THE DRAMA.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18350, 22 August 1929, Page 4

THE DRAMA.

INTERESTING ROTARY ADDRESS. BY PROFESSOR J. SHELLEY. At the weekly luncheon of the Timaru Rotary Club yesterday, Professor J. Shelley, of Christchurch, who is acting as judge at the competitions conducted by the South Canterbury Drama League, gave a most interesting address on “Drama, and its place in the community life.” “ We don’t know much about drama in New Zealand,” said the Professor, in opening, “ unless we develop it ourselves.” The speaker went on to say that there was a time in the nineteenth century when a man, after having a big dinner, went to a theatre to digest what he had eaten. He sat there comfortably, watched the play, and went away—his dinner digested. He thought little more of the play. To give an idea of the place drama now holds in life in Europe, Professor Shelley mentioned that plays were now being produced in churches, one having recently been staged in Canterbury Cathedral. in England. In America, churches were being built for the purpose of producing plays. At Yale University (Washington*, he continued, there was a School for Drama, and a theatre that cost £40,000. They had professors to lecture on drama, which subject was included in the scheme of education. At the London University such a staid place —students could take a diploma in dramatic art, and the same applied to Liverpool University. "Drama nowadays.” said the speaker, “is not only respectable, but abominally academic.” The speaker here recalled how Dean Inge, speaking of the need for a great prophetic voice, expressed the opinion that that voice would come from the theatre. Dean Inge visualised the theatre as the most potent field in the creation of the world’s thought, and drama as an art where conflicting ideas were brought out and dealt with. In such a way, continued Professor Shelley, people were given an unbiassed point of view. In the past half century, the great voice in the revival of drama was that of the Norwegian, Henry Ibsen. Ibsen used the theatre for serious, though not gloomy, purposes, and to make people more conscious of the life going on around ■ them. “A good farce can still be serious,” continued the Professor, “as it can let in the light of some aspect of life.” Ibsen encouraged people to analyse life and take stock of human development. This was very necessary at present, as Europe was suffering from all sorts of “grundyism.” Formerly, all manner of smug, hypocritical things were going on, “to cover over the weaknesses of society.” To an extent Ibsen’s plays had not taken on in England as the people were not philosophical enough. On the other hand, they had taken on in Germany, and at one time four of his plays were running in one city, at one time. The difference between the old drama and the new was that the old was not a real

» presentation of life. All sociological ' problems were omitted. The old plays [ were too much of the type where the . hero was turned out, became famous, ' was welcomed back with open arms, v i;snd “lived happily ever after.” It was at this stage that Ibsen took up the ' theme. Professor Shelley here quoted from the play "The Doll’s House,” which was in New Zealand some thirty years ago. The play told of a bank clerk who became rich and married. Then Ibsen’s play started, when the wife who had been treated as a doll, in a doll’s house, walked out of the house to “find herself.” Ibsen recognised that nineteenth century society laws were man-made, so that “The Doll’s House” was not of the type of play the theatre was meant for. Later on, after dispelling the idea that the theatre was a place to go to, come away from, and forget, Ibsen realised that it was the theatre that the most effective means of creating the world’s thought. There are great dramatists all the world over, continued the speaker, and “almost in America.” At the present time, he stated, the world was searching for new ideals, and it was the duty of all Rotary Clubs to assist in placing those ideals in close touch with reality. A theatre in Bristol, England, was run by a Rotary Club, and Professor Shelley made the suggestion that the Timaru Rotary Club should take a live interest in drama in Timaru, mentioning, in this direction, the competitions at present being conducted by the South Canterbury Drama League. One of the things human nature does in its transition period, he stated, was to turn its eyes back to history, and this was one of the characteristics of moden drama. “With the play before you, in the hands of great artists, you have all the facts there. They must mean something, as very few minds can illumine these except as presented by the artists.” The speaker went on to say that most of the drama brought to New Zealand at the present time could be termed “rubbish.” The only good drama seen was produced in the country. It was only when artists put flesh and blood Into the data given that the grim realisation was brought out. “You then see that the psychological interpretation of the characters is not a pretty story. For instance, you don’t see Florence Nightingale as a pretty woman with a lantern, but as a woman, a hardened woman, who had forced the Government to supply her with sufficient funds to carry out her great work.” (Applause.) On the motion of Dr. W. H. Unwin, Professor Shelley was accorded a hearty vote of thanks.