COUSIN BETTY’S LETTER.

Southland Times, Issue 20201, 11 June 1927, Page 22 (Supplement)

COUSIN BETTY’S LETTER.

MY DEAREST COUSINS, And how are you feeling about Our Concert ? Do you realise that this is the last letter of mine to you Before the Event? This time next week It will be all over, and we’ll have to settle down industriously to work for our bazaar in August. This time next week you Cousins of Wistaria, Broadleaf, Lilac and Kamahi Clans will be full-fledged actors and actresses, and the concert which we have all so much looked forward to, so much dreaded, so much feared for, so much hoped for, so much prayed for, will be one more addition to those dust-covered Things of the Past. That sounds very sad, doesn’t it; but this is not going to be, cannot be, a sad letter. I am too full of hopes, too full of half-fledged new plans, too full of the trembling possibilities of the success of our three plays, to have any room for sadness. Our concert is going to be a success, Cousins. What’s more, it is going to be worthy of the Kame it bears and worthy of the province which gave "it birth. You Cousins taking part have worked hard, and worked enthusiastically for its success; and your mothers and those other friends who have helped us to realise our plans have helped with a will. We have met everywhere with nothing but kindness and enthusiasm and encouragement, and we are not going to fail the people of Southland in their trust in us, are we? Of course we’re not, and that is why I say again that there is no room in our vocabulary for failure or sadness. We do not recognise them! Our Concert is going to be a Success! Do you know, Cousins mine, that I believe this is the first time anything of the nature of our undertaking has appeared in Southland? That’s something for us to work for, isn’t it! Were creating a precedent—make it a precedent worth-while. Because with these three plays we are presenting, written by Cousins Sheila Campbell, Eileen Mclntosh and Daphne Godward, assisted by Cousins Millicent Broadbent and Annie Playfair, this movement is not going to end. What has been attempted once can be attempted again, the second time with much more confidence. What if we establish a repertory theatre of our own, and once a year produce nothing but our own work! That is not beyond the limits of possibility. And now we know something about play-writing, and play-producing, we are not geing to let that knowledge go to waste, are we? We’re going to develop and expand and cultivate our bud of the present jnto a lovely full-blown flower of the future. I’m not dreaming, my dears! My eyes are perfectly wide-open, and my mind is wide-awake. 'I believe we can do these things—and what is more, I believe we are going to do them! And now for the final preparations. I think I told you how good Mrs Brockenshire has been, coming to rehearsals to work in the music for the orchestra, which is going to be of very great assistance to us, led by Mr A. Ferguson and Mr Phil. Poole. Then I saw Mr Little during the week, and he and his partner, Mr Colbran, are going to provide all the sjjpt-light effects for which they are so famous. So that’s a big help. And Mr Sandy Sutherland is going to be stage manager, as you know, and considering how used he is to doing that, and what a success he makes of it, do you think I’m exaggerating when I say very decidedly that we’re just the very luckiest people who ever set out to achieve something. And so you see, we’ve got to justify the faith of these people in ourselves, too, besides all those other people who are lending things, and those who have been helping us with the production of the plays and the planning and making of the frocking. To-night (Saturday) there is to be a Full Dress Rehearsal in St. John’s Hall, Tay street, at 6.30. Will the members of the Broadleaf Clan be there sharp at 6 o’clock, so that they can be ready to start promptly at the half-hour? Next week we will endeavour to have another rehearsal in the theatre—and then—Friday night! Look in another part of the paper, my dears, and you will see the programme. And don’t forget to sell tickets as hard as you can! My love to you and many happy thoughts.

r P-S.—ln the Mind Sharpeners this week Cousin Buckingham gained 41 marks. ■