Woodside Hall, Finchley

‘Crowded and enthusiastic audiences filled the Woodside Hall on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday evenings, when what may safely be described as the Finchley Amateur Dramatic Society’s premier performance was given. The whole success of the play depended absolutely and entirely on the quality of the acting, and never has more genuine talent been staged by the Society at any time. One very capable critic was heard to remark that the performance was almost if not quite equal to the play as seen by him several times with the original cast at “The Royalty,” where many will remember its long and successful run. The Society possesses one great gift which must always go a very long way towards ensuring success - that of fitting square peg in a square hole. We have very seldom seen a cast more suited to the various characters than that which so delighted the audiences on the three evenings mentioned ... During the evening an interesting announcement was made by the secretary of the Society (Mr. S. Coomber). On Saturday afternoon a matinee performance was given to a large number of wounded soldiers, but unfortunately those invited from King Edward Hall, Church-end, Finchley, were unable to be present, to the mutual disappointment of hosts and guests. It has therefore been decided to give another matinee for wounded soldiers on Saturday, March 17th, and an extra performance in the evening’ (Hendon & Finchley Times, Friday 16 March 1917).