Stout, schizophrenic (I'm in two minds about that scene) Brian Brimer—last seen as the mysterious Bliss in Repertory's "Ringer"—is to produce "Cockpit."

During the last three years he has played leading roles in five of the Community Arts Service Theatre productions touring the North Island: O'Neill's The Emperor Jones, Fry's A Phoenix. Too Frequent, Priestley's An Inspector Calls, Shylock in The Merchant of Venice and Toby Belch in Twelfth Night.

Consequently he is almost, unique in that as a New Zealander he has existed in New Zealand as a professional actor. In between tours, while "resting." he has produced for Wellington Repertory, the Thespians, religious drama and was responsible for the stage direction of "The Gondoliers" and "Pirates of Penzanee" for Scots and Queen Margaret Colleges. Was also one of the tutors for the New Zealand Drama Council's Summer School at Dunedin.

Having recovered (he hopes) from the after-show "do" for "Cockpit,"

The Producer...

he commences rehearsals the following Monday with the New Zealand Players—Dick Campion's new professional group.

At the moment he is quite excited about producing "Cockpit" (a most challenging play) and even more so by the enthusiasm of the company darling. I didn't mean you to go to all that trouble when I said let your "hair down); we feel a little of this excitement watching rehearsals and at the moment think this show is going to be one of our best efforts.

...And the Play

Bridget Boland believes in putting you on the spot. In "Cockpit," which VUG is presenting on March 25, 26, 27 and 28, she dupes her audience in a requisitioned hall in Germany (1945)—used as an assembly centre for displaced persons—and leaves them there for a couple of hours. This is high explosive stuff. An experiment in theatre which has so involved some audiences that instead of walking out they've got up and said exactly what they felt.

Several months on the West End, a special tour for the miners of South Wales and the North-east and revivals in Europe, Australia and New Zealand—not a bad record for such a provocative play. In Australia an amateur group planned a presentation of 3-4 nights, played for 34 months . . . and now V.U.C.