Elmwood School - Samara Yearbook (Ottawa, Ontario Canada)

Page 19 text:

SAMARA II Utamatic i otesi ONCE again the Senior Dramatic class presented its annual performance; this year on the night of March 28th we enacted Sheridan ' s famous play The School For Scandal. Not only did we enjoy acting the play itself, but under Miss Graham ' s capable direction the thrill of recapturing the graces and mannerisms of the eighteenth century fully repaid us for the hours we spent toiling over our parts. We would like to take this opportunity of thanking Miss Graham for her patience and perseverence throughout the year. In December Keller was triumphant over the other two houses with their presentation of the Christmas play Reverie. The play was more ambitious than usual and con- gratulations are certainly due to the members of Keller House. The one-act comedy, Culture, presented by Fry ranked second and Nightingale ' s The Quilting Bee At The Bascomb ' s, another modern comedy, took third place. Both of these deserve much praise. We all enjoyed the second and third forms ' presentation of the nativity play The Three Kings and also Rilloby Rill which they performed for the rest of the school the morning we broke up for the Christmas holidays. At the same time the Preparatory Form presented their version of The Three Bears. We understand that these forms are busy rehearsing again and will present something more at the same time as the dancing recital. Throughout the year the Senior-Inter- mediates have been preparing three one- act plays, namely: The Rehearsal, The Old Lady Shows Her Medals, and the fifteenth century farce Patelin. The Inter- mediates have been rehearsing Quality Street and the Juniors, the mechanic scenes from A Midsummer Night ' s Dream and also Paddly Pools. We hope to see all of these before June. For many years Mr. Kendal MacNeil has attended our Senior play and has given us a detailed criticism. Again this year we are indebted to him and the Citizen for the following reproduction: HIGH STANDARD ACHIEVED IN ANNUAL ELMWOOD PLAY Senior Dramatic Art Class of Rockcliffe School Scores Triumph in Presentation o£ 18th Century Satirical Comedy, The School for Scandal Before Highly Ap- preciative Audience. Young Ladies Surmount Many Obstacles in Giving Most Convincing Performance. For its annual production, the senior dramatic art class of Elmwood school this year again turned to the 18th century and before a large and highly appreciative au- dience last evening in the school auditorium presented the ever-green satirical, dramatic comedy of Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The School for Scandal. Each year as March draws to a close, we look for the assignment which has brought us to such an intimate understanding of all that this now noted Canadian girls ' school is endeavoring to accomplish in the training of voice and in dramatic expression. It is a long time now since we first reviewed the annual play so that we have seen many girls come and go and others take their place, but never has the standard achieved fallen. The girls seem to realize that they have a tradition to live up to and each year they respond nobly. This seems to indicate that last evening ' s School for Scandal was an exceptionally good performance and such indeed was the case. Faults of course there were, for if we said that no criticism could be offered it would be put down as empty flattery and be read with tongue in cheek, but for girls in their ' teens to attempt a play which presents many difficulties for seasoned actors to overcome and to acquit themselves so well is a triumph not to be discounted lightly. They have difficulties, too, that a theatre cast does not encounter since all the characters must of necessity be played by girls and in a play such as last evening ' s in which there are so many important masculine roles, a con- vincing performance would seem to be next to impossible. But surmount this obstacle they did and they did it well.

Page 18 text:

10 S AMARA SCHOOL CALENDAR TERM I September 17— Boarders returned. September 18 — School opened. September 28 — We lost to Lisgar Collegiate in our first match for the interscholastic championship at the Rideau Tennis Club. November 1 — Mr. McTavish ' s musical appreciation classes began. November 1 — We all enjoyed the Hallowe ' en party very much. November 7 — We were very glad to have Major Mckeand back again to talk to us about Poppy Day. November 8-1 1 — Long Weekend. December 17 — The House Collections, plays and Christmas parties. December 18 — School closed for the Christmas holidays. January 9 — We returned to school after a very enjoyable holiday. January 21 — Exams began. January 30 — Exams ended. Miss Hazel gave us a very interesting address about the ' Sunday School by Caravan. January 31 — Free day. TERM 11 February 3 — The new term began. February 20 — Dr. Tory came to talk to us about the Development of Modern Democracy. February 21 - 24 — Long Weekend. March 19 — We had a unigue experience in hearing Captain Goff play the clavichord. March 26 — Senator Wilson talked to us about the United War Services. March 28 — The Senior Dramatic Art Class presented ' The School for Scandal by Sheridan. April 3 — We heard with great pleasure Stainer ' s Crucifixion played on the gra- mophone. April 3 — The Easter holidays began. April 17 — School re-opened. May 7 — Miss Fowler gave us a most interesting address about her missionary work in Western Canada.

