SHAKESPEARIAN ACTOR

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 21, 25 January 1929, Page 6

SHAKESPEARIAN ACTOR

MR. ALLAN WILKIE ARRIVES

THE BAUD STILL POPULAR

"It may sound like heresy to sonic, but I say with conviction I hat Charles Kcanc, Sir Henry Irving, and Tree, great actors though they were, did thoir best to kill Shakespeare," declared Mr. Allan Wilkie, the Shakespearian actor, when discussing with a "Post"

representative modern Shakespeare productions. "By over elaboration and undue expense they set a standard which others could not follow. 'If Shakespeare had lived to-day he would have made use of modern stage technique and craft,' Tree used to say. But Shakespeare did not live to-day, therefore ho worto. differently and for his own times, and to try and present his plays as if they were modern ones is like trying to lit a square peg in a round hole." Mr. Wilkio added that ho made no attempt to modernise Shakespeare: he had reverted to the simpler productions, which, although not quite so Spartan, were more in accordance with the Elizabethan stylo of production and certainly more in keeping with what Shakespeare wrote.

The productions which he has brought with him to New Zealand, some 20 plays in all, ho says, are an advance on when he was here nearly two years ago. Atmosphere and decoration have been particularly studied, and now lighting effects liavo been introduced, the aim being to create suggestion rather than realism. Continuity of action, so marked in Shakespeare's plays and so destroyed by spectacular productions, has been rigidly preserved. Amongst the plays of Shakespeare new to tha Dominion stage will be "King Lear/.' "All's Well That Ends Well," and " Coriolanus." The last named, said Mr. Wilkio, should be found very interesting and quite modern if for "aristocrat" and "plebian" are substituted "capital" and "labour." Discussing tho question of subsidising the drama, Mr. Wilkie said that other arts were subsidised; literature had its libraries, and sculpture and painting thoir galleries. But the dramatic art seemed to be neglected by English-speaking people. "Even Iceland and Czoeho-Slovakia subsidise the drama, but littlo is dono in England in this direction save through a few generous individuals. In Australia we have been getting an indirect subsidy by means of railway concessions. The answer to my request to Mr. Bruce for a subsidy has been delayed pending tho hearing of representations by certain interested bodies, but I am quite hopeful as to tho result. A subsidy is wanted not because there is a fallingoff of interest in. Shakespearian productions, but becauso of the increasedexpenso of production. Theatrical expenses have increased a hundred per cent, during the last ton years, and receipts have not kept pace." There was distinct and tangible evidence, said Mr. Wilkie, that interest in Shakespeare had not waned. Unable in Sydnoy to get one of tho leading theatres, ho resorted to a suburban theatre, ono used to vaudeville and melodrama. His most optimistic friends gave him a fortnight and some others only a night or two during which his season would last. But they were wrong, and Shakospeare drew good houses for over 22 weeks. •

It is about 20 months sinco Mr. Wilkio was in tho Dominion. His present tour is to last about live months, threo weeks being? spent in each of tho main centres. All the leading smaller towns will bo visited too. (When seen at tho theatre yesterday, Mr. Wilkie was very busy with rehearsals, for he and his company have been having a much-needed holiday.