STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 40, 16 February 1929, Page 2 (Supplement)

STAGE JOTTINGS.

Sir Benjamin Fuller is negotiating for the services of Ann Sutor. who was recently on the Tivoli circuit. He has in mind a nuic.lciil comedy, in which sir? should make a hit.

"To What Red Hell" is the arresting title of a now drama at the Wyndham Theatre, London. It is the story of two young men, strangers to each other. one of whom murders a street woman. while the other is tried and condemned for the crime. It contains, it is said, a superb ;>ioce of act;n;j bv Miss Sara AUgood.

Xoia McMitnus. of Auckland, plav.-.I '•The I till Kiknd" for the last two nights 01 ! ! :o Sydney season, when Annie Croft was out. of the cast with a bad ankle, and she did it in a most finish'.'d fashion. Her voice is lovely, and so well trained, and she has stage poise. It is certainly a mystery why she is not seen more frequently in leading parts, being a great deal more fitted for them than many leading ladies we have had lately.

Maisie Gay. the world-famous English comedienne, is coming to Australia 1o appear in "This Year of Grace," the revue by Noel Coward, which has been running at the Pavilion Theatre, London, since March of last year. Maisie Cray is known the whole world over as the outstanding comedienne of the English musical comedy stage, and her appearance in Australia is a theatrical event of great importance.

The proposed introduction of Edgar Wallace, author of "The Ringer" and "The Terror," into America, has set the Americans searching for labels to this popular writer of "thrillers." One writer is satirical regarding the publicity stories of Mr. Wallace's prolific output of books, articles and plays. "Some day," he comments, "there may be debates as to whether Edgar Wallace was a syndicate or a corporation.

One of the writers on drama to the New York "Times," Mr. H. I. Brock, has been making a study of drama since the good old Charles Frohman days in an attempt to show how the war has affected the theatre. Harking back to programmes of "Sweet Kitty Bellairs," "Raffles," "The Admiral Crichton," "The Corsican Brothers," "Ben Hur," and "The Girl from Kay's," he arrives at the incomplete conclusion that "the difference between pre-war and post-war theatre stuff derives mainly from the extension of the privilege of pot-house, barrack or smoking room language to the sex that used to be officially restricted to the vocabulary of the drawing room." Dealing with the 1903 period of the popular presentations by Charles Frohman, who perished in the Lusitania, however, the writer mentioned the time when Henry Arthur Jones and Clyde Fitch were regarded as "more than a shade daring, like Maugham and Noel Coward nowadays, with, of course, a liberal time allowance to the younger

Mr. Arnold Bennett discusses in the "New York Times" the work of Mr. Coward, whose revue, "This Year of Grace," is to be produced in Melbourne by J. C. Williamson. Limited. Coward is playing a role in bis own play, which has been successful in New York, and America seems to have taken kindly to a young man whose work provoked considerable opposition in Britain. Mr. Bennett's appraisement of the playwright is reprinted from an introduction to a volume of the collected plays, in which ho says that the critics' objection to Coward on account of his youth flattered instead of engendered humility in him. Admitting that the young dramatist's characters are "a sad lot, pert, cynical, orgiastic and sexually vicious.'' the author of Lord Raingo applauds the dramatist's appeal to be sentimental. He admires the soundness and brilliance and originality, of what Noel Coward has done, but he expects to admire vastly more the qualities of the work which the dramatist is "appointed to accomplish in the next ten or fifteen years." Certainly tins man, who can act, dance, sing and write plays and music, seems to possess genius in a precocious form. Tnstoad of proceeding to the South Island, as was first intended, the Allan Wilkie Shakespearean Company will make a tour of the North Island before "oinp; southwards. The company is hooked to open at His Majesty's Theatre. Auckland, on March 2 for a season of three weeks. Among the plays to be staged at Auckland are "The Merchant of Venice," '"The Merry Wives of Windsor." "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "The Taming of the Shrew." "Othello." "Romeo and Juliet," "Coriolanus." "Twelfth Nicht." "Henrv the Fifth," "All's Well that Knds Well." "As You Like It," "'King Lear." "The Tempest," "Julius Caesar." ''Macbeth," "Hamlet." and "Henry the Kighth." This will be the first occasion on which "Corioln"-

lias been staged in Auckland. Mr. Allan Wilkie will again he supported lev Miss Hunter-Watts, whose performances delighted during previotis tours. Among a number of new performers will be Mr. Alexander Marsh, a talented exponent of Shakespeare, win has lately arrived from England, where for seme years he was actor-manager of his own Shakespearean companies. Tie also appeared in leading parts with Sir Frank Benson. Among a supporting cast of thirty performers Miss Lorna Forbes and Mr. Dennia Barry are prominent.

The prizs this week goes to Mr. F. Sainty, 68, Old Mill Road, Grey Lynn, for HARD WORK. "Hard work." said the American. "Why, yon don't know the meaning of the word in this country. Have you heard of the Rocky Mountains?" "Yes," replied the Englishman. "My grandfather was digging a trench and the Rocky Mountains are the result of his labour." "Really?" said the Englishman. "Have you heard of the Dead Sea?"' '•r have." said the American. "What about it?" "Oh. nothing much." replied the Englishman. "Only iny grandfather shot it!" THE BUSINESS MIND. Proprietor of Stables: What? You've sold Black Devil for a mere fifty pounds to that new hunting man? Manager: Ah! I shall be at the first ditch to-morrow and buy *im back for a tenner, I bet. THE POOR OWNER. "By the way, have you clone with that umbrella I lent you?*' "No, T lent it to a friend." "Oh, dear, that's awkward! The man who lent it to my friend tells me the owner wants it." A NEW SYSTEM. MacTavish was proudly showing a visitor over his house, where he had electric light installed; but the visitor noticed that MacTavish was showing him round by the light of a caudle!

