Why not? There is surely as much scope in New Zealand for properly trained actors, producers et al as there is for artists and both Canterbury and Auckland have schools of fine arts.

Drama schools are considered to be legitimate university courses overseas and there are more than enough students throughout the country to fill a course.

Advantage

Before the other universities start making their claims, Vic. has one certain advantage. In the near future it will have one of the best—If not the best—little theatres in the country. A drama school could put this to full use.

Its organisation need not be too difficult, not for that matter its financing. Some collaboration could be arranged initially between the New Zealand Players and the English department. It has already been suggested in some quarters that the Players need one director on the artistic side and another for administration.

An artistic appointment could be considered from an applicant who was also able to lecture and teach.

Eventually the school could pass from the logical covering of the English department to its own administration.

From Aussie

Not only would it attract students from New Zealand but might well bring them from Australia which, as far as we know, has no university drama school.

It could raise the standard of New Zealand drama, it could encourage playwriting, it could provide a special course that council would like to capture, it could provide drama teachers for the schools properly trained in drama and so much more.

It is not for us to work out the full details, only suggest that this is a matter well worth investigating.

—C.B.