Festival of plays

Press, 27 July 1976, Page 19

Festival of plays

Seventeen plays will be presented by 10 drama groups at the Repertory Theatre this week; and as ! a result the Canterbury ; area, tor the fourth suci cessive year, will have the i highest number of entries I among the Theatre Feder- ' ation’s 17 area festivals. ■ The rive-night Canteri bury festival will be opened tonight by the ■ aiea’s patron (Mr James : Collins). “It is especially pleasing i to have continuing support for the festival,” said ' the area president, Doug I Clarke “Such support ' gains the confidence of audiences, who are assured each evening of a varied programme of plays, well — and sometimes brilliantly — presented, and the chance to match their standards with those of the judge.” The judge this year is Harold Pointer, of Christchurch. Last year the festival was restricted to plays by New Zealand authors. This year the choice is open, and, in programmes , evenly balanced with com- ‘ edy and drama, the authors represented inj elude Tennessee Williams, ■ Thornton Wilder. Elaine j Mav. David Campton, ; Olwen Wymark, George ’ Mac Ewan Green (author of Elmwood Plavers’ nat- ! ional finalist. “Ritual for

Dolls’’). lonesco, and Jean- . Paul Sartre There are I three New Zealand plays,

and the Australian “Next Door,” presented by the Oxford Little Theatre — a newcomer to the festival. Programmes are as follows (producer's name in brackets): Tonight - Elmwood Players. “Adaptation”, by Elaine May (Stewart Robertson); Halswell Drama Group, “Stay Where You Are”, by Olwen Wymark (Pat Harris); Repertory Theatre School, "Happy Journey”, by Thornton Wilder (Colin Alexander). Wednesday. — Christchurch Girls’ High School, “The Bald Prime. Donna”, by Eugene lonesco (Kirsty Cochrane); Riccarton Players, “Sherry in the Trifle”, bv Rae Shirley (Bill Fordham? Elmwood Plavers “Suddenlv Last Summer”, bv Tennessee Williams (Gladys Thin). Thursday — Prism Players, “The 'ncident,” bv David Campton (Strath McKnight); Elmwood Players, “One Season’s King.” by Georg j Mac Ewan Green (Alex Henderson); St Christopher’s Drama Group. "In Camera." by Jean-Paul Sartre (Juliet Robinson). Friday — Riccarton Players,’ “Little Brother. Little J let,” by David Campton (Doug Clarke); Renertorv Theatre School. “Shsh! He’s Becoming a Republic,” by Peter I’mtd (N.Z.) (Colin Alexander); Halswell Drama Group, "Hello From Bertha.” by Tennessee Williams (Lewis

Moore); Christchurch Girls’ High School, “The Laundry Girls,” by Bill Owen (Carol-Eva Craymer). Saturday — RangioraPegasus Combined Players, “Truth To Tell,” by Vernon Thomas (N.Z.) (Barry Grant); Little Unity Theatre, Waikari, “Where Have All The Ghosts Gone?”, by David Campton (Johnathon Gardir.er); Oxford Little Theatre, “Next Door,” by J. P. McKinney (Yuilleen White): Rangtora Pegasus Combined Players, "With at) E,” by Garf. Maxwell (N.Z.) (Barry Grant). Trophies will be presented on Saturday night and the festival will he closed 1 Dr John Moffat. after Mr Pointer has announced three plays to represent the area at the divisional finals, also at the Repertory Theatre, on August 13 and 14. Winning plays from Marlbor-ough-Nelson, Buller-West-land. and South Canterbury area festivals will also compete in the divisional fina' Lois Paynter (Auckland) will judge the divisional finals — at Ranfurly, Auckland, and Hawera as well as Christchurch — and on August 14, in Christchurch she will announce the six highestmarked plays to appear at the New 7 land final in the Nelson Repertory Theatre, on August 27 and 28.