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Drama in New Zealand.

During his tour through New Zealand in 1912, Mr. H. B. Irving stated in an interview that English actors would find themselves fully repaid in tourning the colonies, now that circumstances out here reduced to a minimum the risk of financial loss upon such a venture.

This remark leads one to consider, not so much the treatment that New Zealand now receives in the matter of the English actor, but the more important question of our fare in the matter of legitimate drama.

It is our contention that there is now a large and interested play-going public in New Zealand; that that public, though not necessarily an alert one intellectually, is one quick to perceive and appreciate what is meritorious in drama; and finally, that the supply is not only totally inadequate, but is also of vastly inferior quality to that demanded.

Curiously enough, as regards Shaksperean drama, there is not great cause for complaint. It is regrettable that none of the historical plays has ever been performed here, but as representative of the comedies we have had "The Midsummer Night's Dream," "Twelfth Night," "As You Like It," "Merchant of Venice," "The Merry Wives of Windsor," and "The Taming of the Shrew." These plays, with the addition of the tragedies—"Hamlet," "Othello," and "Romeo and Juliet," bring the total up to nine. A slender list, certainly, but in considering it one finds a certain solace in the thought that it might quite easily have been worse.

When, however, we turn our attention to the modern drama, we are confronted with a state of facts wholly different. Before going further into the question, we must note one fact that should never be lost sight of. The nineteenth century was remarkable for the growth of two movements—the democratic and the scientific. The gospel of the glory of labour, the spread of education among the masses, and the progress of scientific page 20 knowledge, all combined to produce an enormous and radical change in popular thought. In the midst of the confusion that arose from the destruction of beliefs long held to be divinely inspired, from the birth and growth of new ideals, from the chaos that reigned in the world of thought, a feeling began everywhere to make itself manifest—a revulsion against the tyranny of tradition. This revulsion was productive, above other things, of the demand—an ever-increasing one—for Sincerity, Reality, Truth. As greatly as this change in popular feeling affected popular institutions, upon no institution did it produce a greater effect than upon the Drama. Truth became the inspiration of the dramatist, Reality his theme, and Sincerity his law. All that is most inspiring, most durable and lasting in the Drama of to-day is the work of the writers who are the prophets and apostles of this new drama. Their work has not inaptly been termed by an American critic the "drama of sincerity," and it is by their work that the drama of to-day will be judged in future years.

It remains for us to consider who are the leaders in this movement, and to what extent their works have been produced in the Dominion.

In Europe, Ibsen was the pioneer and prophet of the movement, and though its influence was soon felt in Continental countries, it was some time before its full force was manifested in England. But to-day, it is not too much to say that every notable English drama that is produced bears traces of the influence of the master craftsman.

The two chief dramatists of the "sincere" school in England are John Galsworthy and Bernard Shaw. Galsworthy's plays are some seven in number. One of his earliest—"The Silver Box"—was produced in England as long ago as 1906. "Joy," "Strife," "Justice," "The Eldest Son," and "The Pigeon," have all been staged since then, and his latest play—"The Fugitive"—was presented only last year. Galworthy is one of the finest, if not quite the finest, of living. English dramatists, and at least one of his plays—"Justice"—marks the highest point yet attained by the modern English tragedy. One page 21 would think that there were ample inducement for theatrical firms to offer us, at any rate a taste of Galsworthy's quality, yet the lamentable fact is that not one of his plays has yet been seen here.

Bernard Shaw's plays now number twenty-three. Apparently the first to be produced was "Widower's Houses," which was staged in London in 1892. Since then his plays have been produced at varying intervals both in England and the United States. His latest satire—"Androcles and the Lion"—was staged last year in England, and promptly translated and produced on the Continent. Yet in the long interval that has passed since 1892, only two of Shaw's plays, so far as we can ascertain, have been produced in New Zealand—"Captain Brassbound's Conversion" and "Man and Superman." Shaw occupies a unique position in the dramatic world to-day: his plays abound in extraordinary dialectical brilliancy; his following is great, not in England only, but in Europe and in the United States; he is generally regarded as the most potent dramatic influence since Ibsen, yet colonial managers have united practically in ignoring his works. Why?

Two other dramatists have made notable contributions to the modern English drama—Granville Barker and St. John Hankin. Their plays have all been staged in England within the last eight or nine years, but New Zealand has as yet seen no one of them.

There are quite a number of minor playwrights who have produced in the last year or two some interesting dramas, very typical of the modern movement in the Drama. These include Stanley Houghton (the author of "Hindle Wakes"), whose death was announced only a few months ago; Elizabeth Baker, Githa Sowerbey, George Moore, and, above all, John Masefield, whose poignant "Tragedy of Nan" takes equal rank in importance with "Justice." It is perhaps unnecessary to add that the works of no one of these writers have yet been produced here. However, when we consider the treatment that Galsworthy, Shaw and Barker have received at the hands of colonial managers, we feel sufficiently thankful that their plays are available at least in book form.

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Among further dramatic productions of recent years in England, we must number the fine poetic dramas of W. B. Yeats, the delicate comedies of Lady Gregory and Synge, and the exquisite tragedies of this latter pair. No, no one of their works has yet been produced in the Dominion. We honestly do not believe that one ever will.

We would like to dwell for some short time upon the dramas of Stephen Phillips, but we can only mention in passing that "Herod" was staged in England in 1900, and "Ulysses" in 1902. Curiously enough, neither has yet visited New Zealand. It is strange to reflect that Oscar Wilde, the dramatic successor of Congreve and Sheridan, has not been greatly drawn upon by colonial actors. "A Woman of No Importance" was staged here two years ago, and twelve years ago, in a fit of wild daring, the Brough Company produced "The Importance of Being Earnest," for one night.

If this is the treatment meted out to the English dramatist in the colonies, we should surely feel no surprise when we find that the works of Continental dramatists have, with one rare exception, never appeared here. The exception is "The Blue Bird." Last year, in London, Mr. Granville Barker ventured upon the experiment of a Repertory Theatre. Some twenty plays were produced during the year, including Maeterlinck's "Death of Tintagiles," and other works by Continental writers. How many years will elapse before we see in New Zealand not only the masterpieces of Maeterlinck, but also those of Ibsen and Strindberg, of Brieux and Bernstein, of Hauptmann, of Tolstoi and Gorky, of Tchekhov, and of D'Annunzio.

It were idle further to extend the list of our grievances. The fact is abundantly clear that all that is fine and enduring in the modern drama, is shunned almost completely by colonial managers. For the life of us we cannot understand why. There is no censorship or Lord Chamberlain "down under" to harass managers. The public is an intelligent one, capable of appreciating the best. The warm welcome extended to "Milestones" and "Man and Superman," no less than to Shaksperean drama, prove the honest capacity of colonials for appre page 23 ciating the best than can be offered. We can only trust that in some way the eyes of our colonial managers may be opened, and that through its proper medium—the stage—there may be revealed to us the modern Drama, with its earnest and inspiriting message, in the passion and strength of its new life, in the fulness of its beauty, in the fineness of its art.

—P.B.B.