STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 10, 12 January 1929, Page 2 (Supplement)

STAGE JOTTINGS.

Interest in the forthcoming visit of I Mr. Dion Boucicault and Miss Irene Vanbrugh is daily increasing, and when these talented artists, together with the specially selected J. C. Williamson Company, make their bow to an Auckland audience next week they should be welcomed with genuine enthusiasm. It is safe to say that no two artists have endeared themselves to the New Zealand people as have Mr. Boucicault and Miss Vanbrugh. They have given of their best in plays and characterisations; they have worthily upheld the best traditions of the British stage, striving ever for the attainment of the highest possible ideals; they are welcome not only as an, actor and actress of world-wide repute, but as a man and a gentleman, and as a leading woman and one of the formost stage artistes. In this, their farewell tour, it will not be surprising if New Zealand gives them a reception seldom accorded to visiting artists.

The announcement of the death of Henry Arthur Jones will serve to remind loyal supporters of the legitimate of the great debt that the drama owes

to that man. It was Jones who, with Arthur Wing Pinero, did so much to raise the drama from the deplorable state it had reached in the Victorian period. His plays brought naturalness to the stage, and their quality was soon recognised. "The Silver King" has been played every-

where since its production in 1882. Several of his later plays were brought to this country by the Broughs, of whose company Mr. Dion Boucicault was once a member.

Plays of discussion are now raining upon London from the paat and from the present, says the London correspondent of the "New York Times." Three that appeared in one week provided many pretty points of comparison and contrast, though they differed in manner as widely as it is possible for plays to differ.

The first was Tolstoy's "The Fruits of Enlightenment," a full-length comedy seen in London for the first time. The second was an unusually interesting revival of Galsworthy's "The Silver Box." The third was an astonishing entertainment called "High Treason," by Noel Pemberton-Billing. The Tolstoy play came as part of the celebration of his centenary, and, being thus put on the stage for a few days only, suffered in performance. The acting of many parts was remarkably bad. But, in spite of a too general smudging of the subtleties of Tolstoy's portraiture, the merits of the play appeared clearly enough. It was originally written by him as an entertainment to be performed privately by his family and their friends at Yasnaya Polyana, and an entertainment it remains before all else. It is a tale of how a group of peasants came to Mie landowner of their district with i request that their community might be allowed to buy land in instalments.

"The Silver Box" was an instructive contrast. In many ways it is one of the best of Galsworthy's dramatic works, being more clearly cut than most and less arbitrary in its sentiment. This, too, is a plea for the poor an£ a satire on the rich, and Mr. Galsworthy has conspicuously one of Tolstoy's virtues.

Mr. Pemberton-Billing's play was propaganda as blatant as propaganda can be. The idea in the author's mind appeared' to be that peace can not come to the world by any negotiation between governments because the ultimate sanction of all governments as they are at present constituted, is war. He told therefore, of a world League of Peace with millions who pledged themselves to resist the commands of their governments when those commands conflicted with the teachings of Christ. Never was there a more extravagant and melodramatic play on a serious sub.; ct. And yet for all its fault of matter and manner, it was saved from tediousness by the fanaticism of its author. All through the nonsense of the stage Mr. Pember-ton-Billing's passionate belief in his own preachment appeared. Though he delivered his message with extreme crudity and violence, it was to be endured for the plain reason that he believed in it, and that his belief had given a sort of wild, stumbling vigour to his pen.

Mr. John Tait, of J. C. Williamson, Ltd., who recently arrived by the Niagara from a tour abroad, announces a number of theatrical attractions which have been acquired by that organisation for Australia and New Zealand. These include "Show Boat," now prosperously running in London at Drury Lane, and in New York at the Zieficld Theatre; "The New Moon," one of the hits of the new season in New York; "Virginia," in which Messrs. George Gee and John Kirby and Miss Emma Haigh have won so much popularity; "Mr. Cinders," another musical play; "Lady Mary," the Daly's musical comedy, for which "Messrs. Frederick Lonsdale and J. Hastings Turner have collaborated in the "book"" to the music by Albert Sirmay; "A Damsel in Distress," the play adapted by lan Hay and P. G. Wodehouse from the latter's novel, now successfully running in London at the New Theatre, with Miss Clarice Hardwicke prominent in a comedy role; "The Squeaker," another of Mr. Edgar Wallace's mystery plays- ' Plunder," the new Ben Travers piece and Mr. John van Dreten's play, "Youn" Woodley." "

Mr. John Tait also said that Madame Anna Pavlova, the famous dancer, will again visit Australia early in the present year. He met Madame Galli-Curci

on the occasion of her recent New York recital at Carnegie Hall. "She is singing as well as ever," he says, "and is thinking of revisiting Australia in 1930."

Mr. Paul Stan&ope is leaving Los Augelee for Australia and New Zealand some time this month. Mr. Stanhope, who will .be accompanied by his wife (Helen LeOlair), will return with a new tlhow. It will be remembere-l that he was among the first to introduce revuee to Australia and tMs country.