THE “ LITTLE THEATRE.”

Evening Star, Issue 19615, 22 July 1927, Page 6

THE “ LITTLE THEATRE.”

Last week, in Christchurch, there was a dramatic performance unique in the history of the dominion. Tho j“ Little Theatre” oil the‘ Canterbury College Dramatic Society was filled for several nights by’an interested and reverent audience come to see and hear a fullystaged, performance of John Masefield’s play, ‘Good Friday.’ Since his arrival in the dominion Professor Shelley lias worked hard in the interests of art and drama, as well as in his special sphere of education. The 11 Little Theatre ”is the climax of such work. It is significant that for its opening he should choose the play ‘ Good Friday.’ Written in verso, and dealing with ancient times in its one scene, to represent it was by no means an easy task. ‘Good Friday ’ was written by Masefield in 1910, possibly to express his emotions at the sacrifices being nVado in the Great War. For it has for its subject the trial of Jesus and His condemnation to death; and, although Jesus Himself docs not appear in the scene, it is so arranged that He seems to be immediately outside the temple court portrayed. Thus the play is distinctly in the line of succession of the old miracle plays and passion plays. It reminds us that the drama itself was religious in its origin, and in its earliest form every word chanted by tha Greek chorus was the sincercst perform mice of a religious rite. In the Middle Ages, too, the church regularly celebrated seasonal festivals by “ mysteries,” or miracle plays, performed by the town guildsnien. They depicted scenes drawn from Old or Now Testament history. In some parts of Europe they are still performed under the ;egis of the church. They were a valuable means of religious education in days when people could not read the Bible. If to-day wo are in an ago when people do not, such plays as ‘ Good Friday ’ or its companion, ‘ The Trial of Jesus,’ may also servo such a purpose. But probably Professor Shelley, by taking ‘Good Friday,’ rather intended to make a gesture. He probably wished to draw attention to the serious sido of the performance of plays—their function as a distinct educational influence, and, moreover, as a subtle, unobtrusive force towards tho betterment of public morals. The drama suffered a heavy blow from the ascendancy of tho Puritans, which probably was not undeserved. But the consequence has been that for many good people support of tho theatre has come to be rated almost among the seven deadly sins, in our own day this view is rapidly disappearing. Doan Inge has told us that the play may have in the future a greater power for good than tho pulpit; and the wonderful output of great social plays in recent times is doing its work. Such efforts as that of the Canterbury College Drama. Society, therefore, arc to bo applauded and encouraged. M e see too few high-quality plays in our Ngw, Zealand theatres. And when is I Dunedin to have its “Little Theatre ”?

Air A. E. Ansdl, the president of the Otago Motor Club, to Dunedin on Wednesday from Wellington, where he lias been attending tho Motor Conference of the North and South Island Unions. During his visit he discussed with the Minister of Public Works (Mr K. S. Williams) and the chairman of tho Highways Board (Mi F. W. Furkert) tho machinery that would bo necessary in the reconstruction of the main highway from Palmerston to Balclutlui. Tho question of penalty iu cases of car stealing was _ gone into during the conference, and it was deci Jed'"that representation, urging that this offence should entail _ imprisonment without the option of a line, should bo made to the Government, it was advocated that the maximum sentence should be six months’ imprisonment. Third party insurance matters were also dealt with by tho conference.

A conference of delegates representing the county councils in Otago was begun in tho City Council chambers tlijs morning. The purpose of the conference is to, consider the adoption of a uniform set of by-laws, also the question of forming a counties’ association for the province. attended from Waitaki, Waihcmo, Waikotiaiti, Peninsula, Taieri, Bruce, Clutha, Maniototo, Tuapoka, Vincent, ami Lakes Counties, and the morning was occupied in considering tho draft proposals for the new by-laws. An' cight-roomyd house near Inglewood, owned and occupied b.y Joseph Diggins, was destroyed by (ire last night. The occupants were absent all day, and returned to find tho house in (lames. The cause of tho outbreak is not known. The hon.se was insured for £BOO and tho furniture for £l5O in the State Office.—New Plymouth Press Association telegram.