Thinking that perhaps it was a question of expense, the visitor said: "U your electric lighting on the 'all-in' system ?" "Weel," replied MacTavish, "just the noo it*s on the "all-out' system. They've cut it off owin' tae a wee bit p' trouble ower th' bill!" A POSER. The teacher had been lecturing his class on the instinct displayed by animals and birds. He compared it with that of human beings, to the latter's disadvantage. At last he invited his pupils to ask questions on the subject. Percy hekl up his jiand. "Well, Percy," said the teacher, "what is it you want to know?" "I want to know, sir," replied Percy, "what makes chickens know how big our egg-cups are?" THEY KNEW THEIR JOB. A motor car, driven by a very selfconfident young lady, had just knocked down a man. When the driver found that the man was not hurt, she was quite angry with him. "It was all your fault," she said, "you should look where you're going. I am an experienced driver—l've been driving for nearly four years." "Well," retorted the man, "if it comes to that, I'm no novice myself. I've been walking for forty." REASONING. Muggins was fond of reasoning things out. The other day at the club it was about the beauties of nature that he wanted to bore his companions. "Seems to me nature has provided for everything," he said. "What prompts that reflection?" asked one who had the misfortune to be near him. "Why," said Muggins, "look at the way she has placed our ears, yet thousands of years ago she did not know we were going to hook spectacles over them." THE CAUTIOUS SINNER. Nellie had been so naughty at the dinner table that she had been banished to her room. Her indulgent mother subsequently sent word to her by her maid that if she were repentant and would promise to be a good girl she might come down for the pudding. The maid returned without Nellie. "Did you tell Nellie what I said," inquired Miss Nellie's mama. "Yes'm," said the maid. "Well, what did she say?" "She said, "What sort "of pudding is it?'" ° THANKS! As the Scottish express was leaving King's Cross, an English traveller jumped into a carriage containing one other passenger—a typical, brawny chief from the Land o' Cakes. The new-comer stared at the Scotsman for some minutes. "Look here," he said, "you hail from Aberdeen, don't you?" "No," said the other, "I'm no* frae Aberdeen." * "And your name's not Mathewson?" "No, it's no' Mathewson!" "You don't come from Aberdeen and your name's not Mathewson!" exclaimed the Englishman. "Well, you must have a double!" "I'll be delighted, sir," said the Scot, smiling for the first time. "Oot wi' ver bottle:"

Barber: Haven't I seen you before sir? Customer: No, I got these J trance. **

Harry: Hullo, Bill, I haven't seen ™. tor twelve months. What have you bedoufg? Bill: Twelvemonths. * b **

Magistrate: Have you anything f» say? Prisoner: Yes, sir, a good de 3 it you give me time to sav it. MartJ trate: Right—six months.

She: It makes me tremble to think what I have to go through at the denS to-morrow He: Naturally, comiS events cast their '"shudders" before then? vou know. "*•

A man was summoned for not havinzk dog license. As the magistrates wfr! consulting over the penalty the ch*h> man, feeling a draught, put on hi« skull cap. when a loud whisper wai hearf from the back of the court «£art lumme, they're going to hang the bloke?

"Are you used to large dinner partiwf" asked the mistress. "Yes, I can serve both warg, nilm .t replied the cook. * "Both ways?" "Yes, mum. So they'll come again or so they'll stop away."

During a spell of severe weather « little boy was confined to the honsa with elders similarly imprisoned. Th* result was a good deal of free adviee for the solitary child. "Be observant," said his father. "Learn to use your eyes," said am uncle. "Don't go through life like a Win* man," said an aunt. Several days afterwards the famflj conclave asked the child if he had learned anything interesting as a result of their advice. "Oh, yes," replied the youngster, calmly. "Father ke-ps a 'bottle of whisky behind 'The Pilgrim's Progress* in his bedroom. Aunt Jane has a wig, and Uncle George goes to the George and Dragon every night when the rest of you are in bed."

Girl: "Do you make life-siie enlarge* menu from snapshots?" Photographer: "That's our specialty, miss." Girl: "Fine. Here's a picture I took •# the Grand Canyon." —"Llf*." Good Advice. "I hear your aunt saw a about her attack of kleptomania." "Oh, yes, he said she should tats) things more quietly." The New Play. Manager: I advise you to let tkt villain shoot himself at the end, insteai of taking poison. Author: Really? Why! Manager: It'll wake the audience t^ False Alarm. Angelina: Don't harden your heatl against me, darling. Edwin: I don't, my love. That's Wf cigarette case you're leaning against. Just His Size. "Got anything snappy ill rnbbs* bands?" asked the boy from the big town. "Xo," said the salesgirl sweetly, "but we've got something awfully catchy i» fly paper." Wrong Pasteboards. Mrs. Henpeck (sarcastically): I rap* pose you've been to see a sick friendholding his hand all evening! Mr. Henpeck (sadhM: If I'd heea holding his hands I'd have made soma money. Somewhere Else. The wife of a famous English Bishop —whom we shall call John Smith —was recently very ill. and required a serious operation. As she recovered from the anaesthetic, she was heard to murmur: "Am I in Heaven? Am I in Heaven! Ko, there's John."