DRAMA FESTIVAL

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 15, 12 October 1933, Page 5

DRAMA FESTIVAL

Miss Ailsa Newton in Canada

INTERESTING EXPERIENCE

Bright and alert, with the atmosphere of travel in far places still clinging to her, Miss Ailsa Newton,'who has just returned tc Wellington from abroad, was induced to give “The Dominion” a most interesting report of the growth of the drama movement in Canada.

Just as in New Zealand, Miss Newton said, the Drama League is reviving general interest in the ancient art on which the Greek theatre was founded and flourished, so in Canada this new enthusiasm for dramatic festivals is an answer to a growing demand for selfexpression. She was at the Drama Festival iu Ottawa, at which teams from all over Canada competed, just as they did in New Zealand last month, and saw nine plays performed. She thought the standard of work, from what she saw, was high, but considering their advantages, that New Zealand work compared quite favourably with it. Miss Newton took a short course of lectures on the drama at Columbia University, which she found a most stimulating and delightful experience. The class was put through an intensive training in the choosing, producing, and costuming of plays. They watched the rehearsals of a group of American players—the Morningside Players—and were consulted by the producer on points of technique and encouraged to criticise and discuss his work. They witnessed plays by professionals —Ina Claire In “Biographies,” a morality play, was one; “Another Language,” a new play on “The Silver Chord” theme, was another —after which the class would discuss them in detail, as to whether they were good or not, and, If not, why. “I feel I’ve gained a whole lot from it,” said Miss Newton. "I went to Washington and browsed among the beautiful buildings. In New York the Museum for Natural History fascinated me. The Fair at Chicago was a gorgeous sight. The buildings are all on the straight lines of modern architecture, a little stiff and straight up and down, perhaps, but very effective when lit up at night. “The sky ride—well, you glide across a wire between two 64-story towers, COO feet up in the air, in a cage; about a half-mile ride. How did I feel? Awful! But the panorama was marvellous. Right away over the lake—over the city—with the lights of the exhibition under you, the Avenue of Flags ablaze. Imagine it! And the fireworks! All sorts of gadgets to give movement to flashing colours. From the island from which they were worked one effect was as if suddenly stars of every size and colour shot from a thousand eyes, scintillating in all directions, changing colour in the air. The whole scene was indescribably exciting.”