ARTISTIC STARVATION

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 64, 6 November 1931, Page 2

ARTISTIC STARVATION

It is scarcely fair of an English actress, Miss Margaret Blake, at a time when New Zealand is being required to put up with its politicians, and its depression, still further to accentuate our unfortunate position by announcing to the world at large that New Zealand is "faeing intellectual and artistic starvation." It may probably be a sign of this intellectual and artistic | starvation, that the name of Miss Blake does not perhaps convey a great deal to New Zealanders and it is possible that in spite of her drastic commentary, the majority of us will continue to be more pfeoccupied with the task of avoiding material starvation, than the no doubt equally important employment of obtaining sufficient intellectual nourishment. It is true that some years ago, Miss Blake herself did something to alleviate the Dominion's unfortunate dearth of artistic and intellectual activity by organising a theatre society in Wellington, and bringing to us some of the delights of the artistic circles so far outside our colonial simplicities. Although we have now lost the benefit of this refming influence, New Zealand aa a whole will no doubt be pleased to learn that on the motion of Miss Blake, a committee of the; British Drama League has been ,set up to study the immediate needs of the community drama in the Dominions and Crown Colonies. Even in the present parlous state of the country, there are these gleams of sunshine. No one will question Miss Blake's assertion that New Zealand is terribly isolated in regard to its literature and drama. Geographically the facts support Miss Blake. Historically also, had she seen fit to mention it, Miss Blake might have added that we have had considerably less than a century in which to develop an appreciation which in the homes of culture has been mellowed and refined for hundreds of years. Miss Blake, as an actress, might still further have enlightened her hearers by pointing out that our comparatively small population and our geographical isolation, have so far combined to deprive us( of very many of the artistic and intellectual delights enjoyed by Europe, England, .and America. Our box office appeal is lacking, and that is something, unfortunately, which will deter even the purveyers of intellectual and artistic enlightenment. Perhaps, and quite naturally, they would rather that this isolated corner of civilisation should face intellectual and artistic starvation, than that they themselves should face the comparative material starvation of which we have already spoken. To such an extent does materiaiism encroach upon even the most artistically and intellectually illumined minds. But Miss Blake went further in her criticism of our uncouthness. It was, she said, in parts of New Zealand, considered an affectation to speak good English, while in addition our schools and colleges were backward in literature and drama. It might perhaps have been more informative had Miss Blake specified what she meant by "good English." Grammatically, we would venture the opinion, New Zealand speech is little better and certainly no worse than that of other English speaking countries. Possibly, however, Miss Blake was referring to the lack of refinement and proper pronunciation of our vowel sounds and accents — a, sub•ject upon which she has by no means broken new ground. At the same time there have been other s who have argued that good English, good in the sense that its accent and vowel pronunciation is in accordance with the training of certain classes who have attended the English public schools, is in itself to a certain extent, affectation. It cannot justifiably be argued that it ; is an affectation conseiously performed, but it has been argued ..that it is an affectation ingrained in the natural speech by centuries of training! along specific lines. The "colonial accent" as it has been termed by many of the intellectually and artistically enlightened, is undoubtedly not all it might be viewed from the standpoint of proper pronunciation and enunciation, but it is at tlie same time, something not slavishly patterned upon speech training which has itself its imperfections. The final section of Miss Blake's criticism is perhaps, the one most worthy, of note. THe attention which is given to literature and drama in our schools and colleges bas undoubtedly been negligible in the past and it is only during the last few years that more iip-to-date methods in their treatment have been introduced. But Miss Blake arid others of our overseas visitors, who deplore our lack of artistic arici intellectual advancement would do well to remember that New Zealand is a very young country and like all very youhg countries, primarily occupied in the struggle for existence. So far as her statements regarding the poor reception given the drama ip this country are concerned, if it could be made worth while frorn a materialistic point of view, for m,ore of the world's i great artists to visit us, even Miss Blake might be* surprised at I the warmth of their reception.