Victoria Drama

Every year there is held a drama tournament, for which the four colleges send a team each The fact that there is such a tournament suggests that in the university drams is taken seriously, not merely as entertainment but also as art. And rightly so, because where else are there such obligations. The V.U.C. Drama Club has obligations because it is the representative group of an academic institution.

It is difficult to say if the V.U.C Drama Club has lived up to its obligations. Admittedly it has often produced plays under difficult conditions. But since the building of the Little Theatre the club has, for the most part, aimed higher than any Women's Institute Drama Group. Plays produced during the last few years include "She Sloops to Conquer." "Anno Christie," "Coriolanus," "The Rape of Lucrece." '"The Respectable Prostitute," and most of the credit for those productions must go to Bill Sheat. Paul Treadwell and Gerry Monoghan who, in 1949. did much to revive the Drama Club.

Last year the major production was "The Rivals." which received good press notices.

"Cockpit" emerged at the beginning of 1953 to set the town talking. Produced by Brian Brimer, the play proved a strong rival to the Ropertory's current play "The Front Page." and earned mention in "Landfall." The general public began to hear about the V.U.C Drama Club and the players were elated at having caused so much excitement amongst the audience. Stirred out of complacency and casualness the club began planning for another major production—this time a comedy With Elsie Lloyd, who has been associated with the club in the past as produced, and a strong cast Including Gavin Yates. Bernadette Canty. Elaine Casserly. Rosemary Lovegrove. John Marchant, David Bridges and Ian Rich. "Spring 1600." by Emelyn Williams, promised to be just as successful. There is a wide range of comedy parts filling in the canvas of a satirical portrait of "Elizabethean" back stage life. "Spring 1600" will be a valuable contribution to Coronation drama in Wellington.

The New Zealand Players have Just left Wellington and it is interesting to note that both Richard and Edith Campion received their early training at Victoria. They both appeared in a play that was described in "Landfall" as "the most exacting event of the New Zealand stage." This is high praise Indeed but not surprising when applied to a production by university students. The public expects something good and I feel the present V.U.C. Drama Club is on the road to providing it.