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Capping 1932. Victoria University College. April 30th, May 2nd and 3rd, 1932.

Coax and Hoax

Coax and Hoax.

(An Enlightened Sermon on the Future of the Theatre Movement in New Zealand.)

It is only possible to discuss the Theatre Movement in New Zealand prophetically. However, should any student of the Drama be so bold as to discuss such a movement in retrospect, I, for one, should not deter him. We have room for a National Theatre in New Zealand. While not disregarding the work of Mr. Wilkie, I think that with "Coax and Hoax," my first-born, I have struck the first blow—(Herculean babe!), and to my distinguished contemporary, Mr. Harold G. Hobday, I turn for the furtherance of page 18 the cause. At the time of writing, I learn that he is in the course of producing for the N.Z. Stage Society (Inc.) that masterpiece of somnambulism, "He Walked in Her Sleep."

But, meanwhile, there is my own work to be discussed. To a possibly perplexed audience confronted with it for the first time, perhaps a word of explanation is due. To be quite honest, this is not the premiere of the play. The piece was completed early in August and performed for the first time on Guy Fawke's Day, before a large and appreciative audience in the Bethel Temple.

The following extract from that distinguished journal, "The Evening Boast," is significant:—"Despite its Communistic bias, 'Coax and Hoax' is a great play. Impregnated with the breath of genius, this play develops with a movement of classic simplicity and grandeur. At the last curtain we were left breathless."

And the "Minion":—"Crook plays will come and go, and a succession of fashions after them, but Ragg and his immortal dramas will go marching on, and echoing truth and beauty, sweep down the Hall of all time."

I was rather bucked about this, so resolved that the public should see my work. As the play had only been performed at a private Sunday Theatre, it became necessary to delete certain passages calculated to give offence to a large section of the audience. The original took four hours to produce. Emma, in the original, was a creature without a soul, and simply impelled by desire (for better or worse). It was decided that she would have to be overhauled or scrapped. So I gave her a soul, not much of a soul, but as good as souls go these days. Several scenes from Shakespeare had been woven into my original, but a discriminating sub-committee, not recognizing their origin, subsequently seized on them, and ruthlessly excised them as drivelling obscenities.

The central figure, de Bathe-Waters, has aroused much speculation, and been identified with such celebrities as Trotsky, Monsieur Beaucaire, Oswald Alving, Dr. Crippen and Clyde Carr. Absurd suppositions! Ferdinand is none other than myself.

Should other of the characters in this play be identified with any living persons, I should not turn a hair.

It is possible that some persons will enjoy this operette; many will be bored, and others revolted, while quite a number will leave the theatre before its conclusion. To those dozen souls who will accept this piece in the spirit in which it has been written, this play is dedicated.

The Author.