NEW PRODUCTION BY N.Z. PLAYERS

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28701, 26 September 1958, Page 13

NEW PRODUCTION BY N.Z. PLAYERS

Experienced Cast For “Spider’s Web”

Agatha Christie's play. “Spider's Web." to be presented at the Theatre Royal by the New Zealand Players from October 14, is one of the three plays by thst author which ran concurrently in London.

The others were ‘‘The Mousetrap,” presented by the New Zealand Players last year, and now in its sixth London season, and “Witness for the Prosecution,” winner of the New York Drama Critics* Award as the* "Best Foreign Play of the Year” in 1955. "Spider's Web.” which opened at the Savoy Theatre in December. 1954, and ran for two years, was the play in which Margaret Lockwood, as Clarissa HailshamBrown. made a memorable return to the stage after more than a decade of film-making. The leading role in the New Zealand Players' production of “Spider’s Web” will be played by Louise Harris, of Dunedin. She recently returned to New Zealand from England, where she trained at the Northern Theatre School. Bradford, for three yean before playing with various English repertory companies for another two years. Her husband. Edward Petherbridge, will play Elgin, the butler.

The daughter, Pippa HailshamBrown, will be played by Patricia Dallas, of Gisborne. The man who took the part of Alfred Doolittle in “Pygmalion" and of the General in "Romanoff and Juliet.” Antony Grosser, will play. the part of Sir Rowland Delahaye. Leon Sinder, who was Professor Higgins in "Pygmalion,” will play Inspector Lord. Others who will appear in “Spider's Web” are Kevin Woodill. who will play Henry HailshamBrown, Ethel Hobbs (Mildred Peake). Brian Cashin (Oliver Costello), John King (Jeremy Warrender). Harry Lavington (Constable Jones), and Charles Walker (Hugo Birch).