REPERTORY SOCIETY

Evening Star, Issue 21747, 15 June 1934, Page 6

REPERTORY SOCIETY

SUCCESS OF FIRST YEAR The annual meeting of the Dunedin Repertory Society was held last evening, the president (Blrs Richard Hudson) presiding. The annual report stated that the year closed with a credit balance of £B3 13s TOd, which included £33 0s 6d subscriptions paid in advance. This was considered most satisfactory, in view of the difficulty of launching a new enterprise at a time like the present. The financial success of the society’s first year was a clear indication that it was fulfilling a want in the community. On April 30, 1934, the membership stood at 426, all being financial. Since Blay 1 £7O had been paid in_ subscriptions. New members were joining freely. The work of the society for the year had consisted in the first place of four major productions. The measure of financial success which attended these productions varied to a large extent,’ but artistically they all attained a reasonably high level, and should feerve as an incentive to still better work during the present year. The second feature of the society’s activities consisted of the social evenings. ■ Those had proved a most popular form of entertainment for members and their friends, and had been a valuable means of recruiting new subscribers. Steady progress had been made from reading plays to acting them. An /innovation was made at tho Biarch social evening, when a three-act play was read to the evident enjoyment of the audience. At the commencement of the year the committee set up the following sub-com-mittees :—Selection, finance, membership, and social. The Selection Committee had thirty-three meetings during the year. Five plays for tho major productions of the society were chosen and cast, the committee endeavouring to cast as wide a circle of members as possible. Considerable difficulty was experienced in casting owing to the fact that a number of parts were accepted, but later relinquished for various reasons, making it necessary to recast the parts. The natural result of this was that the Selection Committee may bo forced to re-cast experienced players who it was reasonably certain would accept the parts. This was, of course, at variance with the correct policy of a repertory society, which was to build up acting ability by training and experience in as wide a circle of members as possible. The Selection Committee, therefore, emphasised the importance of members accepting the parts that were offered. During the year forty-nine members were cast in the major productions, one member appeared in three plays, three iu two, and forty-five members were cast once. In the plays read or acted at tho monthly social evenings 111 members took part. These monthly social evenings were of miportance in enabling new members to show their acting ability. Owing to the difficulty of getting in touch with new members the committee suggested that, at intervals, special evenings be held, an invitation to these being extended to all members who desired parts at the monthly socials. Plays would bo chosen and cast at these evenings, and then handed over for production to one of the recognised producers of tho society. The Selection Committee felt that a reasonable standard of success had been attained in the first year, and, with the experience gained by members, a considerable improvement should be apparent in the coming year. The question of accommodation for major productions and social evenings was a burning one, and had given cause for much anxious thought. There was no hall entirely suitable for the latter and, although His Blajesty’s Theatre was available for the former, the heavy expenses and difficulties iu regard to dates constituted serious drawbacks. It was hoped that an early solution of these troubles would bo found. Certain changes in the committee membership took place during the year. Mr R. E._ Fiedler resigned in consequence of his departure for England. The treasurer (Mr G. D. Stewart) also resigned owing ■ to his

transfer to Wellington. The committee appointed Mr H. Henderson, who was always a member of the committee, to the position of treasurer, and filled the vacancies on the committee by th appointment in November of Messrs W. R. Brugh and H. F. Marshall. The committee held twenty-six meetings during the year. —The committee desired to place on record its appreciation of the assistance which was readily given by the Press throughout the year, of the honorary work of the auditor (Mr George Maclean), of the enthusiasm and reliability of Mr Max Wilson and his band of voluntary assistants, who acted as ticket-sellers, door-keepers, ushers, and programmesellers for the four major productions. It also desired to express its gratitude to Mr J. F. Himburg, T. Maunsell, and H M'Farlane, Miss Mary Martin, and all the musicians who provided the orchestral music for the theatre performances, to Mr John Hamer for much practical advice and assistance, to the producers who superintended the one-act plays for the social evenings and to all others who contributed in any way to the success of the year. The report was adopted. The election of office-bearer? resulted:—Patrons, Mr Justice Kennedy and Sir James Allen;- president, Mrs Richard Hudson; vice-presidents, Mr John Hamer and Mrs Sutherland Ross; treasurer, Mr H. Henderson; auditor, Mr G. Maclean; committee, Messrs W. R. Brugh, D. E. Dali, E. Grilfen, H. F. Marshall, A. G. Smith, Mesdames Wakefield Holmes, E. T, Moller, and Miss B. Thomson.