UNIVERSITY’S THEATRE

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28920, 13 June 1959, Page 4

UNIVERSITY’S THEATRE

Plans For New

Building

Since the Little Theatre at the University of Canterbury was destroyed by fire in 1953 the University of Canterbury Drama Society has been able to produce only one major production a year, and that in a theatre seating 1100. according to Miss Ngaio Marsh. Because of that.’ and because she considers student producers cannot be trained under the present conditions. Miss Marsh recently gathered together a group of persons who have shown a continued interest in the society, to form an organisation called the “Friends of the Little Theatre.”

The group, which includes the Bishop of Christchurch (the Rt. Rev. A. K. Warren), the Dean of Christchurch (the Very Rev. Martin Sullivan) and several wellknown professional men, has met several times and a draft constitution has been prepared. It is intended to form an incorporated society The aims of the organisation are to raise money to either buy a suitable site for building a theatre, or to buy a building adaptable to the society’s needs. Miss Marsh said the Little Theatre was destroyed at a time when the society had built up a team of student-producers, several of whom had since done notable work in England, America. Australia and New Zealand. Those producers were then far enough advanced to undertake plays of "interest and value to undergraduates. especially those reading for arts degrees. , Tradition of Theatre

‘‘They had reached a standard that enabled them to present plays of historical, cultural and contemporary importance which would otherwise 6e neglected in our community and which commanded good audiences,’’ said Miss Marsh. “I believe that by continued production classes one might establish in the university a firm tradition of civilised theatre at a high standard of presentation and comparable to the work of Oxford and Cambridge dramatic societies.

“Unfortunately, without a little theatre that is impossible. The society is now obliged to pour all its energy and resources into one major production a year in a theatre seating 1100. The cost of such productions is well over £lOOO. They show a profit and through them we have accumulated a building fund of £llOO.

‘‘The support of the people of Christchurch has encouraged us to feel that we satisfy a definite need in the community. Satisfactory though it is to have got as far as we have, the most important and valuable side of university drama is of necessity neglected. Student producers cannot be trained under these conditions. Experimental plays, cannot be produced. “It was hoped that the university would rebuild a new Little Theatre on the site of the one that was destroyed,’’ Miss Marsh said. “This was not done, nor is there available within the college property a plot of ground or a structure of- any sort that might be converted to this purpose.”