STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 249, 20 October 1928, Page 2 (Supplement)

STAGE JOTTINGS.

_ Miss Bertha Ballenger, who is appearing with Miss Muriel Starr, Is a Melbourne girl. She was the caretaker In the original New York prodnctfau of "Mary Boee." She ptooTin the How York production of "The Yellow Jacket" and was in several plays withlfies Roth Chatterten. In Boston sin affMNi with Mr. Leon Gordoa.

Roland Pertwee and Harold Deardon's play "Interference," whack was Sir Gerald duMaurier's success last year In London,, and "llldf wujpodnoed in Napier last month by the Leon Gordon Dramatic Company, nsnates the serious position a distinguished Tmitai surgeon i& placed in by reason of one of his patients being found poisoned in her own rooms. All the evidence points to the doctor having been the last person seen in the murdered woman's flat, hot the dendnment is anticipated by the murder taking plaeeja foil view of the audience by a man who waa yaers before the lover .of the doetocVwifte.

Mr. Beginald Sharlaad,. who appears in "The Girl Friend" and "Hit OnDeck," and Who is the husband of MV Aiw Croft, the leading lady, was bora at Sonthend-on-Ssa on HiwaiibM If, 1881, and was educated at flt JaU College, Westdiff. Mr. Shariand, before going on the stage, worked in a' surveyor's and, while spina rise in an amateur performance of "The§unerior Bex," was seen by Mr. Robert Gourtaeidge, rin» was, suffidenflty interested, to- offer him a job. He made' his first appearance on Angust-12; 1912, at the Opera Houses South port, aa Angus Graeme In "The Gay Gordons," a rols whkk he played far twelve months. His first London appearance ~wae'at tfca Hhsffss bury on September 25, 1913, aa Joid George Matloek in "The Bmrl Girt,* in

.which play he also uaderstudisd «ho late Mr. Lanri do Prece. Be subsequently toned In the sains flay and also toured the provinces is Sir George Daace'a companies, playing in_*sThi» Dnrhess of Hantsig," Hook of Holland," "Plorodora" and "San Toy." Ia 1914 ha appeared at the Shaftesbury as KUy-m "Ths GSnenm Star," and in 1915 commission in the maSfcr of ks haa appeared la aiaee the -war indnde: _Post," "Tha * BwrnShaw," Loudoa," "Cartoons" and Poppy." Under engagement to Wylie and Tate he toured in the "FolSea of 1919-20." «-r ;

Miss Minnie Rayner, seen in Auckland with, tike English Comedy Company, was born in London, and —do, hec first stage appearance at the age of three. Her first role was little Hans in "Hip Van Winkle" "at the Gomedy Theatre. London, into -her life has beat .earnpressed more travelling and interesting experiences than fall to the lot of most people. She haa been in-thiee earth* quakes, a typhoon in China, crossed the African veldt in a bollock cart, been in alands&de in India and in * in Canada. This is Miss Kayner's first visit to New Zealand, and she is already an established,favourite. -

Mr. Herbert Mundin, the noted London comedian who plays the principal .comedy role in "The Desert Song? spent some years in America.. Plays itnat are not strictly American; lie says, are liable to be misunderstood unless they are made intelligible to. the majority of audiences. In a touring production, which he was trying out before arranging to open in New York, he was ro!e of an English countryman. *1 thought my characterisation father good," says Mundin, "until ■ e young American manager approached me and remarked that he did not tl.ii.ir the audience would get the hang of it the way I was .playing it.". .

Miss Irene Horner, the American liL hf-'S 0 S ?° w *PP e « ri *g in Auatra* f Uy ' cUim to bring one of the few American actresses who tove interviewed themselves for'a New S«n^ P f pe ILP e ; eporter who «ent along to "write her up" was knocked down by a motor car while on hie wav It being late, the news editor telephoned her and asked her to talk the interview over the telephone. He printed it just as she gave it, question and answer. Miss.Homer says that the role of "The 18 the first of its type she has played. Previously all her roles have been emotional ones. Miss Homer thinks that the character is one that will liva as long as "Cinderella."

. Music lovers in Auckland, who h*v« keenly awaited the arrival in this city of the child wonder, Shura Cherkassky at last have the opportunity of hearing this remarkable boy pianist. His first concert was given on Thursday night* mother is to be held this evenh£X2i the final concert is announced for Tuesday night. Cberkassky isbot sixteen yean old, but, critics declare, be plays as though 'he were an ftist of three times that Influential Ix leads, ' iodudioc $MemwddTßaS maniaoff and Josef Bafwu, w.„

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