After a ghoulish dress rehearsal, which followed the usual tradition of dress rehearsals at 9 o'clock on the morning after Capping Ball, a rehearsal at which at least one member of the cast was present in his dinner suit, the 1946 Extrav got away to a good if somewhat sleepy start on Saturday night.

For five nights Peter Pansy and Ocean-going Blues played to packed houses which rocked to the sound of atomic explosions when they did materialize. The audience after the first night were very responsive, and took in good spirit the puns and jibes, not to mention the saveloys and other articles which were lowered on them from the gallery—in fact they enjoyed themselves almost as much as the cast.

The five night run and the sequel on Sunday night when they played for disabled servicemen at the Public Hospital did not go entirely without hitches. Such classic remarks as "My name is Sam—I come from G.B." and "I'll send Sir Stifford Cripes to tear them apart" served to keep the cast amused as did the fall of one of the barmaids on the steps of the [loyal Soak, and the Shag's wife who lost an essential part of her clothing. The last night was filled with unexpected happenings and many remarks which were not in the script. The cast was in high spirits behind the stage and many last minute entrances were effected. Some had to act against great difficulties as did Sidhook, who slowly received the contents of a bottle of beer on his head from the flies during his longest speech.

This year the patrons of the show. The Rajah or Berhampore, the Ranee and the concubine, a black-faced damsel, were accompanied to the box by a tribe of Eunuchs and were entertained by a rather elongated Gladys Concrete and a muscular strong man.

Record Crowd fill Town Hall

Capping Bali is probably a night of blissful memories to more than eleven hundred who thronged the Town Hall on May 10. Its organisation was no small headache to the Ball Controller, Jean Priest, and to the willing very few who assisted her on Friday in the work of preparing the Hall, but although the decorations were not elaborate, flowers and greenery adorned the stage by evening, and the workers too abandoned their cares in the general festivity.

After the ceremony and the photo-graphing of the grads, the ball got under way by about 10 o'clock, to grow progressively more hilarious until three on Saturday morning, for those who had the staying-power to survive it to the end. Supper upstairs was well provided by an-efficient caterer. Mr. Hudson, and the orchestra, under George Miller, was excellent.

A milling crowd of young and old, grads of 1946 and of the past, undergrads in their shoals and friends or the University in general filled the Hall. Proletariat, Bourgeoisie and possibly an odd aristocrat rubbed shoulders—in the formality of evening dress which successfully combined with an atmosphere or friendliness usually inconsistent with stiff collars. It is hardly possible to write a general story or Capping Ball individuals have their own—but it is safe to state that a traditionally good time was had by all.

Sunday night's performance was somewhat curtailed and the third act had to be eliminated as the stage was too small to hold either the wee or the wee wee house. The prompting at this show was very effective: done by the whole cast who knew the parts better than the people concerned. Comic relief was afforded by the Split Atom, Stunkle, who in the absence of his partner conducted long conversations with himself.

Do's!!

Extrav. is notoriously an institution guaranteed to socialize any reticent natures and allow already social types to expand hilariously in their element.

From the casting meeting to the last late hour of the last night's bash, Peter Pansy proceeded in an atmosphere of genial natter, fraternity and transient amours. The two Sunday rehearsals saw the traditional saveloy leas and dancing to the blare and jive of the Extrav. orchestra. The dress rehearsal was a rather grim endurance test, and by the time the cast had sweated, cursed and slept throuih its rigours, barriers were down and the community spirit was well-developed. Somehow they recovered for the evening's performance and retained enough vitality to revel in a merry dance in the Gym. after the show. The Extrav. orchestra boys played gallantly for both this and other official dances on Tuesday and Thursday nights; the "cheerful rhythm was remarkably effective in drowning the general tumult of the gatherings. Cost, ushers, visitors and what-have-you rolled up to drift or stagger to its music. Tuesday's show was in the St. John Ambulance Hall, and Thursday saw the crowd back in the Gym. for a final happy fling. Though the night was distinctly dampening, women in evening dresses and women in slacks, performers with grease-paint half-removed and visitors whose eyes were perhaps being opened for the first time to the informality of Varsity at play, all mingled in the crush.

Extrav. has come and gone, and left a cast whose nervous energy is exhausted but whose social experience is, surely enriched.

—on Stage

Bach to Bach

The Bach evening held at 8 p.m. on June 6 in Room C6 consisted of items given by some of the more proficient players in the Club, supplemented by recordings of harpsichord, organ, orchestra and choral works. The pianists Leonie Pascoe, Elizabeth Florance and Nell Casey, played "Prelude and Fugue No. 3 in C Sharp," "The French Suite," and "Phantasia in G Minor:" Bernard O'Brien (violin) played the well-known "Air on G String" from the Suite No. 3. The performances were excellent and it was a treat to hear Bach dealt with so competently by young performers. Supper was served afterwards in the Gym.

The Club is arranging a special Maurice Clare-Frederick Page recital for Thursday, June 27, so everyone interested in music is advised to watch the notice board for details. This, recital will be the final one given in New Zealand by Mr. Clair and we know that students will be eager to take advantage of this last opportunity to hear one of the best artists who has ever visited this country.—P.J.M.