DUNEDIN REPERTORY SOCIETY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22904, 11 June 1936, Page 6

DUNEDIN REPERTORY SOCIETY

THIRD ANNUAL MEETING A year of successful activity was reviewed at the third annual meeting on Tuesday night of the Dunedin Repertory Society. An attendance of about 100 members was presided over by Mr W. R-Bi-ugh, The annual report stated that the activities of the society had been much increased. Classes had been held regularly, and these, with rehearsals, entailed the lease of rooms for the full 12 mouths. It had also been necessary to rent a workroom for part of the year. Plant to the value of £79 10s 7d had been obtained, and this should prove n definite saving in the future. The society had also a good collection of plays and books, and this library was added to from time to time as the committee deemed advisable. The new year commenced with funds in hand of £534 4s, so that the future activities of the society could be further enlarged, and, also, productions were in no way hampered through lack of i funds At the dose of the year, April I MO, there were BS2 mfirabers, showing an increase of 352 as compared with the previous season. During the year tour major productions were again presented. At the social evenings 24 one-act plays were acted and two three-act plays read. In July three teams were entered for the local British Drama League festival, the B team gaining second place and a B certificate. In conjunction with the Drama League the society engaged Miss Elizabeth Blake for a lecture recital. The work of the Selection Committee had been confined to the major productions. Eight plays were actually cast, and from these four were finally selected for production. Fifty-two members | appeared in these plays, and each of them had only one part during the year. There'had been no duplication. A definite shortage of experienced men players willing or able to take part in major productions made the easting ot the plays very difficult. I he acting women members outnumbered the men. There was an urgent need tor this number io be augmented. At the social evenings 141 members took part (190

women and 33 men), together with those who helped behind the scenes, and in this connection the committee thanked the stage manager and his technical group for valuable • assistance. Ten social evenings w ; ere held during the year in the Concert Chamber, the average attendance being 560, beginning in May, 1935, with 450 persons, and gradually increasing each month until in April. 1930, the numbers reached 700. The cash takings were £294 3s, and the expenses amounted to £294, leaving a profit of 3s on the year’s working. The General Committee held IS meetings during the year. Although the establishment of the Little Theatre Society had occasioned concern because several members had joined this new organisation. the Repertory Society had realised'fhat the functioning of the Little Theatre Society tended to absorb the number of young people who wished, to enter into the field of amateur dramatics. The report and balance sheet were adopted. The following office-bearers were elected:—Patrons. Mr Justice Kennedy and Sir James Allen; president. Mr s Richard Hudson; vice-presidents. Mesdames J. Sutherland Ross and Wakefield Holmes; committee—Messrs W, R. Brugh, E. W. Lees Bullot, G. Z. Lindley, G. B. Niven. A. J. Quin, A. G. Smith, and Mrs E. T. Moller: treasurer. Mr Maurice Joel: auditors, Messrs MacLcan and Paterson.