The living arts

Press, 24 May 1977, Page 21

The living arts

Tortoise and hare One of Christchurch’s best-known producers of plays, Alex Henderson, will produce for the Canterbury Children’s Theatre for the first time when the next school holidays roll round in August. His choice of play is, “The Hare and the Tortoise,” a modern rendering by Alan Broadhurst, of the wellknown tale. The story is played out by the animals — Mr Fleet the hare, Mr Sloe the tortoise, Mr Spiney, Mr Sett, Mrs Warren, Mr Paddle, and others. There are humans in the play, too, including Mr and Mrs Urban Notcouth and their family. All the humans have a certain amount of mime, and each is identifiable to the animals by his mannerisms. Mr Henderson says that both human and animal roles are challenging and rewarding, and that the play appeals to the imagination and involvement of both actors and audience.

Ability, enthusiasm, and potential are the qualities he will be looking for when he holds auditions at the Children’s Theatre headquarter, the Malthouse in Colombo Street. These adution’s will be on Sunday afternoon for children and next Tuesday evening for adults. Colour films Three colour films will be shown at a wine and cheese function for members and friends of the Canterbury Repertory Theatre Society at the theatre on Sunday, at 5 p.m. On is “Patterns,” from Orly Productions, in which a Christchurch filmmaker, Pierre Lods, has filmed the city’s people, places and institutions and linked the scenes with the poetry of Denis Glover. The film was praised by critics when shown on South Pacific Television’s “Kaleidoscope” last month. Also showing will be “Walter Kerr on Theatre,” written and nar-

rated by the noted American drama critic and illustrated with scenes from several New York productions, and “Michael Bond,” in which the author of the Paddington Bear books talks about how Paddington came into being and how his character was developed. Both films are from the National Film Library. There will also be “live” comedy by Lilian Charlton. School space Wendy de la Bere has a few vacancies in her Wednesday-night Repertory theatre School class for the second term, commencing June 8. Students will work on a production of Chaucer’s “The Pardoner’s Tale,” to be staged with a production by Colin Alexander’s class at the Repertory Theatre from August 13 to 15. Painting course Applications will close today for a two-day painting school to be run on Saturday and Sunday by John Coley and Michael Eaton. A variety of approaches to painting will be encouraged, and a wide range of media explored — pen and wash, oil, acrylics, mixed media, and the preparation of grounds and supports. There is room in the course both for beginners and those who have already had some painting experience, and both traditional and experimental approaches to painting will be examined. The school will be at the C.S.A. gallery.