STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 65, 17 March 1934, Page 8 (Supplement)

STAGE JOTTINGS.

AROUND THE FOOTLIGHTS. THE WORLD OF THE THEATRE. Marie Tempest, Graham Brown, Margaret Rawlings, Frank Allenby and Ronald Ward have all been appearing in a new play, "The Old Folks At Home," by H. M. Harwood, at the> Palace Theatre, Manchester.

Tho lavish stago spectacle, "White Horse Inn," which did so well in its London and subsequent Continental presentations a season or two ago, will be given its Sydney debut at tho Theatre Royal at Easter-time. It is later to be brought to New Zealand for a tour of the Dominion.

Once more Ella Shields, the London and Australian music-hall variety artist who was so popular in Auckland a year ago, has delayed her departure from Sydney for England. She is now doing her famous "Burlington Bertie" turn on the stago of the Victory Theatre, St. Kilda, in conjunction with screen programmes. How has .Variety fallen!

A play by the Nazi poet, Hans Jolist, was being performed at theatres around Berlin prior to being introduced into tho German capital, when tho theatre censor, acting on instructions from tho Ministry of Propaganda, issued a ban which was subsequently lifted on condition that certain mob scenes showing Jews being put to death were omitted. The play, based on tho lifo of Luther (whoso 450 th anniversary was celebrated this year ) has since achieved considerable success.

Commencing Easter Saturday, March 31, the New Comic Opera Company, which proved so popular in Auckland from Christmas last year, will return to bo seen in four other productions, all of which have been staged here previously. These arc "A Country Girl," with which tho season will open, "Katinka," "The Chocolate Soldi6r," and "The Merry Widow." The players will be headed once more by Romola Hansen, and other prominent members are Lois Green, Stella Collier, Marie La Varre, Don Nicol, Herbert* Browne and Phil Smith.

[ "'Tlio Dubarry'" remarks tlio "Sydney Sun," "ia crowding the, Theatre Royal with admirers of this lovely naughty lady who made hate and'history. Yet the scene which calls forth the most admiration is the one in which tho men predominate. Seated round a gleaming table, candlo light falling on the group of old roues who discuss their light o' loves, these actors by their ex perienccd art, claim full measure 01 applause and laughter. Chief among them are Leslie Holland and Cceii Kellaway."

"Fresh Fields," Ivor Novello's amirn ing comedy which is now in the scconu year of its London run, will have its iirst Australasian presentation at the Sydney Criterion, at Easter. Graci Lane, Jane Wood, and Gerald Savory, three noted English artists, are coming out to Australia to take the principa parts in a play which has created some thing of a sensation. Two daughters of a defunct duke, so goes the plot, live in a corner of tho family mansion, and arc forced, through poverty, to take in some Australian acquaintances as pay ing guests.

Tho Auckland University Collegi Literary Club will present three slion plays in tho College U' l " on Wedncsda. ovening, March 21. These include "Tin Bear," "Tho Proposal," and "Th Artist," all productions from the han<: of the famous Russian playwrigh: Anton Tcliekov, whose appealing "Thi Cherry Orchard" was staged here a yeai or two ago by the W.E.A. Cliarle Laughton revived it in London lasi season. Incidentally, "The Artist" waadapted for English-speaking by Miles Malleson, playwright _ and actor. Tho aim of the producers in the University programme is to present typical works showing Tcliekov in hi* varying moods, and their efforts should undoubtedly provide splendid entertainment.