AUSTRALIAN TOUR

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25683, 21 December 1948, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN TOUR

COLLEGE PLAYERS HONOURED MISS MARSH LECTURER IN DF.AMA The Student Players—a company from the Canterbury University College Drama Society—who will underta j x-. a ? Australian tour in January and February, were guests of the College Council and Professorial Board at an afternoon reception yesterday. The chairman (Sir Joseph Ward) announced that Miss Ngaio Marsh, who has produced several Shakespearean plays for the society, has been appointed honorary lecturer in drama at the college. This was greeted with prolonged applause, and the chairman praised Miss Marsh’s efforts for the college. .Sir Joseph Ward said this would be the first New Zealand dramatic company to make a tour overseas. This, in itself, was an important step and the venture would also mark the inauguration of a new form of interuniversity visitation. Mr D. D. O’Con-

nor, who had sponsored successful tours of New Zealand by college dramatic companies, was arranging this trip to eastern Australian centres by 24 student players. They would perform at Sydney, Canberra, and Melbourne and probably at Geelong and Ballarat. About two tons of scenery and stage properties would be taken to Australia.

Dr. H. R. Hulme. rector, said the goodwill value of inter-college visiting was inestimable, particularly between countries of the Empire. From glimpses of the plays in preparation, he was confident that they would be enthusiastically received. Mr M. L. McGlashan, who is chairman of the touring committee, recalled the Drama Society’s Shakespearean plays since 1943. The society owed much to Miss Marsh for her direction and to Mr O’Connor for his financial support, he said. Many others had given freely of executive, administrative. and manual abilities. He hoped this would mark the inauguration of regular exchange visits by student theatrical groups. Miss Marsh said a complete review of activities since student players began to “meddle with the bard” had been given. She was grateful for the gracious recognition of her efforts in the appointment as honorary lecturer in drama.

Rehearsals have been held daily since University examinations ended late in November. Two plays will be presented—“ Othello.” which was performed by the college group which toured New Zealand in 1944-45. and Pirandello’s “Six Characters in Search of an Author,” the first act of which was presented before the Old Vic company in Christchurch. Mr McGlashan will be stage manager and he will fly to Australia on Christmas Day to make final arrangements and arrange for some settings to be built in Australia. Messrs Alistair Johnston and John Knight will be assistant stage managers. Mr Robert Stead (Wellington) touring manager, Miss Monica Mead wardrobe mistress. and Mrs M. L. McGlashan in charge of properties. In “Othello.” the principal players will be:—Othello, Paul Molineaux; lago. Alan de Malmanche; Desdemona. Brigid Lenihan; Emelia, Pamela Mann: and in “Six Characters in Search of an Author”—the father. Bernard Kearns; the step-daughter, Brigid Lenihan: the manager, Paul Molineaux; the mother. Maryrose Miller. Others in the company will be Elizabeth Stead. Patience Maclean. Robert Newman. Michael Benge, John Jenkins. William Scannell, Robert Gormack, Rodney Kennedy, Andrew Anderson, Michael Cotterill, James Baird, and Dundas Walker. New recordings have been made of incidental music specially composed by Douglas Lilburn for “Othello.” The main body of the company will sail for Australia in the Wanganella on January 6. They will play at the Sydney Conservatorium for about a fortnight, at Canberra for a few days, and at Melbourne from February 12 to 26. Members will be back in Christchurch in the first week of March. Billeting for members of the company has been arranged by the universities at the centres to be visited.