The Women Students: A very enjoyable performance of Pinero’s “Trelawney of the Wells” was given at Somerville College on Friday and Saturday. The play is an excellent one and gives scope to practically all the performers. No small measure of its success was due to the distinctive contribution which each member of the cast made to the whole production. The outstanding’ character is of course Trelawney herself, and Miss Powell looked and was charming and acted her part convincingly even when she sneezed. Tom Wrench (Miss Pinsent) might well prove a dangerous rival to a hero, but Mr. Pinero and, on this occasion, Miss Winshurst, who played, Arthur Gower, succeeded in investing what is too often a formal part with personality and attraction. The frankness and cheerful acceptance of her place in life by Avonia (Miss Shelmerdine) were irresistible. It evidently made possible her marriage with the impossible Ferdinand Gadd, who was vividly impersonated by Miss Irons. Mrs. Teller (Miss Todd Taylor) preserved her “dignity” without, and Mr. Teller (Miss Desmond) his naive self-importance. Pinero knows a good deal about the struggles, the heart-burnings, the pathos of the theatrical profession, and gives Mrs. Teller and Avonia a real bit of wifely work to do in restoring their husbands to a sense of their own importance when the world has nothing to offer them but a very minor part. The domestic tyranny exercised by Old Gower was well portrayed by Miss McKisack in the very difficult role of an old man and his sister’s backing of the conventions by Miss Merrifield. Imogen Parrott (Miss Gaunt) was very natural and attractive: in fact, the whole cast—too numerous to mention singly in every case —is much to be congratulated. The Somerville Dramatic Society was wise in doing without scenery and very happy in its selection of the ladies’ dresses, one of which must have been genuine. … (continues) …
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Referenced
GRO0422 Devonport: Hester Agnes Pinsent: 1899 – 1966