STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 276, 20 November 1926, Page 22

STAGE JOTTINGS.

Eric Edgeley and Clem Dawe, the stare of tlie "The Midnight Frolics," owe a great deal of their success 10 the late George Formby, the well-known English comedian. Mr. Formby saw them presenting a dance song some years ago i and was so delighted with their work that he wrote thorn some patter. Prior to this they never thought of using any other means but their legs to secure their laughe. Mason Wood, who will be responsible for the first Australian production of J "The Torch Bearers," was for many years associated with Leslie Henson, the noted English comedian. Mr. Wood made his debut before Australian audiences as the Chinaman in Oscar Asche's "Cairo." "Tho Torch Bearers" was! ] staged ;it a unla matinee in the Palace i j Theatre on Xoveniber !). The Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital and the Theatre Association will share the pro- ] feeds. i — t The Xew York receipts of '"Rose Marie" have exceeded even the colossal 1 returns of Drury Lane, London. The price of booked seats in Xew York is < supposed to be five dollars, but during 1 the entire run it has been practically t impossible to secure any place under seven or eight dollars. Jt has made a i lingo fortune for Mr. Hninmerstein- and | the composers, Rudolph Friml and Herbert Stothart. Mr. Ilanimcrsteiii has ( thy knack of getting successes, and Aus- < Ir;ili;ii!s linve already enjoyed many of ( his creations, such as "High Jinks," j "Krttinka" and "You're in Love." The •I. ('. Williamson, Ltd., production of ( "Hose Marie" lias reached its twenty- , third week ill Sydney. Mary Hinton (the Hon. Mrs. PittRivers) is making her farewell appearance on the Australian stage in Barrio's '•Mary Rose." in Melbourne. It fulls l to M.ny Hinton to set the eerie atmos- ' phere in this beautiful fantasy. She is ' Mrs. Otery, who lias had the courage to look after the house that is supposed to ' be haunted, and whose nerves have suffered in consequence. Angela Baddely is Mary Rose and Mary Jerrold, Mrs. Moreland. the part she took in the T original London production. Brian £ Ahcrne doubles the roles of Harry and Simon Blake, and others in the cast are Hubert Harben, as Mr. Morland, Frederick C'ulley, as the Rev. (Jcorge Amy, and Norman Mac Owen as the Highland gillie. * George Barraud, who will appear as Lord Sloane with Renee Kelly in "Brown J Sugar" at the Theatre Royal, next Saturday night, for the first* time in Melbourne, was a well-known motion picture actor in America for several years, but prefers the "legitimate" stage. "Picture making," Ik; says, "is a nerveracking business. There is no response I to your efforts, and your only audience c is a few hard-boiled electricians. The studio is flooded with Minding light, and you havo only a small space to act in, so that you will be within range of the camera. They even chalk lines to mark where you must put your feet, and there is no sequence in what you do. You might start in the middle of a picture, or at the end, and each bit of j 'business' has to be. taken several times at different ranges, which is very confusing." Mr. Barraud declared that lie had never yet met anyone who preferred playing in pictures to the legitimate stage. Tho French dramatic critic has traditionally been in one respect the envy of his fellows in other lands, saya an j exchange. The notice of a play in an ! English morning newspaper has usually to be written with one eye on the clock and with the fumes of" the playhouse still dizzying the brain. Hut in France | a "repetition generalc" for the benefit i of the Press and the friends of the management has for long preceded the actual tirst night, and with a day to think over the phiy the critic has been able to get a perspective in his view and a polish on liTs style that are wanting in more hasty work. Now, however, we gather from the '•Observer's" Paris correspondent, many managements think this kindly provision is wasted. Perspective or no, they get nothing but hard words from too many of the critics. They have resolved, therefore, to let the public be the first judge and to admit the Press only after its verdict has been given. Miss Clara Kimball Young, the -wellknown film star who arrived in London recently, told a "Sunday Times" representative that her appearance at the Coliseum Theatre in a comedy sketch, "His Adorable Wife," was not in the nature of a. departure, but merely constituted a return to the "spoken drama" on her part, as she acted on the legitimate I stage before she was engaged for the films. "There is something particularly gratifying about the legitimate stage when compared with films." she explained, "and it is the presence of the actual audience which is so stimulating to the actor. I have temporarily abandoned the screen because I felt my view-point was becoming stale, and I ' needed a change" Miss Young is of the ■ opinion that the present-day American ; film producer sacrifices human interest ■ to spectacular effects. "Another point ' which I consider is a handicap to American films," she continued, "is (lie fact that producers make pictures wiili Xew York in their minds all the time. The whole idea is: "Will Xew York like if:'; and if Xew York likes it they assume that tiie whole civilised world is going to be entertained. This is absolutely wrong, because Xew York is blase, and the taste of X'cw Yorkers in the aggregate ie more jaded than that of Continental patrune of tin: cinematograph." Mr. Alfred Hill, of the Sydney C'onsrrI vatoriuni of Musi;-, who returned recently i j Hi.m n trip to Kurnpo and America' I •■'Miles back with a definite impression I that no place In: hus visited has a higher standard of music, educationally, than Sydney. "But, , he added, "Australia is one of the last civilised countries on tho earth to be without permanent opera and a permanent orchestra on a satisfactory financial footing. They are doing wonderful things in America in maintaining symphony orchestras. Every town <>f any size at ;i!l thinks if. essenti.-il that, it should : lmvi! Mirli mi orclicr-trn. It is considered 1o be a part of the culfuru of the i euniuiuiiity, and (In , feeling is that no one is a good citizen unless he supports this orchestra. Hern in Sydney we ought to have a similar public opinion." Mr. Hill, however, was not impressed by what he saw of musical training in the American schools in one city, Minneapolis. While these buildings were exceedingly well equipped, he considered that the orchestral training of the children, from a musician's point of view, did not show- satisfactory results. In London, on the other hand, he heard some charming playing by a small orchestra in St. Paul's School, where the work is under the charge of Gustave Hoist, composer of "The Planets." In Minneapolis, of course, he met Mr. Henri Verbnigghen, just then recovering from

