A Rosy Future for Drama in New Zealand

Radio Record, Volume VII, Issue 6, 18 August 1933, Page 5

A Rosy Future for Drama in

New Zealand

: "THE time has arrived again for this year’s judging and the Wellington branch of the British Drama League presented several New Zealand plays in the groups played by Wellington amateurs on four evenings last week. In an interview with a "Radio Record" representative this week Mr. Victor S. Lloyd, treasurer of the New Zealand PRranch of

the British Drama‘ League and a dramatist of some note (his "Quiet Weekend" was produced by the Wellington Repertory Society recently), said that the "Radio Record’ and the "Dairy Exporter" trophies had done much toward fostering . dramatic art in the Dominion. Several years ago the chances of a ' New Zealand play-. wright having his own plays presented or published was remote, . but since the publication of "Seven One-Act Plays" by this jour-nal-a collection of plays by Dominion playwrights that was warmly praised by Dame Sybil Thorn-dike-and the stimulation afforded by the British Drama League, writers and players had been coming forward and the future of the theatre in New Zealand was very bright.

OUR little country might be forgiven if its people lacked a "sense of the theatre," for the production of good plays by professional companies is infrequent. But New Zealand, judging by the plays staged by repertory societies, lacks little talent in the acting or play-writing spheres. Everything is being done to foster an appreciation of dramatic artrepertory is in a flourishing state, the British Drama League, wih branches throughout the country, is giving our budding playwrights and players all the assistance in its power, and the amateur operatic companies are giving of their best to appreciative audiences. In this fostering of dramatic ability, the "Radio Record" is playing no small part. Last year this paper donated a trophy for the best oneact play from a New Zealand writer. The entries were many and the trophy was finally awarded to Mrs. V. Targuse, of Christchurch, for her plays "Fear" and "The Touchstone," placed equal. "There has been criticism of New Zealand plays in the Press lately," said Mr. Lloyd. "Letters have pointed out that a local play should have a local setting before it was

€1igipie ror competition in a New Zealand competition. I don’t agree. ~- The rules of competition distinctly set out that while the play must be written by a New Zealander its setting can be anywhere at all-Baby-lon, the North Pole -or Mars, if the writer chooses. I am concerned with only two thingsfirstly, the dramatic value of the play, and secondly, its literary value. "The New Zealand plays in this year’s group are set in various parts of the world. ‘A King Goes By,’ by Margaret Pearson, is a sound story of a familiar subject — the pursuit of Bonnie Prince Charlie in the Highlands. "The Signal, by Helen Gordon, is another; ‘Touchstone,’ which won the ‘Radio Record’ trophy, is in (Contd. on page 17.)

Drama in N.Z. os (Continued from page 5.)

another group; a play by Ilma M. Levy, ‘God Made Two Trees,’ is a wellconstructed offering, while the last of the group, ‘It'll Happen Again,’ is a play by a pupil of Rongotai College." In the last 12 months the Drama League bus spread its net wide and there are now branches in almost. every part of the country. Festivals have recently been held at Masterton and Dannevirke: there are to be others at Napier, Christchurch, Timaru, Dunedin, Invercargill and Auckland in the near future, Hawera’s has just finished. Winners from these centres will compete at Wellington for the national finals on September 23 for a trophy which will be presented by the GovernorGeneral, Lord Bledisloe. Mr. Lioyd will announce, at this festival, the winners of the {Radio Record? and "Dairy Exporter" trophies,