April 2nd-5th.-The Retreat was given this year by Fr. Bamber, S.C., to whom we extend our profound gratitude.
April 51h.-Easter Sunday. The boys emerged from Retreat this morning with the customary salvoes of cacophonous detonations.
April 6th.-G. H. Day.
PLAYS
" GASLIGHT "
by
PATRICK HAMILTON.
Presented by Milner House oil December 16th.
Cast
Mrs. Manningham A. J. SNELL Mr. Manningham M. E. COLLINS Rough J. F. McGovern Elizabeth M. C. PARSON Nancy J. R. RATHBURN
The scene is the living room of a gloomy house in London towards the end of the last century.
The theme of this Victorian thriller is well known from its screen and broadcast productions. The author has written a very clever play in which the Victorian setting plays a fundamental part. There is an extremely small east, in fact only three principal parts, the overwrought Mrs. Manningham driven almost out of her mind by the subtle persecution of her husband, Mr. Manningham, and the very likeable Victorian detective Rough. These three characters carry the whole weight of the play on their shoulders, but Snell, Collins and McGovern were equal to the task and the audience enjoyed some excellent acting. One felt, however, that the loathsome vileness of Mr. Manningham's character was rather beyond the powers of Collins, not so much from any lack of histrionic ability, but rather from the fact that such innate inhuman cruelty must be beyond the conception of a boy of his age. Special mention should be made of Rathburn in the minor role of Nancy for a very able rendering. The play was extremely well dressed, but we must criticise adversely the gaslight itself
an important property-which was a naked, undisguised electric light and rather a trial to the eyes
of the
audience.
"SOMEONE AT THE DOOR "
by
DOROTHY AND CAMPBELL CHRISTIE.
Presented In' Challoner House oil February 17th.
There are many and varied ways of earning a livelihood. One of these, and a very lucrative one, is the writing of one's life story for the less reputable newspapers. It is no use, however, Tom, Dick or Harry wishing to whisper the hidden secrets of his life into the ear of the general public, unless the same Tom, Dick or Harry happens to have married his tenth wife or murdered his best friend or in some other way made himself a public idol. In this play the hero, whose journalism is not setting the Thames on fire, decides to stage the murder of his sister and then to produce her alive and well after lie has been condemned to death for the crime. What a scoop such a story would make for the newspapers and what a reflection on the morbid taste of the newspaper reading public ! However, in the midst of this staged crime, the hero finds himself entangled in the real thing. The theme from then onwards is a well worn one. Stolen jewels hidden in an old secret hiding hole in the Manor, with several criminals in search of them, provide a new interest, our innocent hero of course lighting upon the treasure and rounding up the criminals in the process. A very entertaining thriller with its full
Cast
Ronnie Martin Sally Martin Bill Reid Puce
Harry Kapel, J.P. P.C. Sykes
Police Sergeant Spedding
The action takes place in Narracott Manor.
P. PARSON
WV. FOSTER
F. GRADY
P. MCCARTIE
T. EARL
M. PEARMAN
W. JORET
the Lounge Hall at