STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 15, 18 January 1930, Page 2 (Supplement)

STAGE JOTTINGS.

Florence Austral, the Australian prima donna, who has made a world-wide reputation, will open a season in Sydney in May next. Strong efforts will be made to induce her to visit New Zealand. The Fullers' American Comedy Company, . which is touring some of the smaller Australian towns just now, is due in New Zealand shortly. Judging by its Australian successes, it should do extremely well in this country. Cecil Kelieway, now playing in "Hold Everything"' at Melbourne; Theatre Royal,, delights in telling this when two or three Scotsmen are gathered together* . It. is his favourite story. A pious Scatsman died and went up to heaven'e gate, but. when the attendant learned his nationality he refused to admit him. "We can't, bother to make porridge for one," was the excuse. Following a successful Perth season . some time back, Philip Lytton and his company have been presenting "Cappy Ricks" throughout West Australia. Ward, comes through that, the tour is proving very satisfactory, the cast being capable and the show a well staged one. Particular*mention la made of the manr . in which Lytton has scored in the f role. The Australian mimic, Albert Whelan, who. has been a vaudeville headliner in England for many years, is shortly to marry Mrs. Violet Bleach, whose husband, a theatrical manager, divorced her last March, naming Whelan as corespondent. Albert Whelan was in New Zealand as. a member of the old Pollard Opera Co., and was the original Ichabod Bronson in that company's production of "The Belle of New York."

Elsie Parkes, a favourite with the Elsie Prince-Jimmy Godden Company when it was here some time ago, has joined up with the Connors and Paul Revue Company now playing, in Adelaide. Syd. Beck is still the big laughgetter with this company, and Mike Connors and Queenie Paul are, if anything, firmer entrenched in public favour. Theirs is one of the most successive revue combinations known to the Fuller Circuit.

New Zealanders are doing quite well on the London stage, according to Mr; W. Barrington Miller, who returned to the Dominion recently. The outstanding New Zealander, he said, was Miss Marie Ney, who had appeared under Sir Nigel Playfair, at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, in Goldsmith's comedy, "She Stoops to Conquer." The Aucklander, Shayle Gardiner, had perhaps been the most successful young actor in England in Shakespearean plays. Miss Isobel Wilford had been doing well. Australians who were doing well in the Old Country were Miss Vera Pearce, Miss Madge Elliott, and Cyril Ritchards.

The enforced absence of the principal comedian ia a serious loss to a revue company at any time, but when that company is opening in a new theatre with a new and critical company to contend with, the disadvantage is at least doubled. It was with this handicap that the "Whirligigs" opened at His Majesty's Theatre, Wellington, when Hector St. Clair was suffering from laryngitis, and was unable to. appear. However, Daisy Merritt was- able to step into the breach successfully and fill at a few hours' notice the dame's part in the show, which had been assigned to St. Clair, and the performance, was staged satisfactorily.

Gus Bluett has had several offers to go-to London, but has always decided to remain in his native land. He has already appeared in England, where he went with his father while still a child. Fred Karno, theatrical manager (who discovered Charlie Chaplin) wanted to train the clever youngster, but Fred Bluett thought it inadvisable to leave his son alone in England, so they returned to Australia together. "Australia' is good enough for me," said Gus Bluett, when asked whether he would like to appear in London. "Conditions in. the profession are very happy here, the audiences are most encouraging and responsive, and altogether I am perfectly satisfied with things as they are here."

Leo Carrillo will commence a season in Auckland on February 12 in "Lombardi, Limited." This comedy was specially written for Mr. Carrillo by Frederick and Fanny Hatton, and has proved one of the most successful plays ever presented. It has been described as "decidedly the gayest and most laughable of all the comedies staged," and when one remembers the high standard of many of them, this is indeed high praise. In his impersonation of the proprietor of a fashionable! dress-making establishment, the beautiful atelier which is the rendezvous of society leaders, Carrillo has brought "stormy weather" to many theatres —gales of laughter which have swept through huge audiences from gallery to circle.

The prize fight in "Hold Everything," at the Theatre Kyal, Melbourne, in which Terry Kendall and Frank Leighton take part, always arouses tremendous excitement at every performance. The fight is most realistic, every detail, as far as possible, being correct. But one night there was just a little too much realism. Terry Kendall slipped, and as he was falling swiftly he accidentally inflicted a first-class uppercut upon Frank Leighton, who went "wallop" to the floor. As he did not rise after being counted out, he was helped up, aud it was found that he was t'oo dazed to walk to his dressing room. Both Terry Kendall and Frank Leighton on two or three occasions have collected a black eye or a bruised cheek in the fight,, and have had to conceal it with a plentiful coating of make-up.

Though the Freddie Forbes Musical Comedy Company are reviving several of the old Prince-Godden successes, their musical comedy repertoire includes many pieces which will doubtless become' very popular in New Zealand. Freddie Forbes has established himself a favourite in Cbristchurch. The very antithesis of the slap-stick comedy man, Forbes ia quietly effective in everything lie does, and every little movement, every expression of his face, is calculated to raise laughs. An efficient company supports him, and there are several members outstanding in their ability. The Big Four, well-known Australian gramophone artists, bave a vocal specialty, in each ' production which calls for 'perhaps :the heartiest applause of the evening. The Arnley Brothers are step dancers extraordinary, and Verna Bain provides some dainty solo dancing. A ballet of ten is a feature of the company.