New Repertory Director

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Mr Maxwell Wray, a son of Mr and Mrs HH Wray, of “Strathmore” Conisborough, has been appointed director to the Sheffield repertory company, in succession to Mr Herbert M.Prentice.

Mr Wray was born at Doncaster and educated at the King Edward VII School, Sheffield and Ackworth Friends School. The can be said to have started a dramatic career while at school, for it Sheffield he took part in productions of “Alice in Wonderland” and “As You Like It.” The latter was produced at Ackworth, and Mr Wray took the part of Orlando.

Mr Wray was for four year’s actor and stage manager at the “Old Vic,” first with Mr Russell Thorndike, and then with Mr Robert Atkins. Since then he has been two years with Mr Basil Dean at the Queens when he has helped in the production of several plays, and at the Garrick and St Martin’s. Mr Wray also took an acting part and assisted in the production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at Drury Lane. Since Christmas he had been filming with Pathe Freres. He commenced his new duties last weekend, after spending a holiday in Switzerland.

He brings to his new task and any amount of enthusiasm, and has great hope of developing the repertory movement in the Sheffield district to the point at which it would be able to support a permanent theatre and a professional cast. Is planned for the coming season are not yet completed, but it is intended to produce eight plays before Christmas, beginning in September, mainly by modern English authors such as Galsworthy, Houghton and Barrie.

He is most anxious to establish a good understanding between the various clay reading and performer societies in and around the city, and is willing to give help and advice to amateur societies, opening in return that the amateur society will cooperate with the repertory movement both by attending plays, by supplying recruits for the repertory stage, and by cooperation in other directions. Mr Wray is not only enthusiastic in the cause of the higher drama, but I graduated in the best schools and is able to bring to bear a fine technique. Supporters of the Repertory Company are looking forward very helpfully to the first season under Mr Reyes management.