Page 20 text:

12 SAMARA Divide Principal Roles Before the performance last evening, the able headmistress of the school, Mrs. Clement Buck, told the audience quite candidly that if the production was not up to Elm wood standard there were no excuses to offer. This is characteristic of her for no one realizes better than she what is expected of Elmwood plays If she had any fears on this score they must have been quickly dispelled by the very evident enjoyment of everyone present. She also drew attention to the fact that this year they had returned to the practice of dividing the principal roles so that the players of these were not the same right through the play. This is an Elmwood custom designed to give as many girls as possible a part large enough to show the pro- gress each has made in voice and expression during the year. This, of course, makes it a little hard for the audience to accustom itself to, but it was not nearly so hard as one might think. In any event it did not detract from the general enjoyment of the play. Of the play as a piece of writing we intend to say very little. It is too well known to anyone with the slightest pretensions as a student of English literature or stage. It will never grow old for although it is of another age in atmosphere, there always will be, we fear, in any era, the Sneerwells, the Backbites, the Candours and the Joseph Surfaces. Tempo at High Pitch The most noticeable feature of the pre- sentation was the admirable pace preserved throughout. The tempo was kept at a high pitch and never allowed to slacken. In a play of this sort this is essential to a success- full production, a thing so often forgotten by more pretentious players. Despite the pace, another essential — audibility — was remem- bered and if there were any lines lost it was not the fault of the girls but rather of several of the audience who arrived late or moved their chairs during the performance. The play too is full of now outmoded ' asides , but the girls did these guite easily and naturally. On the other side of the ledger was a lack of proper make-up which resulted in the Lady Teazles looking older than their Sir Peters. This was rather a pity, for the il- lusion of the old bachelor who married a gay and attractive young country- bred girl who to his sorrow did not turn out exactly as he ex- pected was almost completely lost. Several of the girls had not sufficient variation in their voices and delivered their lines much too flatly and gestures sometimes were done with the wrong hand. Betty Massey played Sir Peter and Aline Dubois was Lady Teazle in the first act. Miss Massey had a nice presence and played the part well but could have been more irascible and have spoken with more au- thority. Miss Dubois made a Lady Teazle who knew she could twine her adoring elderly husband round her little finger. Minuet Real Delight The scandal-mongering crowd in Scene II was very effectively done and the minuet on the small stage a real delight. Dorothy Davis ' performance as Sir Benjamin Backbite in this stately old dance was full of the grace of the 18th century. We liked especially the Sir Peter and Lady Teazle of Odgen Blackburn and Susan Kenny in the second act. Sir Peter had aggressive- ness and authority and Lady Teazle light- ness and assurance. Mary Buckley gave a delightful performance as Moses, Josephine Frazier was a dashing and care-free Charles Surface although Winifred Cross in Act III made the character more fascinating as a lover. Dorothy Kennedy deserved praise for the way in which she made the scandal- loving Benjamin Backbite thoroughly de- testable and Jill Norton was good as Rowley. Damaris Owen also gave a good performance as the man of sentiment, Joseph Surface, as did Nancy Bowman. We are sorry space will not allow each character to be mentioned at length but Diana Warner was very good as Lady Sneer- well and Marguerite Kenney as Sir Oliver Surface, Margaret Gerard, Nancy Bov man, Felicity Peacock, Ann Davies, Norma Wilson, Elizabeth Edwards, Barbara Watson , Avril Crabtree, Mary Buckley and Anne Powell all did well in their respective roles. The production was under the capable direction of Miss Miriam Graham, the mis- tress responsible for the training of the class. Again her able hand was discernible through- out. The scenery and lighting were good and the costumes splendid. Dr. Hanna Fischl was accompanist. — M.