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New Zealand Listener, Volume 37, Issue 935, 12 July 1957, Page 11

Sir-We now have Mr Dunlop taking the stage on behalf of Mr Newman and claiming that Mr Harcourt is at fault because he did not see The Montgomeries performed, but judged the play from the script. Well, so did Mr Newman, and to quote Mr Dunlop on Mr

Harcourt-‘"he therefore does not fully appreciate what he is talking about." As for Mr Dunlop’s assertion that "such entries as failed to gain top places were simply not good enough to do so," is it not a fact that several unplaced entries in the Southland competition have been accepted for production on the English stage? Then again, Mr Dunlop states that "the Invercargill Repertory Society undertook to do the plays (which plays and how many?), but was not bound to do so." Not bound, but under a moral obligation perhaps? And how much of the responsibility for this decision could be attributed to Mr Dunlop’s influence, anyway? And do members of the Invercargill Society all agree that The Montgomeries was the best play in the competition? Would not Mr Dunlop agree that at least one other play in the competition was better than The Montgomeries? The play I refer to is The Tree, by Stella Jones, which Mr Dunlop has just produced for the Invercargill Repertory Society. This play was placed second to The Mont-gomeries-why, only Mr Newman can say. If he can find anyone who has seen or read both plays-including Mr Dun-lop-to agree with him I will be astonished. ; A number of local playgoers whose critical faculties are still intact are in agreement with Mr Harcourt’s criticism of The Montgomeries. If this was the best play in the competition they naturally feared for the rest. They were amazed and delighted when they found The Tree to be a much better play. The critic of the Southland Daily News, for one, has recanted his earlier estimate of Mrs Black’s play in his review of The Tree, and in doing so has voiced the thoughts of a good many others. Like Mr Newman I do not know what Mr Harcourt’s qualifications as a judge of plays may be, but I would like to congratulate him’ on his judgment. As for B.E.G.M.’s suggestion that the NZBS should broadcast the top plays — provided they do not have to be altered too much to fit the broadcast medium-I am all for the idea. Then Mr Harcourt will have his attitude vindicated.

MALVOLIO

(Invercargill).