AMATEUR DRAMA NOTES

Taranaki Daily News, 9 November 1935, Page 16 (Supplement)

AMATEUR DRAMA NOTES

B.D.L. GENERAL MEETING CONSTITUTION DISCUSSED. the competitive element. (By “Haromi.”) The Operatic Society at Wellington believes in play-readings between productions to keep up the interest of members. At the last evening John Willard’s successful melodrama “The Cat and the ■Canary” was read. The flame of drama is by no means “out” at Waverley, some well-known names in connection with drama in the district in the past being noticed in two worthy one-act productions recently. It is quite likely more will be heard of Waverley dramatically next year. Although in the throes of, queen carnivals and elections, Stratford still finds a drama interest. On Thursday evening a number of enthusiasts assembled at S. Mary’s at Miss Wilson’s invitation, when “The Green Bay Tree” by Sharp was read, Mesdames Robertson, Steven, G. Hall, Rutherford, Richards, Misses Wilson, Naish and M. Porritt being the readers. The stage directions were in Miss Wilson’s capable hands. The Hawera Junior Drama Club played “Phoebe Rebels” at an Okaiawa church bazaar last week, when this little production by “the five J’s” delighted the Okaiawa residents. Mrs. W. G. Simpson is their producer. The players later showed their versatility by each performing'an individual item and providing a concert programme. Owing to Miss Judith Fyson’s inability to be present Miss Margaret Simpson, took Miss Judith Malone’s place, the latter replacing Miss Fyson in the-title role. The committee of the Hastings competitions in September have announced a loss of over £2OO on the festival, which was the first organised by the Hastings society. The festival received the support of enthusiasts. from practically all parts of the North Island, the number of entries far exceeding the most sanguine expectations of the committee. A request to the council (in view of the loss), to forego the hall rent, which was about £4O was not acceded to.

“Richard of Bordeaux.” For the close of their activities for 1935, the Hawera Women’s Club drama circle chose Gordon Daviot’s “Richard of Bordeaux,” which is a highly dramatic work set in medi-eval England. The. choice was an ambitious one, owing to the unweildy cast. With practice and attention to detail the play would make excellent material for a prepared reading for a large club. The presentation on Monday was moderately successful, the sheer dramatic force of the story of Richard ll.’s hapless reign being sufficient to hold the interest of the audience. Mrs. A. M. Young in the title role gave a spirited and sympathetic reading, as did Miss Nancy ,Duckworth as Richard’s queen, Anne. Other heavy and important parts were taken by Miss W. Knight (the Duke of Gloucester); Miss C. Reilly (John of Gaunt—Duke of Lancaster); Mrs. W. Hamilton (Robert de Vere—-Earl of Oxford); Miss Doris Bryant (Thomas Arundel—Archbishop of Canterbury); Mrs. C. G. Trotter (Henry—Earl of Derby); Miss M- Burgess (Thomas Mow-, bray—Earl of Nottingham); Mrs. P. O. Veale (Michael de la Pole—Chancellor of England); Mrs. A. Evans (Edmund of Langley—Duke of York) and Mesdames T. F. McKenzie, J, .Houston and Misses B. Ryan and E. Caplen. Many of the parts had'to be duplicated by the readers. Miss I. M. Glenn was the stage director. B.D.L. General Meeting.

So far no report of the British Drama League meeting has been published, but the minutes of the meeting make interesting reading, notwithstanding a certain ■vagueness in some cases.. Miss A. G. Kane presided and, besides representatives from the Otago, Auckland, Wellington, Southern Hawke’s Bay and Wanganui areas, and the South Canterbury and Hawke’s Bay drama leagues, Misses E. Blake and E. Wemyss, Mrs. E. Maslin and Mrs Stanley Natusch were present. Proxies or no Proxies.

At the opening of the meeting Mr. Keesing, Wellington, questioned the right of unincorporated societies to appoint proxies. He was supported by Mr. Lawrence, Timaru. After considerable discussion, however, the president ruled that proxies be accepted. Those holding proxies were Misses A. Kane, E. Blake, E. Wamyss, D. Isaacs, Thomson, Mesdames E. Maslen, Tweedy and Messrs; A. Goodwin, E. N. Hogben, Keesing and Dr. Unwin. for Developing New Areas.

