A HORRID WARNING

New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 791, 17 September 1954, Page 5

A HORRID WARNING

Sir-Youthfully ignorant, I imagined that the old argument Box Office v. Non-Box Office had long ago ceased to be televant-especially apropos theatre. Surely now we must realise that both

are complementary and indivisible. Both are using ideas and methods discovered by the other; each is a training groundno matter in which the student ultimately chooses to work-and both are showing future audiences what an _ exciting thing is theatre. Let’s not therefore worry ourselves over much in which camp others may be working-fine plays and players are found in both. That theatre be entertaining is a thing which I know both Mr. Bruce Mason and Mr. L. Assheton Harbord would demandtheir ideas of entertainment being merely a little different. All that we need ask of either of these extremes is that, when working in theatre, they be as proficient as necessary and as inspired as possible. Particularly in these ideas I have avoided the words professional and amateur, these days applicable in that one gets paid and the other doesn’t, an obvious thing, and having no connection bearing on their competence or otherwise and certainly not on their happening to be Box Office’ or no. Popular or minority, because of our contemporary Knowledge of dramatic theory and history, because of our technical resources, theatre today is greater in potential and fact that ever before. lope it will be better. And the dav after. better still.

REID

DOUGLAS

(Auckland).