THE CRITICS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 24, Issue 621, 25 May 1951, Page 5

THE CRITICS

Sir-Some criticism of the Critics’ 1YC fortnightly session is long overdue. Aimed at offering a service of informed criticism on books, music, drama, films and other cultural activities in Auckland, the session scrapes low in the barrel when it presents the film The White Tower as a subject for discussion. As well as failing to maintain. the usual standard. of material, the choice’ of this subject shows a lack of co-ordin-ation in programme planning, . Surely the chairman of the panel. knew that this film had been reviewed. twice in that very same week from 1YA. Moreover, following upon a discussion of the play Tartuffe, in which the Critics agreed that it was better to tackle firstrate material with a doubtful degree of success, than to give a polished presentation of inferior stuff, the discussion of a film that was almost unanimously condemned, made its choice call. the more open to question. & Apart from this lapse in 9 "the session has generally provided interesting

listening. ‘The only persisting drawback to full enjoyment of the session is the chairman’s tendency to channel discussion along the lines of his own opinions. Why, for example, should he have been so eager to elicit favourable comments on the C.A.S. production of Pygmalion and on the Massey Collection of English ‘Painting, when the Critics were perform‘ing a useful service in pointing up the inadequacies of each? A lighter and more discreet rein on the;discussion would be ‘more in keeping with the ‘duties *of a

chairman.

A.

C.

(Auckland),