"The Rainmaker"
About the article
This is a digitised version of an article from The Cayman Compass's print archive. Occasionally, the digitisation process introduces transcription errors, or other problems.
See the article in its original context from July 1972.
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That, in brief, is the heart-touching, often laughable, but always totally gripping story of "The Rainmaker." There are fine performances from the entire cast. Notably the two stars. Stanley Panton as Bill Starbuck, superb as the swashbuckling, fast-talking con man. Gale Shaw gives a faultless intensely moving performance as Lizzie Curry. Nick Press as Noah the son who rode rough-shod over the feelings of others Lizzie in particular was so convincing that the gentleman in the next seat to me kept muttering: "Loathsome young man I'd shoot him!" As the father of a hard-to-marry motherless girl 'Skip' McSorley amazingly good in his first stage appearance struck the right note of gentle compassion. Keith Ball, as Jim in love with a girl of whom his brother disapproves, gave a finely balanced performance of warmth mixed with gaiety. File, the stubborn Deputy Sheriff, played by John Morgan a subtly convincing performance of a man whose fear is that by admitting what people need people he is showing weakness. The small but important part of Sheriff Thomas was perfectly underplayed by Bill Shaw making the right foil for his Deputy.
The open stage-set, lighting, backdrop paintings demand special applause.
"The Rainmaker" played its last performance on Saturday night to a full house, attended by His Excellency the Governor and Mrs. K.R. Crook, Patron of the Cayman Drama Society. Mrs. Crook presented bouquets to the leading lady and to producer, Val Morgan and made a gracious, appreciative speech of thanks to the players and to the audience. The pity is that "The Rainmaker" could not run for another week to give those who missed it an opportunity to see is very worthwhile play and its splendid cast of actors. Bouquets all round.
