COMMONWEALTH THEATRE

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26493, 7 August 1951, Page 8

COMMONWEALTH THEATRE

SEASON OF THREE PLAYS IN CHRISTCHURCH

PRODUCTION BY MISS NGAIO MARSH

Christchurch has a particular interest in the visit here of the British Commonwealth Theatre Company, which will present a season of plays by Pirandello, Shaw and Shakespeare at the Theatre Royal on August 18. The company’s producer is Miss Ngaio Marsh, one of its leading members is Miss Brigid Lenihan, of Christchurch, and the organisation came into being largely because of the successful Australian tour of the Canterbury Student Players, who were drawn mainly from the Canterbury University College Drama Society.

The British Commonwealth Theatre Company, which has been described as an object lesson in international co-operation, is led by Miss Marsh, and consists of five other New Zealanders, five Australians, six Britons, one Canadian, one South African and an Englishman who lived in India for some years. The company, which is non-profit-making, is the product of two years planning and organising by Miss Marsh and the New Zealand entrepreneur, Mr D. D. O’Connor, who brought the Old Vic Company, the Ballet Rambert, and the Boyd Neel Orchestra to the Dominion. Several years ago Mr O'Connor sponsored the Canterbury Student Players’ Australian tour with Miss Marsh as producer, and its success inspired his decision to launch a theatrical enterprise which would bring together players from all the Commonwealth countries. Miss Marsh, who has been the driving force behind the new venture, has worked with Mr O’Connor towards the ideal of a truly Commonwealth theatre. Some time ago she went to England to form the company, scouting for talent and planning the tour. The company originally comprised 15 players representing England and each of the Dominions, but it has since been expanded in Australia and New Zealand. It has been designed to form a link between actors in the Dominions and Britain and especially to afford professional players in the countries visited an opportunity to develop their work and enrich their experience in plays of integrity under sound modern production. Christchurch Season During its season in Christchurch the company will present “Six Characters in Search of an Author” by Luigi Pirandello, Shaw’s “The Devil’s Disciple," and Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.” Miss Marsh’s production of the Pirandello comedy was highly praised when it was presented at the Embassy Theatre in London last year. “The Devil’s Disciple” will be the first Shaw play brought to New Zealand by overseas artists since Dame Sybil Thorndike appeared here in "Saint Joan” in 1933. As a producer Miss Marsh first made her reputation with Shakespeare, as many Christchurch playSoers will remember, and her prouction of “Twelfth Night” is reported to be outstanding. Brigid Lenihan, the Christchurch member of the company, trained for ballet for nearly seven years before an injury prevented her from continuing. She was with the New Zealand Broadcasting Service for a time, and later toured with the Canterbury Student Players. Then she went to England and played repertory. Last summer she toured Italy with the Ola Vic’s production of “Twelfth Night’ and more recently was in the London production of “Isle of JJmbrellas” with Marjorie Fielding. Among the other New Zealanders in the company are Robert Stead and his wife, of Wellington, and Wendy Whitlock, of Hastings. Mr Stead was with Miss Marsh as company manager for the Canterbury Student Players, and after the tour went to England to the Old Vic Theatre School where he worked for the famous producer, Tyrone Guthrie. Mrs Stead, who has had extensive experience in repertory productions in New Zealand, also toured with the Canterbury Student Players, playing in “Othello” and “Six Characters in Search of an Author.” Miss Whitlock joined the company in Australia as stage manager. Two of the English members of the company, Ailsa Grahame and Frederick Bennett, were formerly members of the Old Vic. Basil Henson. John Schlesinger and Wendy Gibb are ex- ■ amples of the-contrasting backgrounds of members of the company. Mr ■ Henson was an officer in the Indian Army; Mr Schlesinger, of England, toured France and the United States ' as a player with the Oxford University Dramatic Society; and Miss Gibb, , of Australia, had the leading female role in the film “Sons of Matthew.”