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SMAD. An Organ of Student Opinion. 1931. Volume 2. Number 4.

The Dark Angel

The Dark Angel

This year's production by the Dramatic Club provided those interested with very good fare. The play is not, by any means, a great play, but still it has a good plot, certain characters of interest and plenty of good lines. The story is the conventional one of the girl who sacrifices all for her soldier lover and is later faced with the problem of choosing between what she considers to be her duty towards him and her affection for a later claimant to her hand. The principal characters show a great deal of altruism and self-sacrifice above the ordinary, but some of us still believe that these virtues still exist. At times especially in the third act the nobleness of the heroine and her two heroes began to pall and we longed for one of the male contestants to snatch up the lady and cry, "She's mine," and consign the other to more torrid regions. But we cannot have everything and after all the moral lesson was good.

The merit of the acting was considerably enhanced by the effective casting of the parts. This factor, indeed, more than individual excellence, contributed towards the success of the performance. The principle character that of Kitty Fahnestock was admirably portrayed by Miss M. Cooley. Her part demanded that she should show many varied traits of character and Miss Cooley succeeded in making a very live person of the young girl, and later as the more mature woman torn betwen two emotions. The writer, however, is still of the opinion that these more or less "sweet" parts are far below Miss Cooley's capabilities. It would be a great day for Wellington if one of our societies were to put on "St. Joan," with "Our Mary" in the name part.

Mr. Ralph Hogg was hardly at his best in the prologue. For some reason he was inclined to be

Students! You will be sorry if you miss this production

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subdued and failed to give the impression of the man who cried, "Oh, I hadn't any right to stampede you and carry you away." However, Mr. Hogg, made ample amends in the last act when he was called upon to do the most difficult acting of the piece—that of a blind man. Not for one moment did he lose his grip of the audience and I venture the opinion that nothing better has been seen at 'Varsity for many years.

Mr. C. Watson, as a clean living young Englishman, the humble admirer and suitor of Kitty's, looked and played the part well. He was inclined to shyness in his love making, but this is a weakness peculiar to the English so that it fitted in well with the part.

Mr. A. D. Priestley made a great deal out of a very neutral type, Sir Evelyn Fahnestock, Kitty's father. The acting here was finished and especially so in the way he dealt with the "male and female cats."

The most promising acting of the evening was that of Miss D. Tossman as a "bad girl" thrown into the midst of her social, and therefore, moral superiors. Again her scene with her awkward but honest lover, well played by Mr. F. Cormack, she showed that 'Varsity had acquired an actress who should do really good work in the future.

The two society "cats" were effectively dealt with by Miss M. Murray and Miss F. Eccles. They put good work into not very good parts.

Mr. B. Chadwick appeared on the stage as the English gentleman run to seed or rather to whisky. One cannot say any more than that this was superb acting.

Miss T. Lambourne was an adoring secretary and looked wistful enough but it was a poor part. I liked Miss K. McCaul as the old servant. Her work was not as easy as it might have seemed and I enjoyed her and her make up. Finally as the Butler with a knowledge of Mah Jongg. Mr. H. Middlebrook was a model of dignity and decorum.

Congratulations to the Dramatic Club. They have placed the club on a high plane, and I for one should be very loath to miss any performance of theirs on the same standard as "The Dark Angel."

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