Royalty and the Theatre

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 231, 1 October 1935, Page 10

Royalty and the Theatre

In those democratic days the responsibilities of Royalty are all too many. The pressure of public engagements m a Jubilee year must be almost intolerable, writes Sydney W. Carroll in the “Daily Telegraph.” Every section of society lias its claims’ and makes its demands upon every member of the Royal Family in turn. Every sort of public interest must be given the regal patronage and attention. The theatre world is tremendously grateful for any sign of Eoyal favour and interest. It regards her Majesty’s recent happy visit to the Little Theatre and their Majesties’ presence, at the Mari 6 Tempest matinee, and now at Mr ■ Novello’a astonishing exhibition of versatility as author, actor, composer ii, “Glamorous Might,” as a splendid, lead to the public in general. It is also a friendly gesture to as loyal and long-suffering a part of the community as ev6r endured taxation, adverse times, unhelpful temperatures, and. the changing habits and tastes of the public. It is clearly the part of the theatrical managers to show their gratitude for such Signs of Eoyal interest by making renewed efforts to deserve them. It should be their purpose to provide fare which, while it maintains the high standard of intelligence and taste fori which the English theatre is internationally famous and has almost always been remarkable, is calculated to exhilarate and not depress, to entertain and not produce a chasm of yawn-. Since the days of - ''''Elina and cur James,” in whose reigns England's greatest dramatic heritage came into being under direct Eoyal encouragement 0 , the Zings and Queens of England have constantly been pleased to support this national possession. They have recognised the value of the drama' and the theatre as instruments of eh!-

j ture as well as loyalty, of discipline ’■ as well as pleasure,. 1 The vie.T promulgated lately in certain Quarters that only the follies and ■ vices of mankind have any popularity ’ bi the theatre and that tiieatre managors are a shameiess set of merchants j ti. ing to fill their pockets by Tattering ’! the tastes c£ the bull-headed mob has 1 never been accepted by the Court. And ' the relatione between Court and stage i have been of the most amicable and I frank ch -meter, varying from the Informal diversions of the seventeenth ‘ century to the ceremonious command ■ performances held at Windsor, Buckj iugkam Palace and Sandringham in I the great days of Victoria and Edward -0