THE LITTLE THEATRE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22983, 10 March 1938, Page 19

THE LITTLE THEATRE

Sir, —As a member of some years' standing of the above society, but one who has never taken any active part in it, I would like to make a few remarks in reply to "M.'s" letter under the above heading. Firstly, I think very few paid producers could have given us a better performance with amateurs than the two plays put on by Mrs. Jane Fisher, and, from the point of view of staging, "Anna Christie," produced, I believe, by Mr. Ron. Bowie. In my opinion, the fall-ing-off in membership is duo to many reasons outside the repertory movement itself, chiefly the competition of the cinema; also many young people joined with the idea that they would be able to appear in its productions. With an eye to the box office, the society could not put on plays marred by bad acting, but they should have put only new actors in their play readings, giving them the opportunity to show what they could achieve. Those members attending the readings did not expect a finished performance and would have been quite content, I am sure, with the matter of tho play itself. It was a serious tactical error to give the main parts to those appearing in the plays open to the public. In many ways, there seems to have been a lack of real sportsmanship in the policy of the society and that is sufficient to kill any association. As to plays only suitable for repertory, if that means entirely those that send one home feeling that life is nothing but morbid emotionalism and not worth living, the sooner the repertory movement dies the better. Good acting and producing are just as essential in comedy as in tragedy. E. D. M. Doust. 4 Tho Drive, Epsom.