WEST END MUSICALS NOW HAVE NEW TUNES

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27883, 3 February 1956, Page 10

WEST END MUSICALS NOW HAVE NEW TUNES

LONDON LETTER

[From

KEITH EUNSON

London Correspondent of “The Press"]

London, January 28—Drury Lane Theatre, famous home of West End shows for generations, is staging a new American “musical.” “Plain and Fancy,” with Broadway stars. There is nothing new in this; Drury Lane has had American “musicals” running continuously since 1947. The difference this year is that the new show is not by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein 11. For the last nine years they have kept the box office clerks busy with their shows, and 1956 looks like being the first year this famous team has not had a West End “hit.” , , “Oklahoma” began their successful siege on London audiences in 1947 and remained until 1950, attracting audiences of 2.400.000. who paid £941,870 for the privilege. Though not the resounding success of its predecessor, “Carousel” ran for 16 months, taking more than £325.000, before giving way to “South Pacific.” Popularly regarded as the best of the Rodgers-Hammerstein products, “South Pacific” ran for 792 performances through to 1953 and made £743,000 gross profit. It was followed by “The King and I," which ran even longer—three years—and took £760,000. It came off early this month.

Like its predecessors, “The King and I’’ had long runs in the United States before being brought to London, having been written in 1951. In the intervening period Rodgers and Hammerstein have not been idle; but they seem to have lost the Midas touch with subsequent productions and none has been considered worthy of the expense of a West End staging. They have written “Me and Juliet,” but it was not well received by the critics or the public, while “Allegro” was said to have lost money in New York. Their most recent effort, “Pipe Dream,” opened on Broadway recently, but few reports of it have yet come to London. It is unlikely, even if it is a success, to come here for 18 months.

The popular musical has not lost popularity in London. It is heartening to report some success for British composers, like Sandy Wilson, who has “The Boy Friend” in its third year in the West End (it ran on Broadway and made a profit of 200,000 dollars) and “The Buccaneer” at the Lyric, Hammersmith. Julian Slade has “Salad Days” at the Vaudeville Theatre and A. P. Herbert’s "Water Gipsies” is still packed after several months. “The Immortal Memory” Wherever Scots gather, the anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns is celebrated. The 197th anniversary this week was celebrated by probably thousands of expatriate Scots in London, for nearly 100 special dinners have been held here and one Oxford street store reports the sale of more than seven tons of haggis! The toast of “The Immortal Memory,” like Hogmanay dances, Hallowe'en parties and St. Andrew’s Day dinners, is almost de rigueur for Scots everywhere. Tradition Broken? Princess Margaret is said to have broken a Royal tradition when she attended Drury Lane Theatre this week to see a charity performance of an American musical. She went into the theatre through the front door. In the past. Royal persons using the Royal Box have always entered by a special side door. The Duke of Windsor broke the tradition when in 1919, as the Prince of Wales, he went in the front way by mistake. No-one had told him which door to use. The Princess seems to be quietly moving back into tne way of life she abandoned rfftcr the publicity that attended her attachment with Group Captain Peter Townsend. She is frequently photographed, when attending theatres in the West End or visiting fashion shows. Her public duties will increase during the absence of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on the Royal Tour of Nigeria. Jet Training Several New Zealand students will be among the officers who will graduate in future from the Royal Air Force College at Cranweil with advanced training in Vampire jets. The Provost jet-trainer has been used for some time now in other training establishments, and the recent completion of runway facilities at Cranwell has permitted the operation of jets there. Students will in future earn their wings on Vampires, the type of aircraft some of the New Zealanders will fly when they return to the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Sadler’s Wells Ballet Prima ballerina. Rowena Jackson, and her New Zealand colleagues, Alexander Grant and Bryan Ashbridge, are included in the Sadler’s

Wells Ballet for the 1956 season at the Royal Opera House. Covent Garden. Dame Margot Fonteyn will make a number of appearances during the season. The New Zealanders will appear in several ballets, including “The Sleeping Beauty.” “Cinderella.” "The Firebird” and “Le Lac Des Cygnes.”

Compulsory Tests The English are traditionally opposed to change. They become used to the way things "have been done this way for generations” and resist any new way. I was astonished when the section dealing with compulsory testing of motor vehicles was thrown out of the last Road Traffic Bill; but many Englishmen could see no valid reason why the clause should remain. This controversial subject is to be revived by the new Minister of Transport. Mr Harold Watkinson. after the publication of figures that five of every six vehicles examined at the Government’s “pilot” station at Hendon were not fit for the road. The new measure may affect vehicles only 10 years old or more; but it is a start. Opposition continues. Spokesmen for the Royal Air Force and Automobile Association have already said that “it is difficult to understand the reasons for the Government’s change of mind. The objections and practical difficulties for carrying out the tests have still to be overcome.”

New Zealand Preview? Some members of the South African Rugby team, representing the universities of Cape Town and Stellenbosch, may visit the Dominion later in the vears as members of the touring Springbok side. Ton members of the side are said to be in the running for selection as internationals. Two, D. Ackermann and G. Lochner (both forwards), have already played for South Africa. They have all paid £l6O towards the cost of the tour and have played three games in Italy and two in France- Here, they will play a combined university side, Coventry and Newport. Possibles for New Zealand include J. Nel. P. Montini, J- du Press and P. du Toit, who have appeared in Springbok trials. Cat Call The Sadler’s Wells Opera Company cat audition next month may become a comic opera in itself. More than 20 cats have been offered for the feline part in “School For Fathers," since the announcement that the “regular" member of the company had disappeared. The fortunate applicant will be rewarded with sardines after every performance, and his owner will receive complimentary tickets. But the requirements are a searching test of talent. It must be a large cat, of any colour, able to sit with poise and dignity for several minutes on fop of a 10 foot wall, unmoved by bass singer. David Ward, the full orchestra and applause. Mrs C. Bate, who will take her Suzy along.esays in the application that sitting on walls is “just up Suzy's alley.” Guinness Returns Film star Alec Guinness, just back in London after making his first film in Hollywood, has had a sad homecoming. He was to have made a film for Six Alexander Korda, who died this month, and his lucky studio. Ealing, was sold up during his absence. He had some interesting views on Hollywood. Behaviour at parties was perfect, he said, but they got disappointed if someone didn't hit someone. It was usually actors against agents. Television was their life. It was always on at cocktail and dinner parties—without the sound.