Evening With Campton

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31726, 9 July 1968, Page 6

Evening With Campton

The Crescent Theatre will present “An Evening With Campton” for a fournight season, beginning on Saturday. David Campton, author of the plays, has shown his versatility in the theatre as a producer, actor, and above all as a writer. He is best known for his one-act plays, many of which have been televised or broadcast. In collaboration with Stephen Joseph, he wrote a number of plays to be presented in the round—a method of presentation which has been successful overseas, but less popular in New Zealand. From two collections of Campton’s plays, written in the modern vein, the Crescent Theatre has chosen “Little Brother, Little Sister,” and “Getting and Spending.” Both are entries in the forthcoming British Drama League festival. “Getting and Spending” commences on a high note of hope and ends in hopelessness: but “Little Brother, Little Sister,” does the opposite.

Fred Betts is directing a cast of three—Daphne Johnson, Diana Hickmott and

Phillip Johnston—ln "Little Brother, Little Sister." Quita White, Leslie White, Mavis Corbett, and Arthur Williams are in “Getting and Spending,” which is directed by Charlotte Novis. To complete the programme, Crescent has chosen six phases of life from Campton's "On Stage.” Appearing in these selections will be Jean Webb, Tru Bliss, Hilary Bliss, Gillian Bliss. Dianne Clinnick, Helen Shackleton, Jan Gosney, Connie Miller, Gillian Wakelin, John Bryant, Jim Mitchell, Stuart Birss, Linsay Johnson and Wayne Kirk. Also this week, the Little Theatre will present, in the Chisnallwood School in Breezes Road, its second set of plays for the year. This will be a double bill—- “ The Private Ear," by Peter Shaffer, and “The vj.Pom." by Eve Hughes, of the Little Theatre. Miss Hughes's play is a comedy, dealing with conflict between a British immigrant and a typical New Zealander. Fred Betts is producing it, and the cast includes Alex Aitchison, as the Englishman, •nd Jim Ahem, Ted Thessman, Cara Ede, Beth Harris, Denise Munro, Shirley Duffy, Diane Linton, and Shirley Linton.

John Stier is producing the Shaffer play, for which the cast includes Bill Derrett, Robin Queree, and Sue Watkins.

The plays will be on Friday and Saturday. Later this month they, like the Crescent Theatre production, will be in the British Drama League's area festival.