INFLUENCE OF SHAKESPEARE.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 October 1922, Page 6

INFLUENCE OF SHAKESPEARE.

BONDS OF EMPIRE. MR ALLAN) WILKIE HONORED. A complimentary luncheon was tenderer to Mr Allan Wilkie by the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce at New Plymouth yesterday. There was a large attendance of members of the Chamber and a number of apologies were also read. After the loyal toast had been honored, the president (Mr T. C. List) proposed the health of their guest. In doing so, Mr List said he was sure that he was expressing the feelings of those present in according on their behalf a very warm welcome to Mr Wilkie to New Plymouth. Mr Wilkie was not only a distinguished actor but an enthusiast, and he was doing a great work for the Empire in making known the works and plays of Shakespeare. Only an enthusiast could do what he was doing, and only one who could appreciate the value and inspiration of the poet’s works could devote, as Mr Wilkie was devoting, the best portion of his life to portraying them. Mr List added that he was in a way responsible for Mr Allan Wilkie including New Plymouth in his itinerary. He had met him in Sydney, and suggested that though New Plymouth had no theatre as yet the public would be pleased to hear him even under disadvantages arising from showing in the inadequate Empire Theatre.

, LINK BY SENTIMENT. Mr Wilkie was enthusiastically received on rising to reply. After expressing the pleasure he had in confirming Mr List's statement that it was owing to his representations that he had included New Plymouth in his New Zealand itinerary. Mr Wilkie said that, it he could take the heartiness of the welcome accorded him that day as indicative of the feelings of the people of New Plymouth as a whole, he was sure his season would be a success. Interspersing his remarks with several amusing anecdotes. Mr Wilkie then went on to speak of the influence of Shakespeare on tho British Empire. “In these days,’’ he said, “we hear a great deal about the bonds of Empire, and there seems to be a great deal of controversy as to how the bonds may be maintained, but alt

seem to be agreed that the greatest and strongest link is sentiment. That being so, it is to the great poets and • writers that the nation looks for the I full expression of its ideals. Men like • Shakespeare. Burns, and Scott have i done more to cement the bonds of Empire than anv Act of Parliament. I What man with a drop of British blood does not become thrilled when he hears or reads Richard the Second’s address to his troons before the battle of Harfleurs?” Th* I * o writers are not known as of yesterday or of to-day. Tney have permeated the ideals of the nation for generations past. It is impossible for any two men, reasonably educated, to carry on a conversation for half an hour or so without nosing quotations from Shakespeare. I believe, if all the volumes of Shakespeare were to be destroyed to-morrow, his ideals and thoughts would have so permeated us that they would go on for all time.” “I maintain, and maintain most

affniHxT— ”■ M- wnvu continued “that the greatest benefit is to know and see the works of Shakespeare through the medium for which they were written. Shakespeare had no ambitions for literary fame. He did not have his works published; that was left to two of his devoted colleagues, and it is a poor tribute to the poet as a craftsman to say that his works can be better appreciated by reading them instead of seeing them acted. TWO DANGERS.

“Situated as we are here in New Zealand, I hold it is doubly and trebly necessary that the works and plaj s of yesterday should be kept alive. Eve,ry corner of England is steeped in tradition, and yon cannot walk a few yards in London and all over the country without coming across spots which speak of the history of the past. Here in New Zealand we have no such history; all our historv is on the foreign battlefields of Gallipoli and France, and elsewhere. We are, therefore, in danger of two things. There is the danger of becoming too materialistic, but the past has a"'softening influence which will counteract that if we give it a chance. Another danger arises from our geographical position. There is the danger of becoming Americanised. We have American plays, pictures, and magazines coming in in vast 'quantities. I have nothing tn say against America, which is a great country, and the Americans are great people, but this is a British country, and what we want is the ideals of the British Empire and of Shakespeare. (Applause). I believe, in a humble way, I am performing a national service in producing Shakespeare’s plays in Australia and New Zealand. When I, started everyone told me 1 was attempting the impossible, but after two years and more T am ‘still going strong.’” Mr Wilkie concluded by quoting Die number of times he had produced the poet’' works in Australia and New Zealand. and stated that it was his ambition to produce the whole of Shakespeare’s 37 plays. When lie had done that he would feel that he had paid life small tribute to the poet. Mr Wilkie closed by quoting Carlyle’s eulogy ot

Thanks to Mr Wilkie for his addrest were, tendered by the Revd. 0. Blundell, president of the Shakespeare Reading Club.