ration of unpleasant characters. Parson as Ronnie Martin, the young journalist with his brilliant brainwave for making money, took some time to warm up to his part and never entirely lost a certain self-consciousness. Foster as his sister was much more lively, and Grady as Bill Reid was adequate. The success of the play was McCartie as the sinister Price. There was, however, a certain lack of conviction about the play which was disappointing.
" THE GHOST TRAIN "
by
ARNOLD RIDLEY.
Presented by Bowdon House on March 19th.
Cast
C. W. DUSTING
J. V. GREALY
H. J. NASH
P. P. SToNIeR \'V. J. BURGESS
M. ,J. HALPIN P. DRINKWATER
J. H. Moores
P. W. LAWLER
C. J. EARL
C. J. MlLFORD
W. A. QUINN
a General Waiting
Room of a rural Railway Station.
This is now the third time within the writer's memory that this very firm favourite has been produced on the School stage. It is a delightful mixture of comedy and thriller and gives so much scope to so many different characters. Surely everyone now knows the plot of "The Ghost Train" ; nevertheless, although one knows from the start that the " silly ass " is going to turn out to be one of England's great detectives, the play still keeps its thrill and its comedy is evergreen. One cannot help but feel that any great detective who played such a "silly ass " part would feel the same strain in keeping it up as the-actor must experience.
Drinkwater was a great success in this role, though one felt at times that he was feeling the strain of the heavy going. None the less he is to be congratulated on a very good performance. The cast was well chosen and there were few weak spots, although a better knowledge of the text in a few instances might have been helpful to the rest of the cast. Halpin's Miss Bourne and Moores' Julia Price were well portrayed.
L. \V.
MUSIC
THIS year we have been privileged to listen to a series of first-rate recitals by artists whose musicianship is of the highest order. It would be an impertinence on our part to attempt any pretentious critique of their performances. Suffice it to say that we have never before been able to welcome to the School such a galaxy of brilliant musical talent.
Firstly we must pay our modest tribute to our Music Master, Mr. John Brennan, for a series of superb pianoforte recitals. Formerly a Halle Scholar in the Royal Manchester College of Music, Mr. Brennan has already achieved a wide reputation and has won so much praise from the Press for his brilliant playing for the B.B.C. and on the public platform that any words of ours must seem bathotic. Since we have heard him play many of the masterpieces which have delighted the professional critics so much, we may be permitted to add our humble wonder and sincere appreciation to their paeans of praise. " His performance of the B minor Scherzo of Chopin was as sensitive as it was vivid in colour and brilliant in technique," writes the critic of the Manchester Guardian. Of Beethoven's " Moonlight " sonata, another critic writes that it " was played with just the right amount of sensitiveness, revealing Beethoven in one of his more tender moods. The allegretto was played with wonderful lightness and grace, whilst the last movement was played with great dexterity and, in spite of the tremendous speed and fire of the interpretation, every note was clear, providing us with a great thrill from first to last." " I have heard Mr. John Brennan play," writes Egon Patri,
and have been delighted with his performance,
11
Saul Hodgkin Richard Winthrop Elsie (his wife) Charles Murdoch Peggy (his wife) Miss Bourne Teddie Deakin Julia Price Herbert Price John Sterling Jackson
P.C. Smith
The action takes
T.
place in