A statement issued by the Manawatu Herd Testing Association claims that the second butter-fat production of the dominion belongs to a, member _of the association, Mr W. J. Shailcr, of Oroua Downs, with a herd of twenty-six cowsj which averaged J0G.531b of lat in 285 days. Other herds in the association averaged 3601 b and over.—Palmerston Press Association tclcfgram.

At the annual meeting of the New Zealand Land Settlement League resolutions were passed expressing deep regret that the Government had taken no steps to ascertain the cause of the stagnation in the dominion’s agriculture and land settlement, and urging that a board of inquiry inquire into the question of immigration and its relation to land settlement. —Auckland Press Association telegram.

A word of warning to those who arc contemplating matrimony. Bo sum. that your inamorata is familiar with the vegetables that she is giving yon. A few weeks ago a newly-married wile, who resides in Dunedin, decided that as a special treat she would give the master of the house a pie for ids'dinner. Accordingly she set to work, and included in the contents of the disli what to her inexperienced eye appeared to be onions. The pie, however, did not seem quite right, and for two or three days the young couple were a little unwell. The reason was found a few days later, when the husband went into the cellar to get some narcissus bulbs which he had stored there. Ho was unable to find them, so asked his wife if she know of their whereabouts. “Bulbs!” she replied. “ I thought they were onions.”

The Hawke’s Bay Education Board this morning decided to support the suggestion that the Council of Education should he done away with. Mr J. A. Kirk, a member of the council, urged that that body had clone good work.—Press Association. At Wellington a fine of £23 and costs was imposed by Mr Pago, S.M., on Henry Barr Duncan, who admitted .slygrog selling in. a shop at Newtown. The police stated thta the sales were made chiefly after hours and on Sundays.—Press Association. The United States comprise a wealthy country, but it is also a parsimonious country so far as regarding people who have served it. A Dunedin nurse recently communicated with tho Treasury asking for her gratuity for services with tho American troops. Yesterday morning she was pleasantly surprised to receive a gratuity bond for lOOdol. But she was annoyed when she read that the bond would not be cashed for another twenty years* ■ ■

Our Cromwell correspondent telegraphs: Four days of settled weather, with hard frosts at night, have caused a steady drop in the Kawarau, which at tho town this morning was only a few inches above the previous lowest level. Men are at work on .Vogel’s Vision, the Natural Bridge,- and Cromwell claims, hut no information is yet available. Fine weather still prevails, with indications of further frosts. Practically no damage was done to one of Messrs Thomson and Co.’ motor cars which caught fire in Cumberland .street, near the railway station, yesterday. The Fire Brigade was summoned to tho scene at 5.30. A false alarm from the National Mortgage and Agency Company’s store in Tewsley street was Responsible for tho brigade turning out at 5 p.m. yesterday. Since the recent explosions in coal in house fires in Wellington and Auckland tho Christchurch railway officials have been keeping a look-out for explosives in coal handled in tho railway yards. This week a workman found an uncxploded detonator in a truck of coal from tho West Coast which was being unloaded for use by the department.— Press Association. , Tho Rimutaka, which arrived at Wellington yesterday morning from London and Southampton (says a Press Association telegram), brought only fifty-eight assisted immigrants", and of that number only fourteen were men. The new arrivals had the following destinations ; —Auckland 29, Napier 9, Wellington 10, Westport 9, and Oamaru 1. Outline arrangements are now made for tiie tour upon which Mr G. T. Edgar is to be sent by the Dunedin City Council, in his capacity as assistant electrical engineer, to note and bring back for the benefit of Dunedin any new developments in electric application that lie may deem worth while. It is a responsible commission. Mr Edgar leaves by tho lonic from Wellington on the 31st inst., and will go to England by way of Panama. After viewing what the Old Country lias to show him, Mr Edgar is to travel .through Canada and tho United States, professionally observing. The whole tour wijl probably occupy seven mouths. Yesterday afternoon, at the city electrical engineer’s office, tho staff presented Mr Edgar with a suit case and rug ns tokens of its personal goodwill. Mr M. C. Henderson, the chief, acted for the staff’in making tho presentation.

