STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 77, 31 March 1928, Page 2 (Supplement)

STAGE JOTTINGS.

"Tarnisli," a play by Gilbert Emery, has been a big success for Miss Betty Ross Clarke, who is at the head of a company of her own in Melbourne. Miss Clarke's one and only visit to New Zealand was in "The Ghost Train," which played here last year.

Writes an Australian critic: "Those who enjoy guessing games, those who love stage thrills, and, above all, those who admire good acting, should certainly not miss seeing 'The Ringer* and "The Terror, 1 as presented by the Moscovitch Dramatic Company."

Miss Mollie Raynor, an Auckland girl, whose work with amateurs in Sydney has received much praise, is with a J. C. Williamson company at present playing in Newcastle in "The Alarm Clock." Her two sisters, the Misses Betty and Joan Raynor, are in London, making good headway with their Greenleaf Theatre plays, and they contemplate an early return to Australia, via America.

The manager of St. James' Theatre, Sydney, where the Fuller-Gonsalez Grand Opera Company is delighting crowded houses each night, is having a strenuous time explaining to those who would enter without tickets that they must book seats. Many clamouring Italians wait trustfully round the doors, feeling that, as they "lived next to the tenor's brother in Rome or have married liis second cousin," they are entitled to see the performance.

A great success has been made in Sydney by Miss Annie Croft, the famous London musical comedy star, in "The Girl Friend." New Zealand will see this clever girl and company over on this side. With Annie Croft is Reginald Sharland, another London musical comedy favourite; Loraa Helms (recently returned from London), Leo Franklyn, Gus Bluett, Marie la Varre, Rowena Ronald, Rosie le Varde, Harry Wootton, Winnie Tate, and others.

"Thark,"' the new play by Ben Travers, is an unusual type of comedy. It contains thrills and surprises as well as humorous situations. In London, where it ran for over a year at the Aldwych Theatre, it was described as a "mystery comedy." Part of the action takes place in a house which is supposed to be haunted, and where a "ghost" walks. The characters in the play get themselves involved in all kinds of queer complications, and the action of the story, which has a delightful love interest, is punctuated by Bcreamg of laughter.

One of the most popular actresses of a century ago, Mios Billie Burke, was l>orn at Washington forty-three years ago. At an early age she was married to Florenz ZiegfeW, Jun., one of the famous Ziegfelds of ''Follies" fame. It wa.3 in 1903 that Miss Burke made her first appearance on the regular stage at "die Prince of Wales IWtre as Mamie Rockefeller, in "The School Girl.*' During her career Miss Burke played leading parts in thirty-nine different plays, in America,- England and the Continent. Annabelle Leigh in "Annie Dear" was the last part played by Miss Burke on the legitimate stage. * Then she went to t/lie movies, where she soon won fame and popularity, equal to her reputation as a stage artist. There was a report that Miss Burke is e.miimr back. b

It is interesting, in view of the revival of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas at Ills Majesty's, Melbourne, to recall the cause of the estrangement of Gilbert and Sullivan. The cause was absurdlv trivial, especially coming after so manv years of happy co-operation. At the time of this estrangement the Savoy Theatre was jointly run bv Gilbert, .' . an and d'Ovly Carte—Gilbert providing the librettos, Sullivan the music and dOyly Carte the theatre; and th* net profits were divided equally amongst them. Gilbert went abroad for a holiday, and during his absence Sullivan and dOyly Cartfe purchased a new carpet for the theatre foyer. When Gilbert came back he refused to pay his share of the cost of the carpet. And this was the origin of the severance of one of the most fruitful artistic partnerships the world has ever known. Neither of these brilliant men did any good apart, as Sullivan could never find another Gilbert nor Gilbert another Sullivan.

nf ' r aUSt C one ? f 4116 best-loved operas hi Wn pr ° Ufic I*" 1 * 1 ' was revived by the Fuller-Grand Opera Company ut St. J am es JTheatre, Sydney, before the bl gg c *t audience of the season. Late arrivals who had not reserved seats had to content themselves with standing room, b.gnorina Flor was a youthful and graceful Marguerite. She maintained the joyful spirit of the "Jewel j 5? used her beautiful voice with admirable effect in the love episodes with thft "0* F , aust ' closed with the triumphant laugh of the devil Valence's death, after his duel with Faust, was accompanied with all the operatic aspects of gloom and horror. Signor Brandisio Vannucci looked a handsome lover. He sane with sin £rity of feeling in the fcvT scen eß Signor Ernesto Fumigalli's Mephisto was on traditional lines, aided bv the cheap tricks with fire, that merely'cause amusement nowadays. His son- in praise of gold, and the mocking and insulting serenade, found him in excellent voice.