Theatre Festivals Acquire Lecture Habit in England

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 67, 11 December 1937, Page 18

Theatre Festivals Acquire Lecture Habit in England

MALVERN. — Britain 's theatre festivals have taken to talking as well as playing. Eor the first time in its history the Shakespeare festival at Strat-ford-on Avon has been accompaniedthis year by lectures and discussions on the problems xaised by Shakespearean drama. Tbese conferences' are arranged by Prof. G. B. Harrison of London University, wbo opened them with a paper on "Modern Approaches to the Study of Shakespeare." Other lecturers included J, Middleton Murry, Harold Child, and Miss G. D. Willcock, Donald Wolfit spoke on "An Actor 's Conception of Hamlet." It is announced that this system of lectures will be continued. It was Malvern that introduced the lecturing habit into tbe English theatre. When Sir Barry Jackson instituted Ms annual dramatic festival here some years ago he. brought with Mm & corps of lecturers who expounded the theory of drama in the morning while Sir Barry 's players revealed the'practice at night. The lectures were a success and still continue. Meanwhile, the festival habit is catching on iu other pa.rts of . the country besides Malvern and Stratford. Buxton, in the Peak District of Derbyshire, is the latest town to institute a dramatic festival. It has engaged the company of the Old Yic, London, to present three plays— - Ibsen's "Ghosts," Shakespeare 's "Measure for Measure" and Shaw's "Pygmalion." These festivals are considered to be a notable contribution to the Te-' vi-val, . both economically and artistically, of the English provincial theatre. It is noted that Bernard Shaw has been intimately connected both with the en feeblement of tho English provincial theatre and with its current renascence. When the drama in the provinces was in its heyday it was largely supportec by "the prestige of star aetors like Irving, Sarah Bernhardt, and Wilsou Barrett, who occasionally went on teur. Shaw v/as one of the chief enemies of the "star" system, and sought its downfall. Then, during the rise of the films he kept the stage alive by giving it enormous intellectual repute. Erom the beginning he has been the mainstay of Malvern. "The Apple Cart," "Too True Te Be Good" and "The Simpleton of the XJne'xpected Isles" received their first English performanees at Sir Barry 's festivals. Every year Mr Shaw is to be seen at Malvern, dashing hither and thither, running up and down hills at incrediblu speed, planting mulbcrry trees and arguing. Ho is also met often at Buston, which now joina Malvern in producing his plays.