wife lNorth- cottJ was greatly appreciated, but we still regret that the troubadour lEliotJ did not sing his lines. Samuel, as the Crusader, showed a fine bluster in his part. ln the 'King John' scene, Hooper as the Chief Baron was quite outstanding in poise and determination, while Nelles made a rather amusing King John. The Barons lThreshie, Machlabb, Pegram, SpielmanJ supported the principals. Murdoch was an excellent Common Man and Keeper of the Drawbridge. The 'Police Court' scene was dominated by Chapman as the Magistrate, and he must be commended for the way in which he changed his dialect under the subversive influence of Christopher Columbus lBirchwoodl, Kenny's antics as Guy Fawkes, and the happy selection of Bulpit and Crump ll as policemen added to the general gaiety. Many might think that the production of the third act of Journeys End was too ambitious, but it fully justified itself and one followed it with a breath- less interest. Barnes as Capt. Stanhope had a very heavy part in which he constantly improved. He put a lot into his work and his performance was very effective. Cole displayed great skill in the part of Lt. Osborne and was always convincing, Boutin as Lt. Trotter was not only refreshing, but much improved in acting, Shenstone had a difficult part as Lt. Raleigh, but he played it with remarkable understanding and his hesitation of manner seemed to give it the

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if I THE ASHBURIAN T211 funny: and in the latter when Columbus is indicted for discovering America, and Guy Fawkes for failing to blow up the Houses of Parliament, everyone on the stage seemed to be enjoying himself, and we did too, in consequence Lewin Chapman was very good as the magistrate. The most ambitious part of the evening then arrived with the production of Act lll of Journey's End , l think this was valuable as showing grownups that such an apparently difficult play for boys to oct can be tackled with success and as showing boys how much you can do with little or no scenery to produce all the effects you want by relying on the imagination of your audience. No one l believe felt the need for a more realistic representation of that dug- out: no one l believe felt that the octors had not mastered the nuonces of Sherriff's Last Act. The major part fStanhopel was played with great ability by Michael Barnesi at times I lost myself in this play and forgot my present surroundings and my objective view. Only once did Barnes bring me back from this happy state-when, in his scene alone with Raleigh, his voice became too loud, too harsh. Michael Shenstone in his performance as Raleigh was pretty well as good as Barnes: he played with great sensitiveness and most convincingly. Derek Arnould was good as the Colonel, and lan Cole, Tony Lee, and Peter Hatch, besides being excellently cast, did an admirable job, lan Cole in particular. The plays were not over till ll.l'5 or after and the only criticism l have about Journey's End is that the waits that occurred between scenes were much too long. In the time that it took to produce the identical dugout without the removal or addition of more than one packing case you could have substituted the Throne room of the Raiah's palace for the interior of the Colosseum, Rome. Perhaps Ronnie Heaven istage and property manl had gone out for a coke? Anyway it was a good evening, very well attended by a large and properly enthusiastic audience and our best thanks are due to all who helped to make if SO' G.J.K.l-l. PUPPET SHOW The Puppeteers are to be congratulated on two counts, first of all for the admirable show they put on during the winter, second that they by so doing raised 5157.00 for the Candies for Britain Fund. Their industry and the time spent in preparation also deserves comment. The programme consisted of scenes form Don Quixote , and The Adventures of Clippo the Clown . The puppeteers were Charles MacNabb, G. Thomas, R. Burder,'M. Barnes, J, Harri- son, and Michael Webb who also painted the back-drop and scenery. The stage-manager was P. Whitworth assisted by N. Dixon, and music was in charge of P. Mackintosh. Our only regret is that there weren't more puppet shows during the year.

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THE ASHBURIAN IZ3l right touch. ln minor parts, Hatch as Pte. Mason and Lee as the Sergeant- Major did first class work, while Arnould as the Colonel, Pilgrim and Eleishmann as soldiers, and Eliot as the German prisoner, were very efficient. The Headmaster and Mr. Belcher are to be congratulated, both upon their casting as well as their production. The staging was excellent under the super- vision of Ron Heaven, assisted by Hatch, and the sound and lighting effects were well conceived. Altogether a happy and successful evening. BROADCASTING EXPERIENCE SHBURY boys were invited by Mrs. L. P. Sherwood, organizer of the school broadcasting project Trumpet Call to Youth , to take part in the first demonstration, together with girls from Elmwood. There were a series of broadcasts by different schools in Ottawa, depicting the National Life of different races now settled in Canada. Each broadcast consisted of a short play, followed by a discussion on the play by a class. The Ashbury, Elmwood share, was to act a playlet lvan lVlestrovitch on the life of the Jugo-Slavian sculptor, on the stage of the Glebe Collegiate, as a demonstration for all the teachers in Ottawa. The stage was turned into a broadcasting studio, and the play was treated exactly as if a broadcast were taking place, with sound effects and all. Mr. Charles P, Wright, manager of the C-B-C Ottawa studios, produced the play, and the boys gained valuable and interesting experience. The boys taking part, selected after several auditions at the C-B-C studio were, Barnes, Cole, Heaven, Lawrence, Nelles, Crump l, Hooper l. We hope that in future projects Ashbury will be given further opportunities of co-operating. ..lQ.,.31. DEBATING SOCIETY HE first meeting of the Society was held on October Znd. There were 27 members present. Lawrence moved that Canadian Immigration after the war should be restricted to British Subjects . Boutin opposed. There were half a dozen speakers from the floor of the house, and the motion carried by I4 votes to 7. The second meeting was held on Friday, Nov. 6th, with 30 members present. Eliot l proposed that Classics should be abolished from the curriculum . His main point was that people should look to the future rather than to the past. Crump I opposed. Several speakers then rose from the floor of the house, on both sides, the motion being rejected by I6 votes to IZ. The third and perhaps most lively debate took place on Friday, Nov. 27th, when with 34 members presint Chapman proposed that The Movie has taken