The Wilmington morning star., 1945-09-30
Italians Open
Season With
Three Plays

dred persons enthusiastically wit
messed tn ITALIAN Workshop
nlavs Wednesday evening. Well
pleased with the variety the three
plays afforded, the audience sat IN
wrapt absorption through the tense
little drama evolved in Edward
Finnegans "Singapore Spider"
The second of the pieces THE
Bathroom Door, British skit by
Gertrude E. Jennings, convulsed
the house from its first few mo-
ments of pantomine until the Sc
cret of the closed bath was re-
vealed. "Hearts and Flowers" an
old.fa shioned melodrama written
by John Roland, played to an
amused and sympathetic audi
ence. which Kissed the william and
praised the hero.
There were numerous features
to commend the evenings per-
formances. It was obvious that the
sets a d lighting were painstak-
inely executed. To Hester Donnel-
" and Everett Higgins and their
staff of workers credit is due. The
technical works necessary to COM
plete a show is always difficult;
those persons behind the scenes
whose names appear chiefly on
the programs are so vastly impor-
tant and get so rarely praised. The
abundance of talent and character
types offered to the public the op-
portunity of learning what variety
is possible and may be expected
in subsequent performances dur
ing the current season.
The dimly lit living room of the
Jason Harridews home surrounded
the cast of the Singapore Spider"
with an atmosphere helpful in Gre
ating the tension of play about a
crafty averous old man who test
ed all who might desire the re-
mains of the a m ly fortune,
Louise Bashford, Jason's house
keeper, interpreted the pentup
hate for the old man and self
greed with a thorough realism.
Few persons could have given
more convincing performance of
the young fire brand nephew Mat
thew of Jason than Jack Red,
home from the seven seas, brought
to his uncle a curse of death and
a spider from Singapore to kill the
old man. Realistic in character
was Elizabeth Capillary's protray-
al of the quiet, loving country lass
in love with Matthew, VIM. B.
Campbell, Jr., director of the
show, shuffled across the stage as
the aged and wicked Jason to
taunt and mock Mrs. Meggs and
Matthew. To Ben Jones 60 the
orchids, for Ben took up the part
of Jim Meggs Monday night when
Andy johnson, scheduled to per-
form, was taken i'll. Had it not
been for an acknowledgment Of
this fact few persons would have
guessed his excellent performance
was turned in two days rehearsals.
1t was difficult to determine
conclusively who was the star of
1.-The Bathroom Door" Each of
the six characters were exception
in their respective roles. Rena
Brown, playing the Prima Dona,
excellent diction and delivery was
second to none during the entire
evening; her intrepation of the
tempermental opera singer was
too real. Again Ben Jones gave a
fine performance as the flirtatous
young man. Scene stealing Warren
L. Humphrey ''old gentlemen
was done with his usual finese.
Sue Brent Calder, dressed as a
timid, little old lady, had only to
stick her head through the door
to bring gales of laughter from
the audience. Helen Jones as the
young lady was faultless. The
cockney Boots, played by VIM. B.
Campbell, Jr., director of this
play, completed the cast. The
clever situation envolving the diff
ficulties of the characters to get
into the bath never for a moment
allowed the audience serious
moment. This skit was most pleas
ingly performed.
Miss Hester Donnelly directed
one of the most smoothly per-
formed productions seen on the
ITALIAN stage during the last few
seasons. Well cast and beautifully
acted, Hearts and Flowers" was
in content the typical melodrama,
Verge Beaall remembered as one
Of the lovely misses in last sea-
sons wedding Spells was even
lovelier in this play. Miss Beall's
acting was flawless, as True Hope.
Another ''natural'' seen in his first
ITALIAN role was Henry Capillary
as Willie Work, who almost stole
the show. Another newcomer who
displayed considerable natural tai
ent was Sylvia Fine, playing the
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