Theatre: 10 N.Z. Plays In Festival

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31121, 26 July 1966, Page 13

Theatre: 10 N.Z. Plays In Festival

Ten of the next 18 plays to be presented this week in the current area festival of the British Drama League are by New Zealand authors.

Tomorrow evening’s bill will be devoted entirely to plays by local authors, of whom two are also producing, Brian Gallas and Strath McKnight The other two local authors are Max Richards and Eve Hughes. This evening's plays will also have a special billing—-all-women casts.

This year’s festival has a record entry of 21 teams, including one from the West Coast. The judge, Rosalie Carey, will select three plays to take part in the divisional finals at Ashburton on August 19 and 20.

From the four New Zealand divisional finals, Doreen Woodcock, an Englishwoman who is the League’s overseas tutor this year, will select the six top-marked plays to play in the national finals in Christchurch on September 2 and 3, where they will be judged by J. N. Thomson. Details of programmes for the Festival this week are.— This Evening.—’’The Saint,” by Nora Ratcliff, Riccarton Players, produced by Ida Vaughan; “Seen But Not Heard,” by Kate Mansford, Catholic Women’s League, Maureen Gill; “The Bride from the Hills." by Isobel Andrews, Little Unity Theatre (Hawarden Waikari), Pam Logan; “The Cage,” by Muriel Ferris, Crescent Theatre, Bill Hargreaves.

Wednesday.—“ Electra,” by Brian Gallas, Elmwood Players, produced by the author; “Last Seen Alive,” by Strath McKnight, Crescent Theatre, author; “The Shabby Representative,” by Max Richards, Repertory Theatre Training Course, Jan Farr; “The Overseas Expert,” by Eve Hughes, Little Theatre, Alex Aitchison.

Thursday.—“ Checkmate,” by Don Farr, Repertory Theatre training course, produced by Ray Caird; “On Dartmoor,” by Neil Grant, Little Theatre, Norma Anderson; “The Godsend,” by Nina Warner Hooke, Sumner Drama Club, Peter Gibb. Friday.—“ The Wall,” by

Michael Walker, The Group, produced by Murray Atkinson; “The Time Factor,” by Jean Lawrence, Little Unity Theatre, Bob McVie; “The Dark Lady of the Sonnets,” by George Bernard Shaw, Helen Browning; “Good Night Kathy,” by N. J. Krinkel, Granity. Saturday.—“ Ride a Tiger,” by Anthony Booth, Ashburton Repertory Society, produced by Ken Cumberland; “Pity My Betrayer,” by Jean Lawrence, Rangiora Drama Society, Jean Crow; “Faithful Widow of Ephesus,” by Thomas Cruden, Tinwald Drama Club, Bruce Ching.