HAMILTON AND ART.

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16814, 4 June 1926, Page 8

HAMILTON AND ART.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —I have read “Hakim Singh’s" i letter on the above..subject, and there !is much truth in it' regarding the i apathy existing here towards the better class of theatrical show, whether it he drama, music or classic : dancing. He suggests that efforts ! should have been made to bring Pav- ! lova to Hamilton, but it is question-^ ; able whether he has had any personal I experience of the difficulties which guarantors face and, on the other hand, taking it as a business proposition, theatrical managers arc so well versed of Ihc possibilities of Hamilton that they wisely give it a wide'berth. II would like to draw attention to at least two worthy attractions in which l took a personal guarantee, and as one of the committee know something about the difficulties \ve had to face. The New South Wales Orchestra, a truly magnificent combination, backed throughout New Zealand and in Hamilton by one of the strongest local committees possible, showed a deficit here. Then the wonderful Chautauqua movement: I stood as guarantor for five successive years, and a better community proposition in drama, elocution and music has never before or since been offered to the people. Many will remember with pleasure such fine public lecturers as Chancellor Hersman, Dr. Bradford, and other fine musical and dramatic artists too numerous to mention here, all part of a movement that was killed by prejui dice and apathy. Also in New Zealand Irmly somewhat recently people in the larger towns were afforded the unique opportunity of seeing tho famous Vanbrugh Boucicault English Comedy Co., lnit of course no business management | would he foolish enough to put Hamilton on the map for Ibis attraction. The necessity, however, of bringing the Pavlova attraction here is unduly exaggerated by your correspondent. Wonderful as it may appear to a New Zealand audience, it does not rank in the large Continental towns, such sa Buda Pest or Vienna for instance, as a show entitled to take up more than 25 minutes of an evening’s performance, but when brought to the Eng-lish-speaking countries by eleven, modern advertising it claims a stani rlard or art quite out of proportion 110 Us actual merit. As to screen productions, nothing that 1 know of in New Zealand has dimmed the true artistic sense of the people more than the piffle drama of the screen, the majority of these concoctions being waste of good time aud money, and in some cases positively degrading in their influence. 1 leave 'it to some abler pen to suggest a remedy for the conditions existing to-day.—4 am. ete.HACKENSCIIMIDT.