The School Play

He argued that Father Christmas was the centre of a child's Christmas and was, after all, a good excuse for getting presents. Gardner asked the House to be sensible and not to be deluded by this myth, but the House was in full support of Santa and believed in him by 132 votes to two with one abstention. This debate was followed by a session of "One Minute, Please". It proved to be a very enjoyable innovation for the Society and was efficiently run by M. J. F. Everitt, the Chairman, and J. C. Oldroyd, the timekeeper. The subjects varied from Blackpool Tower to a pantechnicon, about which a member of the "Commons" team laughed his way through a minute. The "Lords", ably lead by Lord Butterworth, eventually beat the "Commons".

The second impromptu debate followed. After M. Ruddock had drawn the subjects, the Society again chose one with a seasonable flavour. The Chairman then called upon R. D. Wheatley to propose "That this House thinks that Christmas dinner is the best part of the Christmas festivities". He gave a very tempting description of a Christmas dinner in which the word "turkey" figured prominently. A. N. Wyatt-Gunning, opposing, maintained that the best part of Christmas was when Santa Claus came down the chimney. The speeches from the floor were mainly of an anti-Christmas dinner flavour and so Wheatley and his band of pro-turkey supporters were doomed to defeat by 92 votes to 29 with 14 abstent:ons, with A. N. Wyatt-Gunning's pro-Santa Claus and pro-mistletoe elements in possession of the field. This meeting was a great success and provided a suitable ending to this term's debating. R.D.W.

It is six years since the School acted a play of Shakespeare's; and though our incursions into more modern drama, such as "The Twelve Thousand" and "The Lady's not for burning", were amply justified, it was a joy to return to Shakespeare, and to see what some at least think is his best comedy, "The Taming of the Shrew". Few can really appreciate the greatness of Shakespeare, and his amazing competence as a dramatist, without acting his plays : and it is an experience which is abundantly worth while to do this. Moreover it is not only a rewarding, but a very enjoyable experience : and perhaps the most striking feature of "The Shrew" this year was the obvious enjoyment of all those who acted in it. This enjoyment communicated itself to the audience, and everyone who came to see the play must have spent a thoroughly happy evening, and for this we are most grateful.

Inevitably the play centres round Petruchio and Katharina, and it is no disparagement of the rest of the cast to say that A. G. D. Staines and E. I. Moore stood out somewhat conspicuously : they must do so, or the play would fall to pieces. Here we had two really

excellent performances. Staines seemed of all the performers the most "at home" on the stage; and his acting, his timing, and his appreciation of Shakespeare's poetry gave even his most violent moments in taming his Kate a reality and a beauty that were remarkable. Moore's Kate was equally outstanding. He has an admirable voice and used it well. But, more important, he got inside the part, and the change from the choleric Shrew of the earlier scenes to the tamed and devoted servant of her lord and master was admirably done. Finally Kate spoke her last lovely speech on marriage really well. This is no easy task. It is a fine speech and lovely poetry, but it has to be delivered after a boisterous and exciting scene, and the change is very sudden. That Moore could and did hold his audience throughout that speech was remarkable. Both Staines and Moore showed how terribly important it is for an actor (or a reader, for that matter) to vary his speed in speaking, and to use as large a compass of his voice as possible. Several others in the cast could, with great advantage, have copied their example more closely.

R. M. Hick as Tranio, for example, rather marred an otherwise good performance by speaking throughout at a fast and almost unchanged speed. This was a pity, since Hick obviously enjoyed his part and was in many ways admirable. C. K. Smith as Hortensio had a good sense of the character of one of Shakespeare's "foppish" characters, and was at his best as the music master to Bianca. Perhaps a greater contrast might have been made between the real Hortensio and the musician, and there was some monotony of gesture. There were good performances too by P. L. Bardgett as Baptista, who spoke admirably (though clenched fists can be overdone), and R. M. Kirkus as Gremio. T. E. Thomas, a natural comedian, as Grumio, and W. R. Ibberson as Biondello were both good, and J. B. Weightman, a competent suitor to the young Bianca, well played by D. J. Oldman, even if he did hold his head almost uncomfortably high. D. N. Simmons as Vincentio seemed rather to force his voice, which handicapped him; but he and M. J. Baddeley as a Pedant, and P. W. Middlebrook as Curtis were entirely adequate, and Middlebrook had a real sense of character. The really minor parts, which so often let a play down, kept up the standard : and a special word of commendation is due to E. 0. Trevelyan, who played the Widow at a few hours' notice.

Once again Mr. Howat, aided and abetted by R. Hawkins, produced an admirable "set" out of nothing. But what we must most thank Mr. Howat and his stage hands for is the really excellent change of scenes. The changes were small, but significant, and to have to change scenes, place and remove chairs and tables, and with very limited access to the stage, and to do it all so quickly and noiselessly was a great triumph. "Scene shifting" often spoils a play, and can cause unnecessary and rather boring pauses. This effort was a model of quietness, competence, and speed. 27