STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 126, 30 May 1931, Page 2 (Supplement)

STAGE JOTTINGS.

Marie Ney, the well-known New Zealand actress, appeared in a production ot Shaw's romantic comedy, "Arms and the Man," in London recently. leobel Wilford, a daughter of Sir Thomas Wilford, Hi«h Commissioner for New Zealand, is another New Zealand girl who has made good in England. She had a prominent part recently in "Etienne," an English adaptation of a French comedy.

Mr Allan Wilkie and Miss HunterWatts are to make an extensive tour of the Dominion, opening at Wellington on Thursday, June 4, in the scenes from their Shakespearean and Eighteenth Century Comedy Repertoire. Their tour will embrace practically every town in New Zealand, and they will give upwards of a hundred recitals. A special ieature is being made of the plays set for school and university study for the current year, and their tour has the endorsement of the Minister of Education, Hon. tt. Atmore, and the Director of Education, Mr. T. B. Strong.

"The First Mre. Fraser," one of St. John Irvine's brilliant comedies, will be presented at His Majesty's Theatre by the J. 0. Williamson management for a season commencing on June 3. Other plavs to be staged by the talented company, which will arrive on Monday, are "Let Us Be Gay," a witty comedydrama, and Noel Coward's "Hay Fever, another established success. "The First Mrs. Fraser" was first presented with Marie Tempest in the leading role and enjoyed phenomenal success at the Hayuiarket theatre, London, where it ran continuously from July, 1929, until its withdrawal this year. The Australian and New Zealand presentation 16 described as notable for the performance of Mise Ethel Morrison, a New Zealand actress, in the title-role. Aa a young girl Miss Morrison appeared with the Wellington Operatic Society, where her exceptional talent was quickly discerned by the Williamson management, who engaged her for a Gilbert and Sullivan opera tour. Since then she has appeared euccessfully in comic opera,

comedy and drama, her role in "the First Mrs. Fraser" being considered her best portrayal. Excellent assistance is said to be lent by J. B. Rowe, who has played opposite Mists Irene Vanbrugh, as James Fraser, and Miss Mary MacGregor, in the part of the second Mrs. Fraser. Other* in the cast are Noel Boyd, Leslie Victor, John Wood. Roger Barry and Eileen Morris. Although the plot deals in a novel manner with the delicate subject of divorce, it is approached with a franVneea and sincerity which disarm criticism. The play has been received with enthusiasm in other countries and was described by one critic as "a comedy of genuine substance, firmly rooted in character from which humour and feeling spring with natural ease."

A competition has been inaugurated in Sydney by Miss Nathalie Rosenwax for the best light opera, musical comedy or revue. She offers a first prize of £100, for which composers and librettists are eligible who have lived in Australia or New Zealand for ten years, or longer, and a second prize of £25 for competitors who have lived in Australia or New Zealand for not less than iivu years. Consolation prizes of £10 for the best score and £10 for the best libretto not in the winning entries are also announced. It will be to the advantage of competitors if a typical atmosphere of Australia or New Zealand pervades their work. The judges for the competition arc: Mr. Ernest Lashmar (Australasian manager for Chappell and Co., music publishers), Dr. Stewart Ziele, the Hon. R. B. Orchard. Mr. Howard Carr and Miss Nathalie Rosenwax. Application should be made to the secretary, Opportune Club, 33j, George Street, Sydney, for a copy of the rules and application form. The winning operetta will be produced by Miss Rosenwax, and the competitor will receive 5 per cent of the gross takings at any performance, in addition to the prize money.

RUSSIAN AND BRITISH DRAMA. A contrast between the state of drama in Russia and in Britain is made by Mr. Gordon Craig in a recent issue of "Everyman." Russian drama resembles British drama in origin, for it rose from the "church plays" of tbe sixteenth century, and was liberally patronised by the Czars. In the nineteenth century, the golden period of Gogol, Ostrovski and their school, the State Drama was set up in Petrograd for the official presentation of great European plays. The Russian public, unlike the British, was never apathetic, and the establishment i of the Moscow Arts Theatre by Stanislawbki shortly after the Revolution met with general support. It was a challenge to the traditional State Drama, for it sought new plays and new methods. The Jewish Palestinian players, Europe's greatest tragedians to-day, are products of this school. The British policy of quick profits docs not hold in Russia. The repertory movement is not left in the hands of a few enthusiasts, but is actively supported by Government and people. Conditions in Russia arc more favourable to such development than those in England. For one thing, Russia is more isolated, and pioneer experiment meets with few outside hindrances. Mr. Craig expresses the hope that English commercial prejudice against similar developments may be overcome, for. as he points out, there is no lack of native dramatic talent in Britain.

