Future of Stage with the Amateurs

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1022, 12 July 1930, Page 24

Future of Stage with the Amateurs

MOVEMENT IN ENGLAND DRAMA FOR ITS OWN SAKE Finding in the drama the greatest medium o£ national expression, England has never before shown such appreciation of the stage as a cultural and educative factor. This statement comes from Miss Elizabeth Blake, of Wellington, who was for many years connected with the professional stage in England, been as an actress and producer. She stated recently that there had been a marked revival in dramatic art which, born in the days after the war, had spread from the larger centres to the most remote villages of the Eniicd Kingdom. For this remarkable renaissance tn the popularity of the art of acting ama teurs had been almost entirely responsible. Miss Blake said. There was a feeling that the future of the legitimate stage lay in the hands of the amateur.

It had been said that the theatre should primarily amuse: but it could also educate. Through the agency of the amateur. England had in recent

years come to realise the value of the theatre apart from its ability to amuse. Probably at no other time had such an intelligent interest been taken in the drama for its own sake. New Zealand had been introduced tc notable works by amateurs. But for them those plays would probably never have been put on here at all. The amateur movement was still comparatively small in the Dominion, but It de served encouragement as it held it in its power not only to save the stage, but also to'arouse a greater apprecia-

tion of art. Thousands of members had joined the branches of the British Drama I-eague, which had grown remarkably since the war. Their work had taken the masterpiese of dratic literature to the masses, and one notable outcome had been the growth of an intelligent appreciation of the theatre’s place ; u national life. There were probably more real students of the drama in England today than ever before. People approached the theatre in a spirit of inquiry. The new school of amateur actors was composed of students ready to learn, as well as participants, and the standard of work bad been revealed by the growing interest in the amateur by the professi >r.al. This was borne out by the fact that nearly all the recruits of the professional stage were being drawn from the ranks of the amateurs Throughout her long history Eng land had always found inspiration from the drama, perhaps more than from music. It was also true that the great ages of the drama in England, as elsewhere, had been marked by simplicty and not by elaborate "shows.” Considerable support had recently

been given in London to several theatres outside the West End area concentrating on higher-class works. Although these were not strictly amateur in control, they did not seek high profits and they were content to work for art’s sake alone. It was a popular fallacy that to be good a stag* production had to be costly. It was quite true that finance was an important consideration. but many amateur societies produced plays

for very little. Reverting to the place of the amateur in New Zealand. Miss Blake sam i that through him the drama could be made to play a large part in promoting education, in conserving the purify of the English language, and in np- . holding the national consciousness and ideals which had found high ex- : pression in the playwright's art. The I drama "held the mirror up to nature. But it also served as a vehicle for the I expression of a nation’s highest thoughts, its aspirations, and not infrequently its philosophy. A system had been adopted in England under which paid producers travelled about the country supervising amateur productions. Miss Blake saw ; she was hopeful that something of.the , kind could be started in New Zealand In spite of the difficulties to be, overcome, chief among which would be the necessity for the prospective pro ducers first to receive training ** Home. Through this instruction amateurs would be shown on what lines to ■ work and that their work could not lbe presented to the public upon <l* village or parish hall stand Twenty years ago the word amateur ! was almost synonymous with poor i ability and lack of vision. But the amateurs of England were showing ; that vision was essential to the very l ; fe of the drama, aud the spirit »■ growing in New Zealand.