"Effects" in Radio Plays

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 38, 5 April 1929, Page 7

"Effects" in Radio Plays

I NOTICE with some surprise in the Auckland papers during the past three or four weeks that it is claimed for a forthcoming production. of "Bird in Hand" here that this will be the first presentation of a John Drinkwater play in New Zealand. ‘This is obviously incorrect, for the credit of first presenting a Drinkwater play in this Dominion must be given to the Broadcasting Company of New Zealand when it accepted my offer to broadcast his great historical play, "Oliver Cromwell," some eight or nine months ago, And judging by the innumerable complimentary letters received from all parts of the Dominion, the production was a remarkably arresting one. Again, I notice in your issue of March 28 it is claimed that certain effects of rain, wind, sounds, etc., to be used in some forthcoming plays to be done on the air will be used for the first time here. This is certainly not correct, though I have no doubt the statement was made in perfect good faith. All these effects, and many more, which added greatly to the atmosphere in each case, were used by me in "Campbell of Kilmohr," ‘The Discovery," "Macbeth," and, quite recently, in the presentation of that remarkable play-story, "Galapagos." In the case of this latter, many correspondents in writing to the station and to me specially mentioned the wonderful "ef--fects" used, and declared that they added very greatly to the success of the performance. I have no desire to belittle the work of any other company or performer, but let us at least have eredit for what we have done ‘as pioneers of plays-on-the-air in New

Zealand:

J. F.

MONTAGUE