The Haunted Castle / Robena's Rose-Coloured Glasses: Two Children's Plays

Ian C. Nelson is Assistant Director of Libraries at the University of
Saskatchewan.

Both plays in this volume continue the children’s theatre opus of Beth McMaster and, indeed, enhance again her reputation in the genre. Her fascination with words for devices (a vanwich for the vain), character names (Natter and Chatter), and openings for the lyrics of her doubtless happy musical collaborators (in these instances, Monica Palmer) is delightfully evident. The generously upbeat morals encapsulated in these short plays are mercifully neither saccharine nor preachy. The cover notes of publisher Simon & Pierre are excellent fodder for the browser and play selector. If the illustrations are copyright-free, they might serve as a colouring book programme for the targeted audience of ages 3 to 12. This possibility is not, however, addressed in the notice of penformance royalties.