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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 14, No. 3. April 5, 1951
Show Business
Show Business
And the shes with knees in the wings that tease
Do you remember Extrav-
Aganza?
Do you remember Extrav?
And the betting and the petting
Of the girls go-getting
And he beer that tasted antisept?
Shortly Extravamania will both paralyse and inflame the minds of all those of any importance whatsoever and even Salient will have Show Business rash. The Common Common Room will probably be in disgrace again. In short Extrav casting and rehearsals are due any time—or at least when the huge selection committee have read all the scripts.
There is some suggestion among the Uppah classes and the lowah classes who think they are uppah that Extrav is lowering, that it is beer sodden and suggestive. If those accusations are true Extrav either attracts or repels you. The facts are these:
Beer and wine are provided at Extrav (why not Coke as well?) but he or she who gets sodden on it either (a) knows someone and is working a slinter, or (b) has a private supply, or (c) is too young and should not be allowed a glass of New Zealand beer. Observed unconscious 1950—one male tucked away in a dark corner and he is famous for going out.
The more offensive portions of the script are blue-pencilled and the tone is no lower than that of commercial vaudeville. Not that we think there is any particular merit in a University producing a low show—they should be able to be witty without being low—however this seems to be difficult to keep up for two and a half hours.
Extrav bashes are noted for loud singing of songs patriotic, revolutionary and popular—also for dancing in a disorganised fashion. Band on a couple of nights. Incidentally Extrav bash organisers might contem plate the number of those eager soute who did nothing and thought nothing about Extrav, and probably never even paid to get it, who drank a lot of the beer last year. They seemed to be brighter than the cast and stage crew. Contrary to popular belief Extrav is not an orgy . . .
It does happen to be an excellent way to meet people. As one fresher breathlessly informed me last year, "I even talked to Sidney." So don't screw up your proletarian, patrician or bourgeois (horrid word!) noses when appeals are made for Extrav cast. Don't imagine that you must be either Astaires or Vera-Ellens, Crosbies or members of the Drama Club—the producers and others will teach you all you need to know. The public are easily pleased.
There are leas limelit tasks, too: stage hands, make-up, wardrobe, props, etc. The haze of tradition reputedly alcoholic and powdered scented is giving producers grey hairs and you wouldn't want Maureen Ross-Smith to get grey hairs, would you?
"She didn't intend to slum in Extrav.
(Good girls didn't you knaw)
But Blue Psmith did that year,
So she did,
With bells on."—Why not you?
(Same Poet—Same Cappicade).