In presenting an estimated statement of receipts and payments for 1936, one of the items mentioned was an allocation of £125 for development work in new areas, making provision for Miss Elizabeth Loe's return from overseas, and development generally. Miss Blake gave a brief account of her work in England and America in connection with the B.D.L. and Imperial development of the community drama during her recent tour. A fuller report is to be given in leaflet form.

Election of Officers. • The Rt. Hon. Sir Michael Myers, K.C.M.G., was elected to the presidency, with the following vice-presidents, Lady Ferguson (Dunedin), Misses A. G. Kane and E. Blake (Wellington), and Messrs. W. M. Page, A. S. Farquhar, G. Shirtcliffe, H. R. Tomlinson, Dr. W. H. Unwin arid Col. W. B. Brittain. In addition, a National Council of 53 people was elected, the list containing such familiar names as Misses Kane, Blake, Wemyss, Isaacs, H. Gardner, Bessie Thomson and M. Barron, Mesdames £>pence-Clark, Kelso, Eutasten and Messrs Arnold, F. Goodwin, G. H. A. Swan, W. S. Wauchop, E. L. Sutro and Messenger and Professors W. A. Sewell and J. Shelley. Mrs. C. Twaddle, and Messrs. W. S. Gibson, G. Chuck and CJ J. Cummings, Hawera, were also elected to the council. Messrs. W. G. Simpson and C. Harrison are the area representatives to National Council for South Taranaki, and Mrs.' F. P. Uniacke and Mr. A. H. R. Amess for Central Taranaki. Finance. As no further constructive suggestions were received from areas, as to ways and means of raising the necessary national funds, a resolution passed at a council meeting last year: “That the National Executive allocate the amount required from each area, and leave the area to raise it as it thinks fit” was confirmed at Miss Kane’s suggestion. Adviser to League.

To bring Miss Elizabeth Blake’s position in line with Mr Whitworth’s in the parent body in England and to make fuller use of her specialised knowledge, Miss Kane, seconded by Miss Thomson, moved thhat Miss Blake be elected director to the league.- An amendment (by Mr. P. Latham and Dr. Unwin) that the

term be adviser and not director was carried.

Revision of Constitution.

This necessity for revision of the constitution has been in the minds of many interested for some considerable time and, by the serious thinking enthusiasts, is considered absolutely necessary for the continued life of the league.

Mr. Keesing, Wellington, in a carefully reasoned speech, outlined the case for immediate revision. Miss Kane, explaining that the executive realised the constitution required some revision, asked the delegates present to request their area committees to consider the constitution and send in any alterations thought necessary for the consideration of the executive.

It was decided to limit the time for performance of festival plays to 40 minutes.

Festival for Three-act Plays. Miss Bessie Thomson, on behalf of the Otago area, proposed the establishment of a festival for three-act plays, whether by inclusion of one or more such plays in the local area festival or otherwise, such entries to be judged by a travelling judge, who shall adjudicate on all entries for the three-act festival and so ensure uniformity in judgment throughout.

Competitive Element at Festivals. In putting forward several suggestions dealing with the competitive spirit at festivals, on behalf of the Auckland area committee, Mr. Arnold Goodwin said that from experience gained after three elimination festivals, the Auckland area committee was of the opinion that unless the competitive spirit was dpne away with, the drama league would fail, from a cultural and useful point of view. The carefully considered suggestions were:—

1. That all cups be withdrawn and no marks be given. 2. That a committee; of three competent people in each area be set up and teams desiring to enter'festivals give a private performance before them, this committee deciding whether the team’s work and production -is of a sufficiently high enough standard to warrant entry. 3. That a travelling judge be appointed, whose duty would be to criticise from a constructive point of view only. 4. That at area festivals it be left in the hands of that area to decide on the representative team to be sent to the finals, the method of reaching the decision to be left to each individual area.

A long animated discussion followed Mr, Goodwin’s proposals resulting in a decision to forward copies of the suggestions to all areas, with the request to have them considered fully by all members and forward the result of their deliberations to headquarters.