REPERTORY THEATRES

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 51, 28 August 1926, Page 13

REPERTORY THEATRES

GROWTH OF THE MOVEMENT

PBOGBESS IN AUSTRALIA,

No one.has ever been able to 1 pen a really satisfactory definition of that vital repertory theatre movement which during tho past quarter of a century has done so much for the culture and intellectual happiness of tho educated people of the British Empiro, -writes "B" in the Melbourne "Ago." Tho movement began in Great Britain about 1897 or 1898 with tho famous Stage Society, which aimed, at tho outset, at presenting plays of ideas and plays of literary merit which had either been refused a permit by the censor or were too limited in appeal to tempt the professional producer to stage. Ia a fow years, however, it spread and expanded its mission, taking larger views of life and a somewhat more reasonable view of tho purely eccentric and purely wilful play. Through the Abbey Theatre play era in Dublin, the "Birmingham Eepertory organisation, and other groups of earnest lovers of high ideals, in theatrical interpretation, the repertory movement became the tiioans of enriching the lives and experience of tens of thousands of people of moderate means who were'tiredof the fare which the commercial theatre produced, and sated with comic, opera of the f'Girl" variety. "rirXmerica,"as in 'the :i British Empire, the kirns of the pioneers of thirty years ago ? -found- responsive echoes; and to-day nearly every big city in U.S.A.: has, if not a repertory theatre, 1 some "little" : theatre .where for sea : sons of a week,, a fortnight, or even longer, subscribers, --'friends, and the general, public, may see and ..support some play of ideas or of historical, psychological, or literary merit which otherwise would'never have been'given to tho world. As education spreads and the best work of the modern schools of playwrights becomes available in printed form, men and women of vision and intellectual aspiration get together and a new repertory theatre is formed. Their object is not the presentation of "highbrow" plays which puzzle the unwary and perplex the ordinary man. It is tho presentation of a good play in which, as one of its ablest loaders, Mr. Helton Dauiell, has well put it, "will be found fidelity to nature in its characters and dialogue, that arresting quality which stimulates thought, and that peculiar fineness of writing which is the distinguishing mark of literature."

The movement, after many vicissitudes, is now firmly established in the affections of a growing number of people in Australia. Adelaide in 1908 led the way with the first Eepertory Theatre Society; Melbourne came next; Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth followed in a succession which, if not quick, was satisfactory. The Melbourne enterprise goes back some fifteen years, when the first repertory theatre in that city was founded by Mr. Gregan M'Mahon, who now directs Sydney Bepertory Theatre under an arrangement between Messrs. J. and N. Tait and the local Eepertory Theatre Society. Until the Great War came tho movement progressed, though it had its ups and downs. Lady Denman and other influential ladies gave it whole-hearted support. There are some amongst us -who still preserve happy memories of the Bepertory Theatre ball of May, 1914, to whose souvenir Lady Denman contributed a letter showing how whole-heartedly she appreciated the contribution to a full life made by the movement. During the M'Mahon era fine work was done. Before the fatal 4th August, 1914, the Melbourne Eepertory Theatre had produced nearly forty plays,, including twenty-two comedies and fourteen of a wholly serious nature. The list includes plays by Shaw, Ibsen, Tchskhov, Sudermann, Granville Parker, Galsworthy, Arnold Bennett, and Maeterlinck. A fund of £2000 was raised, and there were ambitious plans of future glory. But the war rendered their execution impossible, and in 1916 the movement entered into a period of inanition, which lasted until about 1921. In that year a fresh chapter began with the formation of the Mermaid Society by Mr. Goodsall, and the successful initial activities of Mrs. Elizabeth Apperley as producer. This excellent society produced miracle plays- and mysteries of the "Everyman" school, as well as the more modern type of literary play, After a couple of years of useful functioning there was a union of the forces of the Mermaid Society wjth the gallant groups of survivors of the earlier Eepertory Theatre, these latter including Mr. and Mrs. Daniell, Miss I. Handley, Mrs. Norman Simpson, Hiss Appleton, Miss E. Baker, and one or two others. The outcome was the rise of the present Melbourne Eepertory Theatre Society, which recently produced Bernard Shaw's "The Devil'• Disciple" under the direction of Miss Isabel Handley. At the same time there was a distinct revival of civic interest in the repertory theatre idea, and leaders in the professions and in commerce renewed their allegiance to it under a broadly democratic constitution. Tho amalgamated society has gone on from strength to strength owing to a singularly happy selection of plays—A, A. Milne's "The Dover Road," Barries "Dear Brutus," Galsworthy's "Loyalties," etc. —to a wiser conievTsAion of funds, and to the distinct arfftnising power and leadership of tXe tfcrcw producers, Mrs. Apperley, Miss Hundley, and Mr. Dauiell.

The movement may soon have to face questions of policy which may well engage preliminary discussion at an early date. The Sydney Eepertory Theatre Society has linked itself with the professional theatre under an arrangement which has many advantagos, but which may prevent the society from speedily obtaining a "little" theatre of its own. Shall Melbourne make a similar arrangement or shall it remain free, "owning its own soul," and carefully building up a fund which will render the acquisition of a small theatre a practicable proposition within five years—if not earlier! This and other problems need to be weighed carefully. The movement has conferred upon this city intellectual and artistic boons for which "the citizens should be grateful. Though shorn of many of the luxuries and resources of the theatre of commerce, its producers and players have staged productions of real aesthetic and literary value. The foundation has been a joyous comradeship of voluntary, honorary workers in the cause of one of the greatest of the arts. Shall that foundation remain?