BRITISH DRAMA LEAGUE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 12, 15 January 1932, Page 12

BRITISH DRAMA LEAGUE

DESIRE FOR SHAKESPEARE | LITERATURE IN NEW ZEALAND LONDON, Nov. 24. I As delegate for the Wellington Players, Miss Elizabeth Blake (Mrs Stanley Natusch) attended the annual conference of the British Drama League. The League is a very important body, having some two thousand societies, both professional and amateur, affiliated to it —indeed, it may be regarded as the clearing house for the theatrical profession, states a London correspondent. The conference proved to be very interesting, while hospitality, it need hardly be said, was on a goucrous scale. Real and warm-hearted interest was expressed for New Zealand by many of those present. Every speaker seemed to have a very warm regard for the Dominion and there seemed to be a common desire that its theatrical needs should be met and developed. Miss Blake proposed the following resolution, which was unanimously carried—indeed, it was the only resolution put to the conference which went through without dissent: — “That this conference, bearing in mind the important part drama can play in maintaining a knowledge and use of pure English as well as in increasing mutual understanding among the different parts of the British Empire, recommends the formation of a sub-committee to deal specially with community drama in the Dominions and Crown colonies of the Empire, with special reference to the immediate needs of New Zealand.” A committee was set up to deal with the suggestion. Miss Blake referred to New Zealand as a very young country, which, because of its immense distance from the centres of art, and literature, was terribly isolated in those connections, and was in danger of intellectual and artistic starvation so far as drama war concerned. It was not the fault of anyone; it was just force of circumstances. But the people were tremendously interested and wanted the opportunity of developing that interest, and the time seemed now to have come when a move forward was possible. When she first went to New Zealand she was given to understand that the public did not want Shakespeare, «o she left Shakespeare off her programmes and ; posters. Before long, however, people ‘ approached her and asked her to include Shakespeare. She knew that the ' Women’s Institutes in the Dominion ' were very keen to have Shakesy arcan plays well done. Miss Blake has, since her return to England, been delighted to find how ■ extremely well some of the local ama- ! teur societies in English villages still • put on Shakespearean plays, and how I splendidily they act them. Even small villages of three hundred inhabitants ’ can find amateur talent to put on these classic plays, and to do them really well, for at least a week’s run. , A Generous Offer Miss Elsie Fogerty, the holder of the London University Degree of Dra- ’ matic Art —London is the only University that grants this distinction—has offered Miss Blake two years ’ full » training for any New Zealander that a she may nominate to come to England to take a special course as producer and lecturer of drama for the develops merit of dramatic art in the Dominion. Miss Blake’s choice would, of course, 0 be subject to the approval of the com- - mittee at this end. c Miss Fogerty proposed that a res gional survey of dialect be undertaken 3 throughout the British Isles and that gramopohone records of about 30 0 variants should be made. The results 'I would be of great value to writers and 3 dramatic societies, besides preserving 1 dialects that were in danger of being ' lost. Mr Austin Hyde, of the East a Yorks Dialect Society, said that wirev less was a new peril in the villages, 1 and was producing a mongrel type of e speech, neither standard English nor dialect. Tho resolution was carried. The difficulties of play-reading societies in regard to the attitude of authors i and agents were raised by Mr Harold . Downs, of Bath, and other delegates 7 having spoken of club readings which had been given without permission or fee, the chairman said that the League

had always held the view that public readings were on a par with performances. He thought it would be wiser to wait until the proposed Dramatists’ League came into operation. Dr. Boas proposed that it was desirable that experiments be made by the Universities in further diplomas and courses in drama, and that extramural courses be augmented. Principal A. E. Morgan, who seconded, said that the Universities were only just beginning to till the field of drama. The present difficulty was in obtaining tutors. The resolution was carried by 20 votes. A proposal that the affiliation of amatiur dramatic societies to the League be made conditional upon their active support of the National Festival of Community Drama was heavily defeated. Miss Blake is approaching the Carnegie Trust to see if they will vote a little money to be devoted to the interests of dramatic art development in New Zealand. Meanwhile, during her stay in London, she is studying very hard as she finds there is still so much to learn to keep herself professionally up-to-date. She will be in England until March. She hopes to find someone qualified to go out to help in the work in New Zealand.