‘Hard sell’ for actors

Press, 11 April 1984, Page 21

‘Hard sell’ for actors

Getting publicity for a play which was not written by New Zealanders has been “hard sell” up and down the country for two Wellington actors. Michael McGrath and David Cameron have been puzzled by the reaction they have met by the media for their play “Not About Heroes,” which has been touring the country. “We’ve had so much resistance due to the fact that it is not a New Zealand play,” said Mr McGrath. “I’ve always thought of art and theatre being universal. The subject of the play, too, is war, which is universal and applicable today around the world, and in New Zealand.” The play tells the story of the two World War I poets, Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen who, although they opposed the filth and horror of war, joined up with the army and fought for their country. They were both killed before the war ended. “Any play that deals with life and death is important,” said Mr McGrath. “The inner conflict that these men went through is

something which people go through in all wars.

“Just look at the Falklands war — you would think people are’ far more sophisticated about war these days, but it always seems to bring out those patriotic instincts, especially during a time of depression.” The two actors are part of a theatre co-operative, which they formed with director Alyson Baker to perform “Not About Heroes.” It was first staged at Wellington’s Circa, where it ran for four weeks. “It was such a joy to perform that it didn’t seem enough to do it for just a four week season, so we decided to tour it around the country,” said Mr Cameron. It has played at the Mercury Theatre in Auckland and at Dunedin’s Fortune, and is presently at the Court Studio in Christchurch. The cost of staging a play, especially when you’re not a permanent company, is not small, said Mr Cameron. “To put on a play, you

have to first rehearse the thing for four weeks, without pay. so, during the time it is playing you have to make enough money for nine weeks' wages.” The small company was offered a space at the Adelaide Festival, which finished last month, but could not afford to take it there. Here again was the problem of it not being written by a New Zealander. Sponsorship was difficult to find, and when they did eventually find a company they had to turn down the offer. * “They were going to pay for everything, except our air fares, which we could not afford.” Mr McGrath was working in England with community theatre in 1981 when he met the author of "Not About Heroes,” Scottish director Stephen MacDonald. The play went on to win the Fringe Festival award at the Edinburgh Festival in 1982, and has been played on television and made into a radio play. The New Zealand production is the first time it has been staged out of the United Kingdom, but it has since got world-wide rights,

although Mr McGrath and Mr Cameron have the rights for Australasia.

At the moment they are trying to find a venue in Sydney, but again money is the problem.

Mr McGrath arrived in New Zealand from England when he was 15 years old. He studied at the New Zealand School of Drama during the 19705, and has since worked in community theatre, television and at Wellington’s Downstage

theatre. He went to Sydney and England for a year, working in fringe. Mr Cameron has been away from New Zealand for about 11 years, working in Australia and Europe in theatre. He was with the National Theatre in London for about 15 months, and was also in Greece for a couple of years.

He arrived back in New Zealand in 1981 — “I got chucked out of England" — visa requirements.