GOOD PLAYS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2248, 7 September 1914, Page 3

GOOD PLAYS

—« " MR. HUGH BUCKLER INTER* VIEWED.

The history of the Little Theatre Sn ; Sydney is perhaps not known very well over here, but as the company which, has been endeavouring to preserve the best tradition of the dramatic art in, the Mother State of the Commonwealth is to commence a season, at the Gfrand. Opera House on Saturday even-,' ing next, it should be stated, in fairness to the management, that this company, ■ has been in existence for over a year, past, and has shown that there is a place , for the better-c,lass play oven in this age.of flippant musical comedy, revues, tango teas, and hurry-up American farces built on the quick-lunch plan. It was.to cater for the taste'of the publie who like a good play, sound in. construction and having claims to literary, merit, that Mr. Hugh Buckler evolved the idea of-.the Little Theatre,. and in its restricted limits many excellont plays have seen the light in ; Sydney, that otherwise would not have been seen there at all, notably euch plays as Sir Arthur Pinero's play "His House in Order," one of the great masterpieces of the generation. Had the Brough3oucicault Company been in existence still, this is the class of play that would have been produced .witkn sis. months of its production in Eondon, but if is now eight years old.: 'Still, at length we are to aee it, so should be satisfied. Other plays that bave been produced at the Little Theatre are Bernard Shaw's "Fanny's First Play," Aγ-, nold Bennett's "The Great Adventure, "Sweet Lavender," Pinero's "The Gavj Loid.Quex/ , "The School for Scandal,' , ' and "The Man. on the Bos."_ "The work has .been most interesting"! to me," said Mr. Buckler, in the course] of an interview. . "It has been a rare; pleasure to'get back to plays that araj plays in the artistic sense of the word,] as well .as those which have ' a broad, , human appeal. Take 'His House u\> Order,' for example. It is a play on absorbing interest —artistio, or eoune, coming from Pinero, but a play that fascinates all natures and classes, because; of the wonderful human appeal it haad And so it has been with other plays v/e! have played—wo have found that theroj are audiences for the good stuffy and the pleasure wo find in playing it? has been liberally reflected in thtf applause the > Sydney public has, been kind enough to give us right through our long run. at the Little Theatre. Knowing , that -the taste, oft New.-Zealand playgoers > perhaps inj the aggregate a little better thain thati of Australia, we have wanted fora| good time to make a tour oyer.herej. and I am very pleased to be able to sayj that in Auckland we found the utmosti appreciation of our efforts. Owing ttfj the outbreak of the war the opening was not as big as we 'might have otherwise expected, but from the outset the. patronage increased and the interest' in) our company worked up, until the final week became an enthusiastic one, and 1 the farewell they accorded us was dis< tinctly flattering to myself and every 4 one else concerned. . ] "You know as well ae I that th'ftj taste in matters theatrical has not teeinion the' up-grade for some years, and! that managers with their ears to the. ground have not been able to restrain! themselves from exploiting that whiobi was inartistic to tawdriness, cheap and banal. - The works of our . first-olass' playwrights havo been.passed over, for, the rather dreadful concoctions of lesser, lights who have sought to catch thei eye and ear with sensational and illo-V gical plays that Tiavo nothing to com-] mend them,to the reasoning niind. Oh,| I've played in them, and I know ex-j aotly what I'm saying. I may have to\ play in them again, out that will nob' alter my opinion as to their demerits. Why shouldn't New Zealand see the plays of Pinero, the brilliant Bernard Shaw, and the philosophical Arnold Bennett, and that gentle imaginist, J.: 11. Barrie ?. Yet how many plays have' you seen by this group of distinguished playwrights in thb last ten years? Two porhap3, 'The Second Mrs. Tanguoray' and 'Man and Superman,' only two out of volumes of plays, sotno of which are as well known as Shakespearo's in Lon-, don. By neglecting plays by the forc : most English writers of the day, NewZealand is losing a phase of literature which sho should not lose — a litcratur? that she would distinctly benefit by."