—Condemnation

Dear Sir,—The secretary of the VUC Drama Club recently informed one of the club's more promising freshers that, as she belongs to a club in town, she need expect no parts in Varsity shows. Perhaps members of Repertory and other important societies are exempt from this rule. Certainly it should apply to almost all the club committee members. Is the secretary aware that the lead in Repertory's next production is being played by a person who had important roles in Varsity's one-act play evening on Friday, July 13. She must know that another member of her committee who ditched the Varsity entry in the Drama League Festival by accepting a part in the Repertory production, took a large part in Friday's activities. I should be the last to blame these people; they are fortunate in having the time and the talent for so much drama, but with such examples before her it is absurd for the secretary to say that membership of a town club disqualifies anyone for parts at Varsity. It seems short-sighted of the club to entrust the same person with every difficult role rather than risk such a role with an unknown actress, particularly in club evenings. Of course it's not wise to gamble with the major production, when there is one; but surely it is the function of one-act plays and readings to develop new talent and provide experience. In a few years, if untried players are never employed, the loss of the present leading lights will kill the club. Yet when some keen actress, tired of waiting for parts at Varsity, joins a club in town, she is told that she is thereby debarred from membership of the Varsity club. If this is true, why did I for one who, as the secretary knows, belong to two town clubs, get a part in a one-act play on Friday, 13? If she's not careful, she'll drive too many talented players, through lack of parts, to join town clubs, and then, having with this ridiculous arbitrary rule barred them from the VUC Drama Club, she will find herself a secretary without a club.