THE STAGE IN SYDNEY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 136, 11 June 1927, Page 26

THE STAGE IN SYDNEY.

NEW PLAYS AND PLAYERS. (By a Correspondent.) SYDNEY, June 5. Carter the Great is carving a woman in half and performing other miracles nightly at the St. James. It appears that it isn't safe to even hold your own visiting card in your hand at Carter's sliow, for he has a psychic marvel in his assistant, Miss Evelyn Maxwell, who can read out your private address and the I otters after your name even in the darkened auditorium. A well-known knight was in the audience last week, and his identity was disclosed, over his head, you might say, though all his fingers were curled over the print on his card. And that is but the least of Carter's wonders. He keeps up-to-date and uses the discoveries of science for his tricks before the world gets wise to them.

"Tip Toes" continues to be a dancin" treat and a talking bore. The clowns. Olesen and Johnson, are in possession of the stage for far longer than tliev are welcome. Their jokes arc as stale as bread which has been in the bin for a month—a thin coating of blue mould surrounding most of them. If Elizabeth Morgan did not need to open her mouth we might contrive to think her everything that is charming, for she ea'n' twinkle her toes better than most musical comedy stars, but when she talks she becomes more than ordinarr.

The J. C. Williamson management are entering on a new policy of sending oirt No. 2 companies through the country. They actually commenced with "White Cargo," which is doing well in Northern Queensland, and they will follow tip with a large musical comedy company to be sent through the small towns of Victoria. The current musical comedies will be presented, and a complete circuit of

theatres will be taken under control. Adcla Crane is to be the leading lady for the musical plays, with Leo Fran'klyn, the new English comedian, who came out to take George GeeS place (and onlv

filled it fairly well), will be the comic star of the enterprise. The previous policy has been to sub-let the rights of their plays and musical comedies to smaller managers, who formed their own companies and got dates the best way they could. While it will hit these few badly, it will provide better and 6urer work and pay for a much larger number of artists. It will follow the English rule of providing the "provinces" with theatrical fare, and may become a verv large enterprise. An army of "pros" now out of work are beginning to smile hopefully and to besiege the management for work under the new system. J. C. Williamson, by this move, are actuallr following South Africa, which has a "chain of theatres throughout the country under the auspices of the indefatigable* "Is«y r ' Schlesinger, known as African Trust Theatres.

The Ghost Train" came to Svdnev last Saturday, and received an ovation. It is something quite original, and the climax is so well concealed that the audicncc sat in amazement, wondering if they really did believe in ghosts after all. Betty Ross Clarke is an actress of great experience, both on stage and screen, and she lias the leading role. But equally well played are character parts by Laura Rmithson and Maseotte Ralston. The cream of the acting falls to Hugh Wright, who. as the stationmaster in a small Cornish town, works up the excitement and the eerie atmosphere bv his tale of the terrible ghost train. The secret must be kept. It is the only wav to enjoy the play.

"Getting Gertie's Garter" at th-2 Grand Opera Honse has been drawing good houses, but it would appear that the crowds are considerthe management j advertising that the | | play was stopped by 1 the police when it was played in j tainly was modified by police intervention. Margery Bennett. sister of Enid. .. „ , i Marterr Bennett. now of screcn fame. * played in it just after she left Australia to try her luck in America, and in this way the news filtered out here. Of course, the police take more drastic action in the United States than here, but there is a farco in Sydney at present which it seems a pity the local authorities do not censor. It is called "Cradle Snatchcrs."' and is the most revolting farce which has ever come to us. "Katja" is being revived for three night* to finish the Marie Burke season, and Warde Morgan is taking up his old part again. "Fra=quita" has not been a very great success in Sydney, yet it cannot be classed as a failure. Thurza Rogers and Robert Lascelles are really the main attraction, and their dances have been supplemented by Anton Dolinoff. also late of the Pavlova Company, and a girl partner.

Warde Morgan had a "'rvelW tion when he appeared, for only, in Herbert Browne 7 * pari qoita." The house was crowd®* ***" he said afterwards that he did Tr* *** foe! nervous, though the part ■* to him. The atmosphere of quite got over the footlights t« he felt himself among his

When you get "Sunny" fc, y _ / land it will be under the Fuller »_ ment. A big deal has been between Rule Xaylor. the boobJS? ** his directors, who brought out th cal comedy and who put up the >* Sm ®" build the Empire Theatre, where has been running. At present thevT 7 * no other theatre, though a site hag kll! purchased in Melbourne for a second h* place of entertainment, Consequent* they had nowhere to put their niwJrt/" that the draught is being felt la immense Sydney auditorium. Ther U? held high hopes of running the for a year here alone, but with limited population that extremely optimistic and rather ticable. Six months will about !**}£ run out altogether. At the cheap rninJ of this theatre it is not possible to W a play on at average houses. Jfow Fullers have bought the entire piece, rying Australian and New Zeaiand ripu! with the exception of Sydnev, however, it is not likely to return, ll will present it in Melbourne at the PriZ cess when the present 6eason dose# in month. New Zealand is scheduled t» follow immediately after, but natnan! at this stage dates are vague. *