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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol 4, No. 6. June 18, 1941

Arms and the Man

Arms and the Man

Recently the Dramatic Club held a play-reading. It was put on two days after Extrav finished, and this fact must be emphasized, because it explains much.

Any gym play-reading is interesting, because one is intrigued not only by the cast but by the audience, which usually sets the tone of the whole performance. And on this occasion everyone was suffering from the last tail-ends of excitement and fatigue from the big show, so what happened? The obvious, my friends. The cast got the giggles, and the audience, that infinitesimal body, be-came more and more light-headed and would obviously have rioted if there had been enough energy left to riot with.

The cast was interesting. There has been for years a steady rumour to the effect that Varsity is full of ardent freshers wanting, waiting and willing to dash on to the stage and emote; but we never see them. Instead, we see, year after year, the same old faces.

However, the Club does try to ring the changes; and Beatrice Hutchison, the perennial landlady, appeared as the determinedly winsome heroine; while the versatile Menace turned out to be a human hero, and gave entrancing side-lights upon his sexual life.

Why not Classes?

Of the rest of the cast, the best and most amusing characterization was given by Wolfgang Rosenberg, who, after a faulty start, fitted neatly into the part of the Swiss soldier and expounded his philosophy very cheerfully and convincingly. His monologue as he fell asleep wasn't so hot, but one can't have everything.

Pat Hildreth was good, too—she always is, though her singing plaintive voice is better suited to tragedy; Dorian Saker was not good, and we pass him by, because, though we have a high opinion of Dorian's capabilities in other directions, the poor lamb can't act. Neither can Bill Davys; but they both may learn.

And that brings us to our point; that these people should learn. Dramatic Club readings are all very well when it comes to amusing the audience, but we doubt if they teach the actors anything at all. Why don't they? Why doesn't the committee invite someone along to judge, criticise, and help? And hold classes instead of readings? It wouldn't be so much fun to watch but it would be of more use.

—K.R.