In aid of the funds for the Russian Refugees, the pupils of the Eliza Yates High School gave a performance of Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" and A. Geibel's fairy operetta "Christmas with the Pixies," in the Union Church Hall on Wednesday afternoon. It is a pity that the enterprising effort of these clever Chinese girls did not meet with greater encouragement than that manifested at yesterday's performance, for there was only a sprinkling of an audience, and only those who have acted before a sparsely filled house can appreciate the difficulty with which these youngsters were faced.
A very useful adaptation of 'The Merchant of Venice" was employed, a series of very short scenes giving the essential facts of the play, but these' were quite well done and a number of girls whose burnt-cork moustache contrasted peculiarly with their fine complexions stalked the stage as Antonio, Bassanio, Shylock and the rest of the familiar characters. It is to be regretted that the programme did not give the names of actors for some of them certainly deserve more than passing mention, for while they did not always get what there was to be made out of their lines, they and their teachers are to be complimented upon the clarity of their diction in what is, after all, a foreign tongue.
"Christmas with the Pixies' was also well done, the pretty little story being considerably helped by the singing of the small performers, To the children and to those who rehearsed them we would extend hearty congratulations and express the hope that the discouragement they met with in the way of audience will not deter them from having another try one of these days,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.