STAGE JOTTINGS

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 78, 2 April 1927, Page 22

STAGE JOTTINGS

The Auckland Little Theatre Society is opening its ambitious 1927 programme with "You Never Can Tell" at the Concert Chamber on April 21-23. There has been a pood inflow of subscriptions, but those who have not yet joined are minded that booking opens on April 14 and that subscribers have priority. After twenty years' absence in South Africa, an old sweetheart went back to London, resumed his wooing, and married Miss Maidic Scott, the vaudeville star. Miss Scott was, formerly the wife of Mr. John McGregor. Her new husband is Mr. Noel Robertson, of Johannesburg, a wealthy engineer, who has persuaded his wife to retire from the stage and live in South Africa. "Rose Mario." that delightful romance of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, has at last come to an end at Drury Lane Theatre. There were Sol performances in the two years that it ran. Surely a remarkable record! In Sydney the piece put up an Australian record —300 performances, which is just SO performances ahead of the previous record. Many New Zealanders are on tip-toes with excitement about seeing the production, which is scheduled to open here sometime in September.

Jimmy Godden. the famous London actor from Daly's Theatre (the scene of the Madame Pechy-Glndya Moncrieff episode), who provides much of the hilarious fun in "Xo, Xo, Nanette," is described by a critic as "a comedian of rare distinction." He never hurls his points at an audience, as one who would say, "Am I not a very humorous person and a wit withal ?" He never descends to clowning, but his witticisms and clever rallies never miss fire. Many comedians may study Jimmy Godden's technique with the very happiest results, concludes this observant and appreciative critic.

"I heard Joseph Ilislop (the famous tenor coming to Now Zealand under the J. and X. Tnit management) sing at n <;ala night at Co\ciit Garden Theatre," said a New Zealander just reuirned from a world lour. "He was -simply delightful. A .•Scotchman, you know, slight, and i!iirk, he lias n most distingiiUhcd apiicaranee, ile lias a glorious voice, but .s so unassuming, lie married a very handsome and talented Swedish lady. It is not generally known that Ilislop studied for years under Swedish masters. He is very poular there. He sings Swedish songs with a pathos and a verve peculiarly his own. New Zcalanders are indeed fortunate in being given the opportunity of hearing this great artist."

The extraordinary run of Kilen Philpotts' play of Devonshire life, "The Farmer's Wife," has come to an end in London nfter 1329 performances. The author never attended a performance. Only four plays have run long>r in the listory of the English theatre—"Chu Chin Chow" 2238, "The Beggar'.* Opera" 14C3, "Our Boys" 13(52, and "The Maid of the Mountains" 1352. The plav was refused by producers for several years, but Sir Barry Jackson finally took a chance with it. lie lost £4000 in the first fifteen weeks, but persevered and turned the play into an enormous success.

No musical comedy in recent years has embodied such faithful relation of song and story as has "No, No, Nanette." the record-making success. In that relation lies one of the secrets of the great popularity of the show. For when the dialogue is broken and a song comes, the song actually carries on the dialogue without a perceptible break. Every song in "No. No, Nanette," and there are plenty of them, helps to build up suspense, or adds to the general merriment. For instance, take the two phenomenal hits of the show. "I Want to be Happy," and "Tea for Two.' , The first is the philosophy of Jimmie Smith, the leading character, as played by the inimitable Jimmy Goddon; the second the thoughts and dreams of Nanette (Elsie Prince), and her lnver.

Miss Pauline Frederick, whose reputation and renown as a film artist it is unnecessary to stress, was welcomed nt a luncheon given at the Carlton by Mr. K. J. Carroll, her London manager (says our London correspondent). Miss Pauline Frederick, besides being known on the screen to every film-goer, is also personally known to quite a number of people in the Dominion. This luncheon by Mr. Carroll was intended to give both her Australian and X ew Zealand friends and the London Press an opportunity to meet Miss Frederick. The gathering was a pleasantly friendly onethere were no speeches but for the short announcement conveying the facts of Miss Frederick's forthcoming appeamiioo in '-Madame X." Miss Frederick appeared on the legitimate stage in Australia in 1925, playing the chief role in ''Spring Cleaning ,, under Mr. Carrol la direction, in which play she achieved enormms success. It was during this time that Mr. Carroll promised Miss Frederick that he wouM launch her on the London stage at the Lyceum. For the first night of "Madame X," on March 2, there vras enormous booking, and over , three thousand applicants for seats were l disappointed in their tpiest.