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Chapter Eleven While w e were happil y occupie d wit h ou r garden , th e res t o f th e camp also found plent y to do. Because extra food was so pressing a need, man y had gardens of their own. The very quality of life was uniformly low, a standard brought about by the degradation, deprivation and despair forced upo n us. To combat th e misery and frustrations o f the inescapable livin g conditions, hidde n talent s foun d expressio n i n al l branches o f th e performing art s - ther e coul d b e no lack of talen t considerin g th e sheer number of people. All forms of entertainment - plays , ballets and many concerts - mostl y originating from the Married Quarter s or the bungalows, were enthusiastically brought into fruition an d a high standar d o f productio n wa s achieve d wit h hel p fro m othe r workers to the benefit an d enjoyment o f the entire camp. Some of the fin e bu t useles s clothin g foun d a n outle t o n th e stage . Bein g entirely unsuite d fo r everyda y wear , thei r owner s generousl y donated them for the productions. The gowns were worn again and again afte r cleve r modification , an d imaginatio n wen t a long wa y towards achieving the correct atmosphere . Special permissio n ha d t o b e requeste d fro m th e Japanes e authorities for eac h gathering. This was usually granted and , eve n though th e entertainments gav e them adde d opportunities for dispensing punishment , w e accepte d thes e a s being in a good cause . There was the occasion, for instance, when a concert was arranged on th e ope n law n o f th e Priso n Officers ' Clu b where w e had ou r canteen o n a pleasant summe r evening . A tea m o f Japanese pres s and camerame n descende d o n u s t o tak e movie s fo r propagand a purposes. They wanted to show how happy and contented we were. No sooner had the cameras begun filming, than some of the children, squatting on the grass in front, gav e the victory sign. Immediatel y everyone joined in. Somehow the photographers seemed oblivious to anything unusual, but when the films were developed all forms of entertainment were suspended for a month. 114 On anothe r occasio n th e Japanes e authoritie s aske d u s t o prepare for certain important visitors and a special play, The Death of Nelson, wa s staged. I t wa s ver y wel l produced - th e costume s alone would have done credit to a professional troupe but, although our visitor s understood sufficien t Englis h t o follo w th e gist of th e story, they seemed in some doubt as to whether or not to join in the applause. However, when the audience rose to sing 'Land of Hope and Glory' at the conclusion (we weren't allowed to sing 'God Save the King' ) the y stoo d t o attention . The y mus t hav e regretted thi s later because , unabl e t o fin d an y reasonabl e excus e t o faul t th e performance, the y punished us just the same. We wer e i n trouble, too , for th e ballet Esther. A n enthusiasti c audience packed the main hall of St Stephen's College on a Saturday evening. The music was excellent and the dancing, considering the circumstances, was first-rate. The authorities, however, were strongly critical of the costumes, which had been made from mosquit o net s dipped i n solution s o f mercurochrom e an d gentia n blu e fro m th e hospital dispensary . Perhap s ou r enthusias m ha d take n u s a littl e beyond the realm of prudence, but the show was a huge success. Football and softball - introduce d by the Americans before the y were repatriated - wer e played on the large football fiel d nea r th e jetty during the early months of internment, but the loss of energy brought on by the summer heat and poor...

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