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Salient. Official Newspaper of the Victoria University Students' Association. Vol 41 No. 7. April 10 1978

[Introduction]

The possibilities of theatre as a medium for children's entertainment and education are limitless, yet theatre for children is underdeveloped.

Within the last few years. Theatre 87, Downstage, Circa and Unity have entered into the children's area, but a lot of work is still to be done before the understanding and appreciation of theatre for children reaches the level of adult theatre.

Television and picture theatres are providing entertainment for children; but take a closer look at it! Plastic, action packed, loud, colourful presentations are packing the children in, they may not provide interesting, imaginative, live entertainment, but because of availability, movies are popular.

Touring parties doing children's shows have been very successful — the demand is there, and something needs to be done about it. So why is there no theatre for children other than in school holiday time?

Badjelly the Witch

Badjelly the Witch

However . . . Unity theatre is going to be running children's theatre on Saturday mornings from the 27th of May, with Badjelly at Unity, then Winnie the pooh, and in late June Grimm's Fairy Tales. This is much needed and appreciated, as when Theatre 87 closed, so did continuous children's theatre.

In the May school holidays Wellington theatres have put on three programmes for children, they have been exceptionally well patronised playing to full houses.

Unity theatre has put on Winnie the Pooh, Theatre 87 has put on Badjelly the Witch at Wellington Repertory theatre, and Downstage has produced School for clowns; providing varied and interesting entertainment.