U.S. Tour Abandoned

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32396, 8 September 1970, Page 24

U.S. Tour Abandoned

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, Sept. 7. The Maori Theatre Trust Company has abandoned its United States tour because its Californian agent has gone out of business. The company is at present in Greece, and the decision was made there in conjunction with the representative of the associated Australian entrepreneur, Edgley and Dawe. The company is expected at Auckland tomorrow or on Wednesday. Mr Peter Keiha, chairman of the board of trus-

tees of the trust, who is with the touring party, informed the trust’s executive director, Mr Peter Love, of the decision by telephone yesterday. Mr Love said today he was bitterly disappointed at the decision to abandon American bookings because of the Californian setback. The company had been booked for a one-hour television show in New York worth $70,000. Mr Love said the company had had fantastic success in Greece after full houses and extra shows to cope with the demand in the Soviet Union.

The group had played to 75,000 people in 25 performances In the Soviet Union, to 25,000 on six performances in Hungary, and to capacity audiences of more than 400 in two performances in Greece. The Expo 70 show by the group in Japan had also been most successful. Plans were under way for an Australian and New Zealand tour to replace the United States section. The group had received return invitations for 1971 to Japan, the Soviet Union, and Greece.