The prize this week goes to Dorothy Osfcorne, Mount Eden Road, for: SCOTTISH GOLF COURSE NOTICE. Members are requested to refrain from picking up lost balls until they have stopped rolling. AYE, THERE'S THE RUB. "Didn't you go down to the osteopath's to-day ?" "No, I was kneaded at home." MEASURE OF GRATITUDE. "Thank you for tho balloon, uncle." "Oh, it was a very small gift." "That is what I said, but mother said I must thank you all the same." ANCIENT PEACE METHODS. "Now, children, what did the Romans do for the Britons?" "They civilised 'em, miss." "And how did they do that?" "They taught 'em how to fight." A GOLDEN PLEDGE. Bailiff: If you have nothing else, I must take the goldfish as a pledge. Debtor: Then take them—the bowl belongs to my landlady. IF THE MISSIS WANTS TO TALK— "Your wife is talking of going to France this summer. Have you any objections?" "No, certainly not. Let her talk. THE WAY OUT. "Opportunities for advancement have so increased," says Charles M. Schwab, "that to-day no man needs feel that he is in a rut. The rut may bo there, but he is encouraged to ciinib out of it. Indeed, to abolish it." He may even be fired out of it. INJUDICIOUSLY INSOLVENT. "Why so sad?" "I am insolvent." "How much have you made over to your wife?" "Nothing." "How much money have you invested abroad?" "Not a penny." "Man alive! You are not insolvent — you are ruined." UP TO CONCERT PITCH. The first performance of a new play wae received by the audience with an enthusiasm that was largely noticeable by its absence. The next day the leading actor got a letter from the manager of the theatre. "Dear sir," it read, "your performance last night was so bad that several ! people have already written demanding that their names be instantly removed from the free list." MILK OF HUMAN UNKINDNESS. The woman of the house was dis-, satisfied with the milk supplied to her. So when the milkman arrived, she was inclined to be critical. "Your milk," said she, "has lately been very thin—do you expose it to the rain too long?" "Madam!" said tho milkman, "this is 'Grade A' milk!" "Ah!" said the lady, 'I thought so — 'grey day' milk! Let me have some of the lino weather variety!" THE AGE OF MIRACLES. The teacher was trying to explain the meaning of the word "miracle" to his class. "If you were to climb up a high tree and fall 40ft on to a hard road without hurting yourself, what would that be?" "Luck/ , said little George. "Yes —and if you were to do it again?" "A run of luck," said George. "Good. And if you did it a third time?" "That would be training." TOO EASY. A policeman on point duty saw a young man removing a spare tyre from a car drawn up by the roadside, and went forward and demanded to know what he was doing. "I'm stealing this tyre—what do you suppose I'm doing?" said the young man. The policeman, deciding he had been a bit too heroic, strolled back to his post. The young man strolled down the street witlTthe tyre. A few minutes later the owner of ths car appeared and rushed up to tell the policeman that his spare tyre had been stolen.

PATIENCE LOST ITS NERVE. A judge gave an Oregon grocer who beat up a Government inspector a chance to defend himself. The grocer said: "I am guilty. I lost my head. All the morning I held my temper while Government agents inspected my scales, tasted my butter, smelled my meat, graded my kerosene. In addition, your Hnor. 1 had just answered three Federal questionnaires. Then this bird comes along and wants to take moving pictures of my cheese. It was more than I could stand—l pasted him in the eye."

First Commercial Traveller: Any brainess? Second: Well —yes. The wife gave me eome orders this morning. Jim: How is it you aro out of -work, Bill? I thought you had a regular job on a steam roller! Bill: So I had, but the boss caught me going home to dinner on it. Young Man (applying for a job): Please, sir, have you got an opening for a young man like me? Boss: Yes, and mind you don't bang it on your way out. "Has the foreman explained your duties?" asked the owner of the works. "Oh, yes, sir," said the new man. "I have to wake him up whenever you come, eo I must go, sir." "Doris," eaid her mother, "if that young man of yours aske you to-night to marry him, tell him to speak to me." "Yes, mother," said Doris; "but suppose he doesn't ask me?" "In that case ask me to speak to him." Doctor (taking visitor round asylura}j' This room is reserved for motor maniacs. Visitor: But the room ia empty—are there no patients? Doctor: Yes, they are all under the bed, repairing. Stranger: Seventeen years age I landed hero in your town broke. I asked you for 5/, you gave it to me, saying you never turned a request like that down. Citizen (eagerly): Yes. Stranger: Well, are you still game? Visitor (to host's email eon): Won't you walk with me as far aa the 'bus, Bobby? Bobby: I can't. Visitor: Why not? Bobby: We're having dinner as soon as you go.

Young Zoologist (who lias been asked to lecture on the wireless): And all the time, darling, though millions may be between us,"l shall be thinking of you alone. Darling: And what's your lecture about, old thing? Young Zoologist: Freaks of Nature. A bridegroom of seventy-five, marrying his third wife, was called upon to , sign the register. The pen was not too good, and, after making several attempts to sign, he said to the clerk: "This is the third or fourtli time you've played me this trick, and next time I'll bring my own fountain pen:" An erring husband who had exhausts! all explanations for late hours, and nau no apology ready, recently 6lipped into the house about' 1 a.m., undressed himself gently, and began rocking the cradle by the bedside as if he had been awakened out of a sound sleep by infantile erics. He had rocked away for about ten minutes, when his wife, who had eilendy observed the whole manoeuvre, ea'd: "Gome to bed, the baby isn't there! , A small boy asked hi*; father how wars begin. "Well," said his father, "suppose that England quarrelled witn France —" "But," interrupted the mother, "Lngland mustn't quarrel with France!" "I know," he answered, "but I am taking a hypothetical instance." "You are misleading the child," eaid the mother. "No, I am not." he answered. "Yes, you are." "No, I am not." "Yes." "All right, Dad," said the small boy, "I think I know how wars begin.