THE REPERTORY SOCIETY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22063, 20 September 1933, Page 9

THE REPERTORY SOCIETY

TO THE EDITOK. Sib,—l read with interest the comments of your correspondent, Mr C. R. Allen, in last Saturday’s issue, on the Dunedin Repertory Society’s recent production, “5.0.5.,” and for the most part am in accord -with his opinion. iOUf correspondent, however, like many others, does not seem quite clear as to the real functions of a repertory society. He approves of the society’s selection of Dear Brutus” for its next production on the grounds that it is perhaps the - finest example of fantasy to be found in modern English dramatic literature. Now, fair, while there appears to be no acceptable authority delineating the exact sphere of repertory activities, I submit that no type of play is a repertory play as so termed by Mr Allen. If a play is of dramatic, rhetorical, or other artistic merit this does not necessarily signify that it is a potential repertory produccorrespondent objects to the major productions of the society as too. redolent of the commercial stage, but is “ Dear Brutus any the less so. lam given to understand that all three plays have been produced by commercial interests. None, however, has enjoyed any conspicuous success as a money-maker, and consequently offers little encouragement to commercialism, which means that the members of the society would normally have but small opportunity of seein„ these works produced., the Repertory Society is, therefore, in jiroducm„ I I Leave it to You and 5.0. b., tuini ling one of its functions: it is making it nossible for its members (and the in terested section of the general public) to see plays which they would otherwise have little or no opportunity ° f se If in addition to their lack of box office appeal, these plays present some Inr merit, then the society is fulfilling this function to a greater degree. From Bfe srsusTi sas n certain extent, succeed m .captur in"- the popular imagination, but are conskfered unworthy of. a provincial or foreign tour; plays which, whether financillly successful or not, provoke consider•ible interest and discussion; and, finally* interesting plays which the commercial world won’t produce n-e repertory material. But tne nisiwu sideration in a repertory selection should be modernity. Repertory is essentially twentieth century movement, presentiffi- on its boards the life and Perspective Mw.,” i.;vw, » I'sfttin- in the stalls) that your own 1 ■«««» n hd vour previous correspondents aim'somewhat harshlin their judgments of performers.—! am, etc., JoiNINB Up Dunedin, September 19.