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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 2, No. 13 July 5, 1939

Modern Drama

Modern Drama

On Wednesday last, Mr. Ralph Hogg delivered a very interesting talk on Modern Drama to the members of the Phoenix Club.

Mr. Hogg gave a concise account of the evolution of modern drama, and the rapid progress it has made within the last thirty years; of the effect the technical side of the stage has had on the artistic; and of the change from the use of verse to that of prose. He thinks, with Somerset Maughan, that there will be a return to verse because of its greater emotional power. Mr. Hogg outlined briefly the differences between the plays which make you think and those which make you think you are thinking; the type of play which presented modern problems which were solved by the "deus ex machina" method, and those which attempted some solution. In the discussion which followed, the usual American-British comparison arose, and the mind of the British public was once more shown to be incomprehensible. The merits and demerits of the plays of W. D. Auden. Granville-Darker. Somerset Maughan, and Noel Coward were discussed intelligently and freely.

This talk and discussion was informally informative; the dullest would have been interested, and the brightest could not have been bored. Yet the attendance was very poor.

—W.B.