Young Actors Astonish Romney Brent

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30959, 15 January 1966, Page 14

Young Actors Astonish Romney Brent

After little more than a week in New Zealand, the American actor, director and producer, Mr Romney Brent arrived in Christchurch yesterday enthusiastic about the potential of young actors in this country. “I am not just impressed by the calibre of the acting I have seen,” he said. “I am astonished. The young people I have worked with during my short stay here love acting, and because of this they do it remarkably well.” Mr Brent is in Christchurch for two days and during this time he will conduct a weekend tutorial for amateur actors. His visit has been made nossible by the United States State Department and the New Zealand Drama Council. Last evening Mr Brent spoke to about 40 young people on the general principles of acting. Today he will conduct a drama “workshop.” Those attending the course will have the opportunity of

acting, and receiving practical advice from Mr Brent.

“The most important factor in developing theatre is to produce plays by local playwrights,” Mr Brent said. “Until a country develops its own theatre and literature, its actors will achieve only limited success.

“A good playwright will find a wealth of material in the local situation—and what better theatre can you find than*a local problem interpreted by the very people who are involved.” Mr Brent considers that the visit of the noted French dramatist, Eugene lonesco, this year will be most valuable.

“He is at the head of a completely new school of drama,” Mr Brent said. “His “theatre of the absurd’ is to drama what abstract art is to painting. It is the depiction of this topsy-turvy world we live in —and as such it does not follow a logical sequence like traditional drama. “A good many people complain about the muddle that art forms seem to be getting into. They forget that art only reflects what is going on in the world. If art is topsy turvy—then so is life.” Mr Brent said he was sure that New Zealand would only develop a national theatre through the best of the amateurs. "Most of them know how to act already,” he said. "When local plays begin to receive more prominence, then New Zealand theatre will really develop.” After his New Zealand tour Mr Brent will spend two days in Sydney before carrying on to Singapore.

“I am looking forward to seeing that magnificent opera house in Sydney,” he said. "It is a tremendous work of architecture—it looks like a lot of dams fighting for one another.”