SHAKESPEARE’S PLAYS

Hokitika Guardian, 9 January 1929, Page 5

SHAKESPEARE’S PLAYS

REVIVAL IN U.S.A

SIGNIFICANT FESTIVALS

SAN FRANCISCO, December 12

The tour of the Stratford-upon-Avon festival Players throughout Canada and the United States lias resulted in a great revival of interest in Shakespearean plays, the distinguished theatrical company having coiiic to the North American continent direct from the summer season in the temporary memorial theatre at Stratford.

The group of actors play together every spring and summer in Stratford, where fora number of years W. I! ridges Adams lias bad charge of the staging and direction of the plays. He succeeded Sir Frank 11. Benson in this office when Benson retired. The group visiting America is the only English body of players performing under a Boyal Charter, which King George V.

granted them. The American tour was undertaken for several reasons. One, a desire to hold the group together, so that they will grow into a homogeneous whole, and play together, as a single entity. Another, to take Shakespeare to places and peoples that do n'ot often have an opportunity to see his works adequately presented, and, thirdly, to raise funds for the building and endowment of the new Memorial Theatre which is to replace that burned down in March, 1926. Tt is expected that the new theatre will lie opened in 1930, and it is possible that longer seasons will be played there when the bouse is in use. At present there is a session altogether of about fifteen weeks, four played in April, including the birthday performance, which is always a great event in. Stratford, and. beginning in. July, a ten-week season for the tourist.

There are three leading men with the company, and as many leading women with the organisation, and great care is taken in making the repertoire to prevent them from playing two taxing roles close together. Their programme includes the “Shrew, “ Hamlet,” with George Hayes, Who has won a great reputation in England for bis fine work; “Julius Caesar,” “ Merry Wives of Windsor,” “ A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “ The laming of the Shrew,” ‘ King Richard, III.,” in which Hayes acts as Glostcr; and other Shakespearian favourites. MANAGER TELLS CHARM. Bringing Shakespeare to the man in the street, Archibald Flower, chairman 'of the hoard of governors of the Memorial Theatre of Stratford-upon-Avon, arrived in San Francisco a week in advance of the arrival of the Stratford Festival Company, and explained something of the venture. An Oxford man, 63 years old, Mr Flower speaks delightful*. * ll Britain ” English, and radiates British charm. Stratford-upon-Avon, where Shakespeare was horn, has been the family seat of the Flowers 'for generations. A country gentleman, of the old school, Mr Flower plays polo, rides to hounds, and is an enthusiastic golfer. Charles B. Flower, his uncle, was one of the founders -of the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in 1879. Mr Flower himself was elected Mayor df Strat-ford-upon-Avon when King Edward was crowned, and served in that office for four years during the World War. A man of wealth, his work as chairman of the board of governors df the theatre is a labour of affection that has sprung from his veneration for Shakespeare as a creative artist. “ The main object of the American! tour of the Stratford-upon-Avon Festival Company is to bring Shakespeare back to the mass of the people, for whom ho originally wrote,” ho said. “ We are apt to think 'of Shakespeare, as a playwright to be read in the library. He is, on the contrary, primarily a playwright to he seen on the stage. He was able to crowd his own theatre to the doors, because of his consummate mastery in appealing to the people. Seeing Shakespeare acted whets our appetite for more extensive acquaint-’ ance with his plays. There arc forty persons in tITe Stratford-upon-Avon Festivity Company, thirty of whom art) actors. The performers arc mostly from London, and there is a wide diversity of talent among them. “ The company is coming to San Francisco after scoring success allot sucess in Canada and the North-West. The receptions they have received prove my contention that the mass of people have a genuine admiration 'for Shakespeare. Proceeds from the tour will go to the building fund of the now Memorial Theatre. The original theatre, as doubtless you are aware, was burned two years ago. A competition was held among architects for plans for the new building, and it was won by a Scotch girl. The stage of the new theatre will stand back to back of the stage of the old one. The site is one of the most glorious rural scenes in England. “ Much of Stratford-upon-Avon is as fit was in Shakespeare’s time. Anne Hathaway’s cottage is there, and so is the school where Shakespeare was educated 350 years ago. This building is still used as a school.” Ex-Mayor Flower was accompanied to San Francisco by his wife, his daughter Evadne and his nephew, tho Hon. Alastair Erskine.