A PEOPLE'S THEATRE

Evening Star, Issue 15514, 9 June 1914, Page 5

A PEOPLE'S THEATRE

SIR H. TREE'S GREAT FORWARD STEP.

At a recent meeting at Drury Lane Theatre it was decided to constitute a People's Shilling Theatre in London. It is understood that the project has the warm approval of Queen Alexandra. Mr H. A. Jones, the dramatist, in joining the society, of which he promises to be an energetic supporter, declared if the masses are to be drawn into the projected theatre care must be taken thaji the plays to be staged are not above their intelligence. .Sir Herbert Tree, in moving that a People's Theatre Society be instituted on the basis of a shilling subscription, said | that the powers that were did not yet re- | cognise what a potent factor the playhouse I was in shaping the minds of the people. That was proved in the matter of the employment of children. Nobody who knew anything about children in the theatre could have two opinions as to their happiness, and yet they were threatened with legislation which might abolish ' A M idsummer Night's Dream,' 'The Blue Bird,' 'Alice in Wonderland,' and the pantomimes. It waa an astounding tiling that to please a few Nonconformists who did not go to the theatre these children should be thrown to the wolves. A love of the theatre was implanted in every child. The picture theatre had opened up a new world to children, and it was for those children the people's theatre should cater. It would be economically impossible for a West End, theatre to give an entertainment at the popular prices demanded by i a people's theatre. In Berlin the New People's Theatre Society was in its 24th year, with a membership of 59,000. There had been. 826 performances of 48 different plays, as well as 10 symphony concerts and many lectures. If the theatres were opened on Sundays it would be the greatest 6tep forward the stage had ever made. If it .was ungodly to open theatres on Sundays it was surely equally ungodly to open music halls and picture theatres. Mr T. P. O'Connor, M.P., who seconded the resolution, urged that the trade unions should be asked to co-operate. There was no day in the week better suited for a popular theatre than Sunday. Bishop ' Weldon, . supporting the resolution, said that while he did not take the strict view as to the prohibition of theatrical performances on Sunday, it would be a mistake to mix up that great movement with any deliberate policy of opening theatres and other places of amusenmet on Sunday. There was such a thing as religious opinion in Great Britain, and it was not easy to get over it. Sir George Alexander said that the West End theatrical managers had not at any time, until perhaps now, wished to h;»ve the theatres open on Sundays, but the wish had been forced -upon them by '-iw cOTnnetition of the picture theatres "ami the Sunday concerts.

After three suffragists had been ejected the resolution was carried unanimously.