Quito a number of old coins that ImvM been dug up in and about Dunedin at various times arc now being brought to light. One of the strangest was dug not out of a garden, but an old box. It is a pcmiv token* carrying the name of William Andrew darkey as a ’ pawnbroker and general clothier at Hobart. Ho was the first person hanged in Dunedin.

Members of the Duuodin Jockey Club debated quite eagerly but quite constitutionally a proposal at the annual meeting last night to raise- the subscription from three to five guineas. Tho voting was so close that heads had to bo counted twice. The declaration was first 40 to 38 in favor of the Noes, then, after the scrutineers had been brought in. -42 to 40. Each time, however, the Noos had it, and Mr Hanlon announced the result without any reproaches. Then a proposal from a private member was discussed, in the nature of a compromise, four guineas, and it secured a working majority of 48-32. It was officially declared, as the result, that the committee would endeavor to complete the re-erected incinhci*.s’ stand on that improved scale of finance, but could not commit itself to a definite promise that tiie third story would go on. It was a .first-rate business meeting.

Three or four citizens have asked about the tree planting that is going on at the top of Stafford street. They fear that the planting for which holes aro already dug will block tho view and make the road wet. The question has been referred to Mr Tannoek, who replies thus: “The idea is to plant the whole bank from Hutt street to Stafford street, thus forming a background-simi-lar to that behind the Boys’ 'High School. This was agreed upon as between the Amenities Society (which suggested itf and the Reserves Committccc, tho Amenities Society contributing half-cost and the Returned Soldiers’ Association tho other half out of the Poppy Day funds. Returned soldiers aro now doing the work. 'There can be no question of blocking tho light so long as the .sun keeps its appointed course, and as the trees arc to bo below the road tho view cannot be obstructed. The trees chosen aro deciduous—English beech on the hit next Stafford street and elms between Steep street and Hutt street.”

_Mr J. T«. Bartholomew, S.M., presided at the Port Chalmers Court today. John Paris was lined 10s and costs (IDs) for procuring liquor while prohibited,_ Peter Archibald Wilson was given judgment by default against John and Margaret Percy for the sum of £2 18s tjd (costs 28s Gd) for goods supplied. Several debt eases were adjourned. “You must he a hit of a mind reader/’ defendant said to the plaintiff during tho hearing of a 'dobt-ro-covery case to-day at the Port Chalmers Court. The defendant was challenging the accuracy of his account for household drapery, and one of the grounds for the challenge was the production of a receipt for an instalment paid. The date on the receipt was a day later than the date on which the instalment was credited in the statement of account. The defendant then preferred the gentle impeachment of mind reading. Tho magistrate’s look of appraisement was followed later hy the adjournment of the cast; for a fortnight, in order to give the litigants opportunity to adjust alleged discrepancies.

A further item about old pennies. Mr N. Dodds, of Port Chalmers, has a George Ui, penny, dated 1797, also a twopenny piece of same date. The latter coin is larger and thicker than the penny, and is about the weight of six modern pennies.

For spectacles that sootlu: the eyes consult W. V. Stunner, D.S.O.L, G.A.0.C., 2 Octagon. Our business ,k exclusively optical.—{Advl.’l Free Toys arc always an attraction for Boys and Girls. Cash and Carry now give Toys worth 2s and more to boys and girls w.ho carry messages home for mothers. Sugar is now 3d lb, Flour 2(3, at Cash and Carry.—[Advt.] In last night’s ‘ Star ’ it was reported that a fire had been attended to by the brigade in a .baker’s shop in Elgin road, Mornington. This was incorrect. It was a butcher’s shop, opposite the baker's, that caught fire. / The Alhambra Football Club’s social evening has boon postponed to Saturday. July 30th.—(Advt ]