The prize this week is awarded to I. Macdonald, Wairoa Avenue, Birkenhead, for : "THE REAL MACKAY." A Scot, followed by liis five children, entered the Ritz Hotel and sat down in the lounge. '•Waiter, .a bottle of lemonade and sax tumblers," lie demanded. The waiter was too dumbfounded to do anything but bring the drink. Openmouthed, lie watched the Scot divide the bottle among the six glasses, but when the Scot produced a bag of buns from his pocket the waiter dashed away to find the manager. A few minutes later the manager arrived and touched the Scot on the shoulder, saying in a stern voice: "Excuse mc, I'm the manager of this establishment." The Scot looked up sharply: "O, ye're the manager, are yeV Wee!, why the deil's the band no playing?" DOING A THING WELL. The teacher was explaining to her class that if one wanted to do anything well one had to begin at the bottom, when a voice from the back interrupted her: "How about swimming the Channel, miss?" A REAL PLEASURE. "I'd like to go to a funeral this afternoon, sir," said the office boy, after an argument -with the chief clerk. "Oh, you would, would you?" the chief clerk asked heartlessly. "Well, you won't!" "No, sir; I know I won't," the hoy murmured resignedly. "But I would like to go all the same." Something tragic and appealing in the youthful voice led the chief to ask: "Whose funeral V "Your?, sir," said the boy gently. HIS INFERENCE. It was at a Scout rally the local M.P. ? s met, when during the conversation one of the company butted in: The Boy Scout is a being who From truth must never stray; His duty is to try to do One worthy act a day. He practisess the manly art Of loyal fellowship, And when he's played a useful part He will not take a tip. And so one readily infers From all the ins and outs, That most of British Ministers Have never been Boy Scouts.

THE COMPLIMENT. Nobody seemed to take much notice of Green at the office dinner, and he was beginning to feel somewhat bored when lie was called upon to make a speech. Green stood up and glanced round the walls of the dining-hall, noting with keen relish the works of art that adorned them. Then he began hia speech by paving a compliment to the ladies of the. staff. Pointing with outstretched arm to the wonderful paintings, he remarked:— '"Gentlemen, what need is there of all these painted beauties when we have so many with us at the tables?' , PLEASURE LONG DRAWN OUT. Having received news that the salmon were running, Mr. Simpson decided it was time for a much-needed holiday, so lie hurried northwards to a river where he had excellent sport last year. After a very successful morning he'hurried away to a farmhouse for lunch, where he had been the previous year. I'm gey glad to see you again," said the farmer. "It'll be fine sport this year. ami the weather's finer than you" had last ye»r. ] mind it was very soft lust l.vpjir. Thank ye, 1 dont mi ml it I do have a n£nr. Man, but that was a fine one T hstd frae ye last year. It. was that. 1 often take- a few draws at it still — on the Paw bath, ye ken." CITY TEMPLE MEMORIES. Mr. Leslie Henson, the author, has some interesting memories of the City Temple, for his father sang in the choir in the days of the famous Dr. Parker. The preacher, who was harsh-featured, had a lovely wife. Ik; was walking hi the street villi her one day when someone said audihly as they passed: '■Look, here comes Beauty and tinBeast." Quick as a flash Dr. Parker turned round and said: "How dare you call my wife a beast?" After his adored wife died he did not appear at the City Temple for three Sundays, and then on the fourth Sunday he made a dramatic entrance, a rather"terrible, grim figure. "Standing before that crowded congregation, lie said: "I've come amongst you again because I've fought my own feelings—you can imagine why—and now I am fit to be here once more. But to stand here during these past few weeks has been impossible, Impossible. I want you all to know and to understand that for a ????* ?* v ? drunken with unbelief>

