The Corn is Green

Nothing Green About This Acting

There was noting green about the acting in Wythall Dramatic Society’s presentation of Emlyn William’s famous play ‘The Corn is Green’, staged at Woodrush School on Thursday, Friday and Saturday of last week.

A serious play, about a Welsh mining village at the turn of the century, and the efforts of a determined English spinster schoolteacher to bring education to the villagers, and in particular the boy miners, the dialogue was often amusing, as well as dramatic, and the Welsh dialect was well as dramatic, and the Welsh dialect was well maintained by the cast, without being overdone.

The exacting part of the teacher, Miss Moffatt, was stongly played by Dorothy Girling, wife of the producer, Stanley Girling. Her dictation was extremely good and her interpretation of the character compelling.

Morgan Evans, the young miner in whom Miss Moffatt detects the makings of a great man, is capably played by Gerry Soloman, once more proving his versatility. His progress from uncouth lout to well-read and sensitive student was well drawn.

Another strong portrayal was Estelle Shutkever, as Bessie Watty, the wayward daughter of Miss Moffatt’s housekeeper. Her transition from discontented cockney child to ‘fallen woman’ was delightfully humorous, while her entrance in the last scene in her colourful finery drew a united gasp from the audience.

One felt that the part of the bluff squire was rather heartily overplayed by Stanley Girling, but his production of the play itself was excellent.

The simpering Miss Ronberry was played with suitable affection by Brenda Castle, and Jack Parramore’s religious Mr Jones was just right. The smaller parts of Sarah Pugh Postman and Mrs Watty were amusingly played by Valarie Archer and Sybil Parr, who drew some hearty laughs from the audience with her outspoken comments.

For the offstage singing, a better effect would have been achieved by a recording of a genuine Welsh choir, and the scenery although an improvement on that in the previous play, still left a little to be desired. However, these were two minor points in a very good production, which received rapt attention from the audience.

V.L., Local Newspaper