Elmwood School - Samara Yearbook (Ottawa, Ontario Canada)

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SAMARA 29 She Stoops to Conquer , although it is 160 years since it was first produced at Covent Garden by Colman, seems to have lost none of its freshness and delight. Its characters are classics and upon its theme many other plays have been based. It is, however, not an easy play for a cast composed entirely of girls to present, for it is difficult for them to assume the walk and manners of men, and harder still for a young lady to impersonate the ardor of a male in a tender love scene. The young ladies who played these parts last evening are therefore deserving of praise for the very commendable and creditable way in which they acquitted them- selves. As was said before, the principal roles were divided and so as act followed act we saw different players in each. This was so evenly done, that in certain cases we had to look at the program to make sure if indeed it was another girl. This was especially true of the characters of Marlow and Hardcastle. It was also evident that much attention had been paid to diction, and although all of those taking part did not exhibit the same clarity, each word was given its full value and pronounced correctly without affectation. Audibility was good, stage movements and groupings were very good, and settings and costumes excellent. Another highly com- mendable aspect of the presentation was the manner in which all the players seemed to capture the atmosphere of the 18th century with its niceties of courtesy and elegance. On the other hand, certain players were, at times, slow in picking up their cues, and in some cases cues were anticipated. In one or two cases there might have been more variation and expression shown in tone, and gestures at times were apt to be mechanical. There was in one scene an anachronism in the use of a mop easily recognizable as the product of a manufacturer of the present day. We hardly think, also, that a London gentleman of the 18th century fashion would make a profound and very courtly bow to a person whom he took for an ordinary innkeeper. Each of the four young ladies who played the part of Kate Hardcastle did exceedingly well, and each brought something dis- tinctive into her playing. Elizabeth Symington, in Act 1, was delightfully vivacious; Hope Gilmour, in Act 2, showed beauty of diction; Virginia Copping, in Act 3, was very natural indeed in her scene with Marlow, but Genevieve Bronson, who played the part in the last three acts, seemed to combine the attributes of all three, and in addition, to bring to the character a quality all her own. Miss Bronson ' s performance was a delight. As Marlow, we saw five young ladies, Barbara Barrett, Mary Hampson, Joan Fraser, Moira Leathern and Mary Kingsmill. Each was very good and seemed to take up the role where her predecessor had left it in such a way that the contrast was not too marked.

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28 SAMARA Tony Lumpkin : ' Acts 1,2 Esme Thompson Acts 3, 4, 5 ......... . , : Sheila Skelton Innkeeper Mary Malloch Sir Charles Marlow. Helen Collins Diggory I Eleanor Leggett Maid Elizabeth Alguire Roger Hope Wattsford Servants Elaine Ellsworth Alison Cochrane The Action of the Play takes place in the Hall of the Hardcastle house except for Act I, Scene II, AN INN. Act V, Scene II, THE GARDEN. Reproduced from The Citizen March 3rd, 1934 ELMWOOD SCHOOL ' S SENIOR DRAMATIC ART CLASS presents SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER Distinguished Audience Includes Their Excellencies The Governor General and the Countess of Bessborough. Play Produced Under Direction of Miss Julia MacBrien and Work of Her Pupils Reveals Splendid Manner in Which Their Talent Has Been Developed. EFORE a distinguished audience, which included Their Excellencies the Governor General and Countess of Bessborough, the young ladies of the senior dramatic art class at Elmwood School last evening presented Gold- smith ' s best known comedy, She Stoops to Conquer. These annual presentations at Elmwood School are always a distinct pleasure and that of this year was no exception to this rule. They have always been extremely interesting, not only for the high standard of histrionics achieved and from the point of view of good entertainment but also for the way in which the producer has endeavoured to bring each student out of herself and to throw herself wholeheartedly into the part she assumes. As in previous years, the producer, in casting the play, did not take as her primary consideration the natural ability of the student. The principal roles were divided in order to give as many girls as possible a part of sufficient length to show the progress each has made in voice and expression during the year. However, the natural ability of many of the students was self-evident and the producer, Miss Julia MacBrien, is to be sincerely congratulated on the manner in which this ability was developed and brought out.

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30 SAMARA The young lady playing the role in Act 2 was perhaps the nearest to the conception of the character one would get from reading the play. The role of Hastings was played by Mary Baker and Peggy Waldie, who both brought out the gallant and courtly qualities of the character. Ethel Southam and Dawn Ekers gave remarkable performances of the bluff and hearty Hardcastle, and both are to be highly commended for the vigorous and natural playing of a difficult masculine role. The doting and excitable Mrs. Hardcastle was played by Janet Hutchison, Betty Hooper and Miriam Cruikshank, and, while making no comparisons, for each did excellently, a special word of appreciation must be given to the latter. The loutish Tony Lumpkin was very well played by Esme Thompson and Sheila Skelton, the latter being a little the more natural. The Miss Nevilles of Barbara Alan Brown and Katherine Dunning were sympathetically played, and Helen Collins, as Sir Charles Marlow, and Mary Malloch, as the innkeeper, did well in male roles. Eleanor Leggett played Diggory; Elizabeth Alguire a maid; Hope Wattsford was Roger and Elaine Ellsworth and Alison Cochrane, servants. The latter deserves particular notice for her gift for facial expression, and while the part was very small, she made it stand out. — M. SUMMER Summer at last The glad days are here The cold days of winter Have passed, let us cheer. Swimming and tennis The great summer sports. Lounging on hammocks And walking in shorts. Elizabeth Hanson, Vb