SHAW'S PLAY

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 73, 27 March 1934, Page 10

SHAW'S PLAY

BANNED EPILOGUE

AUTHOR'S COMMENTS

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, March 26. Mr. George Bernard Shaw was invited by the "Herald" ' to comment on the report that the broadcasting of the epilogue of his play, "Androcles and the Lion" had been forbidden by a Christchurch radio inspector. "I have been hearing something about this," said Mr. Shaw. "Beally I had quite forgotten there was an epilogue to 'Androeles.' You see, I haven't a copy of the play by me!" Mr. Shaw chuckled, and then became perfectly serious. "An epilogue is not part of a play, and I don't suppose it should be broadcast," he said. "It is nothing to do with the play at all. "All- this about certain subjects being controversial is nohseuse," said Mr. Shaw. "It is just a convenient method by which the Government says that some regulation or other is being contravened. Why, except for time signals and weather reports, everything on the wireless is controversial.

"You broadcast church services in New Zealand, don't you?" asked Mr. Shaw. "Yes? Well, nothing is more controversial than a church, service, biit because something is controversial that does not niean it is not right." The full text of the Christchurch message was read to Mr. Shaw. The speculation that he had inspired the radio inspector to take action surprised him. ' "That is the penalty one has to pay," he said. "That sort of nonsense. Well, of course, one couldn't do that sort of thing even if one were bo foolish as to try. "The play itself is frightfully controversial," said Mr. Shaw, who expressed astonishment that its reading had been permitted if controversial matters were forbidden. . In any case there was no necessity to ban the reading of the epilogue because it was controversial. Not being part of the play, it should not have been read in any case. "As for what the inspector says," remarked Mr. Shaw finally, "that's all stuff." .