The Wilmington morning star., 1947-05-01
ITALIANS Give
CHRISTIE PLAY
Ten Little Indians Pre-.
.ented In High School
Auditorium

veteran ana neOpIyte AlldIldIl
actors combined abilities last night
in the New Hanover High School
auditorium in presenting Ten
Little Indians billed as a mystery
play in three acts, by Agatha
Christie.
It was a ''whodunit' that prob
ably would make better reading
than it did looking.
The actors were confronted with
the difficulties of making highly
improbable happenings seem pos
sihle, and that is quite a task for
a group of amateurs to undertake.
The heavy work was in the cap
able hands of H. E. Rodgers whose
madness was carefully screened,
as Sir Lawrence Wargraves, I'M
til the closing minutes OF the play.
Julia Morton and Jack Galney
teamed up as the romantic interest
of the piece, and their clear die
ton was outstanding and refresh
ing, as was their Interpretation OF
their roles. j.,
The story was so planned that
Eleanor Watts as Mrs. Rogers,
Julian Morton as Anthony Mars
ton, DR.. J. B. Hales as Rogers, AL
victims of the mysterious murder
err, were killed off reasonably early
in the play, after giving good ac-
counts of themselves on stage.
Edith Noble as Emily Brent, who
spoke in italics throughout her IL
ing part, had the difficult job OF
being killed in full view Of the
audience (Who knew she was dead
and in full view Of the remaining
cast (who did not know she was
dead) and then staying very stu
for quite an appreciable time. She
stayed very still.
Robert Redmayne as DR.. Arm
strong was another of the clear
diction members Of the cast, and
with Robert Helms as William
Blore, who also spoke his lines
clearly, gave a thoroughly good
Characterization. A very difficult
role was entrusted to E. c. Snead'
and. as General Mackenzie, he MI
ed the bill excellently, and did 1t
on very short notice, it is said:
That leaves the boatman, Fred
Narracott, to be accounted Tor, n
john Conway took that part. also
with understandable clarity OF
speech.
If the plays the thing, the words
of the play should get across the
footlights, even in an amateur
performance, and several OF last
nights cast were refreshlngly good
at vocal projection. :.
The play started late, which is
most unusual for a ITALIAN pro
duction. and it frankly dragged
along quite a good deal in the be-
ginning, giving the pre- lnpter a
busy time, probably. So that a
deadline that must be met pre-
vents any great length OF review
The scenery and special scenery
met with applause from the au-
dience as the curtains parted.
The program credits were as
follows: Direction, James H. Nc
Coy: assistant director. Hester Z;
Donnelly, who was also technical
director; Scenery, E. M. Jones, Jr.
Andy johnson, John Powell. Milan
Wood and Tex Watts; special scene
nv. Claude Howell, Aldyth Carroll.
Bettv Divine and Verge BeaH;
lights Everett Higgins; properties
Reba Johnson, Helen Jones, Alice
Canister and Lucille Donnen'
makeup, Howard Canister, Eliza
beth Hardwicke, Frances Edmond
0 and Jesse Reynolds; costume
Julia Seigler and Leila Corbln;
bookholder, Amy Walker. The pro-
xram gave notice that the next
Thalian play. now in. preparation,
viii be 1.-THE State Of the Union.
w G. r.