THESPIANS IN RECESS

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 37, 7 November 1942, Page 8

THESPIANS IN RECESS

Suspension Of Activity After Eight Years ACTORS TAKEN BY FORCES Recent ballots for military service having seriously depleted the active membership of the Thespians, this Wellington society decided at a special general meeting of members recently to the public performance of plays that has uten its chief activity. A number of enthusiasts among the members are carrying on with weekly play-readings.. and the society will continue to maintain as active an interest in the drama as circumstances will permit. Particularly, the comuiitee has been requested by members to continue its efforts, in conjunction with similar organizations, to obtain a tulivequipped civic theatre for elhngton. At the meeting members were given a am statement of the position by the chair* man of the committee, Mr. I<. M. Renner, and it was agreed that, with almost the entire male strength of the society servin'- with the armed forces, it would .Re practically impossible to carry on the activities of the past. . . This is the first interruption in the society’s work of producing plays'in Wellington, which began eight years ago. In that time it has made some important contributions to the amateur stage of the city, having from its inception adopted the policy of presenting plays that were the best of their kind and which could be fully and effectively staged within the resources of the society and the ImiiiS imposed by the Concert Chamber. Some of tlie society’s outstanding productions remembered by. Wellington playgoers aie “Hobson’s Choice,” “The School for Scandal” and “Lovers’ Leap.” A notable compliment was paid tho society a few yeaiS rfgo when Charles Morgan,, the English novelist nnd dramatic critic of Lae Times,” personally granted P r ®', rel ” rights of his first play, lhe Flashin„ Stream,” which has since proved a success in larger centres, to Mr. Myles 1 . Wright, then producer tor the society. Thousands of Wellington school c.ijldren owe their only opportunity ot S «-!1U, the plavs of Shakespeare to the Thespians. In recent years the society has produced one Shakespearean P^ ny , a / e ‘ ’ aud these productions have prove dp o - lar not only with the Reneral piihhe b sneeial low charges have enabled a.ioul 1500 primarv school children to aitind mrnh year. Probably the ’Xn of these performances was A Miclsnip mer Night’s Dream.” this year. It drew record attendances and proved the possibility of making money by producin, .he plavs of Shakespeare.