Sympathising Friend: "You must nw your husband very much, .Mrs. Prosse-' , " Widow: -Well, yts; it ,b e .s fee 'ain.! strange to come into the shop and find.' something in tlie till!' Mr. Softec: This is my photograpL with my two French poodles. You re-.-og-niae me'.'" Miss Cane: "I think so. Y ou . are the one with the hat on, arc you. not';" Doctor: "And you gay, sir, you are a follower of Christian Science:, Christian Scientist: ''I am. -ir.' , "And that doctors are unnecessary V' , "Kx.ictly." "Woli change places. I'm sitting in a deadly draught.' . Interviewer: '"What ie yo'.lr wife'e favourite dish?" JJiuslnuid of Celebrity "In the mag.izines it is peacli-biojm fuilge-cake with orange-wisp salad, hut at home it i<s tripe ar.J onions." "Do you mean to say.' , a*ked the magis» irate, "that eui-h i physical wreck as your husband g;iv? you that bla.:'i eye?" The woman smiled proudly. ■•'£ wasn't a physical wreck, you. worship,' , she said, "till 'c gave mc that Mack eye.' . The district visitor wae going rounds with the parish magazine, and at onai houee the lady observed that ehe did not', wish to have it. "Oh, perhape you're &,] Methodiet?" said the visitor. "No, I ain'ti a Methodist," said the lady of the house;! ■'I was cremated in the Church of England!" '. Earneet Inquirer (collecting etatistica' for a work on temperance) : "And how. many glaseee of beer would you—er— consume in a day?" The Person: "Well, I can't say, guvnor. Some dayg I 'as about twenty or thirty, an' then again, another day, perhaps I might 'aye quite a lot." It was 3 a.m. when he slipped indoors, and hie wife was not aeleep. "You know, dear, that Brown ie getting married. I Well, there has been a presentation it ' the club and the usual lark " ha i began, "yes," she hissed, "not to mention i.he swallow." 1 It was customary for the congregation to repeat the 23rd Pea-lm in unison. Mie. Armstrong's notion of joining was to keep about a dozen words ahead all the way through. A stranger was asking one day about Mrs. Armstrong. "Who," ho inquired, "was the lady who was already by the etill waterai while the reet of vi were lying down in green pastures?"

Proof. Gladys: Axe you quite sure i&afc_ B was a year ago to-day that we became engaged, dear ? Jack: Absolutely certain; I looked it up ia my cheque book this morning. Just for Show. "So you let your husband carry » latch-key 1" "Oh, just to humour him. He Tikes to show it to hie friends, to let tiem sea how independent he ia, but it doesnt fit the door." A Warning to Gardeners. Mr. Oldacre: Hare you a pergola to your garden? Mrs. Newrich: Not now. We found i« barked n f the tradespeople, fo we hart t<j got rid of it. Rather Ambiguous. Mre. Brown: May I offer you sotn« refreshment? . Mrs. Smith: Not for tt moment, thanks. Perhaps just before I go.Mr.-. Brown: Oh. do lot mo pet it noff, A Scotch Way. A dry Alwnlnniiin. .Injirom of in- hie" thir.". i"im.« that ho hnd only a sixpence, whereas ninepen.H was tiec*- ,- sary before he poiiM buy the meM whisky. He eolved the problem by paf " ing the sbrpeiK-e for fivepenee andeeiung the pawn ticket for fourpence. Who's Winning? A local preacher was delivering * sermon in the village hall on the su"" ' "This U |K..-n.,iinjf n .'.n-a-lfiillr wIpWJ world." he -a:.!. ■■<;iM>atli-b:vnkmg nimpaiit. He,v. ..n Uti- ?-:i:i«l«y ">""•"?• from where 1 «:in.l. I .mm *-' the window a number ot hoys pla} in = cricket." , v "Please, sir." Mid a boy at the t dm* of the hall, "can you see who's wininagV _ Her Inspiration. Thor were discuving a veii ?l present, a eilver l-mter di«K that thff were fcending off that morning. ~, -What ehall we put on ibe carai : asked the wife. -jt '■Oh," said the husband, with hie paper and coffee, "just the dope, I believe; anything you I"*- 6 ' i A few moments' thoug'.ii folloyWj «|: thea she tanCui hißj _toJ « ar i i i il^^: