Chch play wins another contest

Press, 26 July 1978, Page 18

Chch play wins another contest

A play written and produced in Christchurch has won the southern region section of the Theatre Federation’s play of the year competition. The play, “Anagrams,” by B. A. Hedley, of Christchurch also won the Elmwood Players 1978 playwriting contest. The latest award has gone to the Elmwood Players’ performance of the play, produced by Alex Henderson.

The top play in the northern region was “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” by Dale Wasserman, as produced by Sam Winer for the Onehunga Repertory Society. Classical theatre gained the honours for the other winning play. Oscar Wilde’s “An Ideal Husband,” produced by Elizabeth Martin for the Wellington Repertory Theatre, won the central region play of the year title. Announcing the winners, the national president of the Theatre Federation (Mr Tui

Marshall) said: “The high standard reached by most of the 30 amateur groups who presented plays for this festival made the adjudicators’ tasks very difficult, though very enjoyable. “It is many years since I have seen such splendid amateur theatre,” said Mrs Prue Edmondson, of Te Aroha, judging in the northern region. Her comments were echoed by Miss Marjorie Webster, of Palmerston North, who found in the central region that amateur groups displayed “many of the qualities we look for in professional theatre. “This year’s festival was memorable for the state of maturity that amateur drama has reached,” said Mrs Daphne Milbum, of Christchurch. Mrs Milbum judged the southern region play of the year. The regional play of the year was organised by the Theatre Federation with assistance from the Ministry of Recreation and Sport.