ONE-ACT PLAY COMPETITION

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23001, 22 April 1940, Page 6

ONE-ACT PLAY COMPETITION

PARTICIPATION BY CITY GROUPS POSSIBILITY TO BE EXPLORED At a • meeting of. representatives -of groups-interested-in community drttma held in the Canterbury Repertory Theatre Society’s rooms it 1 * was decided, to appoint a. committee to consider the practicability of co-opera-ting in the national centennial one-act play competition sponsored’ by the . Government as part of New Zealand’s • centennial celebrations. Dr. J. High - (president of the Repertory Society), who presided, explained that the meeting had been convened to ascertain the attitude of Christchurch to the proposed petition. He felt, however, that the city should take its place in plans that were„ being made in other centres to co-operate in. the contribution the drama should make in the New Zea* land celebrations. > . > Jj; 1 . -'Mr- A. E, Lawrence (advisory coun--cillor for the South. Island of the British Drama League) explained that the competition had been decided -upon by the National Centennial Celebrations Committee as a contribution - . to a demonstration of the development of the cultural .side of the life of the Dominion, and the British Drama -, League ;was whole-heartedly co- v operating in the organisation, of the festivals. In Christchurch there was . ho British Drama organisation. Hence the meeting, which was planned to give all interested groups and in- \ dividuals an opportunity to participate. The one-act drama festival would be open to all. Irrespective of afiiliation. It was felt that in such a Dominion-wide effort no place or team should feel itself debarred. In. other centres the competition was being enthusiastically organised, and he .. felt certain that in Christchurch there was a vast reservoir of talent that ‘ could find expression ih a one-act J»lay festival. Moreover, if Christchurch failed to organise its preliminary festival its players would not be eligible to compete in the Canterbury provincial final . which was to find the teams to participate in the national final to be held in Wellington late in July, at which the four-""' provincial winners'would compete for prizes of £SO and £2O offered by the Government. Mr Lawrence concluded by urging interested groups to co-operate in arranging a festival in Christchurch and thus make the Canterbury organisation' complete; and giving the winning team here ; the right to compete in the Canterbury, provincial final to be held in Timaru! The idea behind this .national festival of community drama ; was not merely to give the people of New Zealand an opportunity of seeing the very highest standard of dramatic work the , country could pro- . duce, and it was not intended only to promote a mere sudden burst of activity which would die down with completion, but to give an impetus to the study and practice of the drama, whose good effects would carry on, indefinitely stimulating the cultural side of New Zealand life. After • discussion it was decided to. appoint, a committee to explore the practicability of holding a festival in Christchurch on the lines suggested, and the following re? • presentatives of interested groups - were chosen:—Mr W. J. Par-■ sons. W.E.A. (convener), Mr D. I.,Mac-., rionald (Canterbury Repertory Theatre ■ .Society), Mr# R. J. McLaren (Canterbury Women’s Club), Miss F. A. King (Old Westonians and Hav’s, Ltd.). Mrs sStevenson Temple (New Theatre Group), Mrs .Neale (Canterbury Cal-_.’ : lege Drama Society), Miss Ironside, - (Training College Drama Group), Miss' Naare Hooper, with power to add as new groups become associated With the festival organisation. '■