A few days after our first show, I met a dear old lady who was full of praise for our efforts. She explained to me how she had enjoyed the performance. She had only one criticism. In the gravest of tones she said she was very surprised I had allowed the youngsters to use make-up.

There are times when silence is the best answer.

In small school halls with little or no stage lighting, it would be wrong to use full stage make-up, but, of course, if you are using battens, floods, spots and all the paraphernalia of correct stage lighting, then make-up is essential.

The ideal way in any dramatic group is that each artist in a cast should be responsible for his own make-up box. As today's prices for greasepaint and all the accessories of this art have rocketed, this can be a costly affair. However, one or two, from time to time, do make the effort. We do have a communal make-up box. Actually it is an old fashioned travelling case, which was given to the Theatre some years ago.

Three or four of our older members are responsible for the make-up, under the eagle eye of Hazel who has been a member of the Theatre for some twelve years. In each production there is usually one of the cast who knows enough about make-up to help the group. A few can make themselves up, if it is a straight make-up. It is a fairly difficult task to make a fifteen-year-old look forty. It is easier to make him look eighty.

Hazel reads the script and makes notes. Shortly I give her a list of characters with make-up particulars of each. There is a special note on moustaches, beards and any special character requirements. A note of the wigs we require is made. It is very important that these are ordered early. Arrangements have to be made for them to be fitted, collected and returned. If Hazel has any queries, she contacts me and we discuss them. She briefs her group and they plan their modus operandi.

When we have a large cast, as in a musical or a Shakespeare, a few extra casual helpers are enlisted from the non-acting members. They are shown how to put on foundation and straight make-up. We may have one person putting on foundation, another eye-shadow, a third lining and so on.

The art of make-up repays careful study and experiment. Careless make-up I find is the main fault with many amateur groups I meet when I adjudicate. This has always surprised me. As the female of the species has brought daily make-up to such a high standard, I would have thought those girls would have excelled in this department. But here, as elsewhere, the female is completely unpredictable.

When giving my summing-up remarks at adjudications, I frequently make a suggestion. It is that two or three groups have a whip-round and jointly engage an expert in make-up to instruct then in the rudiments of make-up. They could then take this information back to their respective groups, and start experimenting. I am often asked which make-up we use: we have always favoured Leichner's items.