Steptoes trip through

Press, 14 March 1978, Page 1

Steptoes trip through

After six months in Australia and six performances ir. Auckland (all to full houses), Wilfrid Brambell and Harry H. Corbett came io Christchurch yesterday fternoon, performed last evening, and are off <o Dunedin today on their world premiere tour of “Steptoe and Son on Stage.” Harry Corbett (right) relates yet another of the exploits he suspects his “f: ther” of having been involved in as Wilfrid Brambell’s face reflects mild disbelief. “It’s been a wonderful tour,” said Steptoe (Mr Brambell). “1 hope to live through it. It has been onenight stands all through Australia, six restful days in Auckland, and here we go again—a different place every night.” Nevertheless, the “dirty old man” as “son” Harold terms him, is enjoying the tour. At the same time, he

looks forward to going home, spending perhaps a month there, and then having a holiday on the Continent. “I feel as though I will have deserved a rest,” he said. How did he like Australia? “Just great!” He said however, that he felt New Zealanders were “cosier” people. Mr Corbett, the younger member of the chainsmoking duo, said that in his opinir the tour so far

had been “fantastic.” Comparing Australia with New Zealand, he said that the people “are totally different in every respect.” People in New Zealand were “more classless in their speech,” he said. In his opinion, Australians were not as “free” in their speech. An exception, he said, would be the Tasmanians whom he ranked equally as friendly as New Zealanders. As far as drivers are concerned, he said that he

had noticed that New Zealand motorists were far more polite than their Australian counterparts. “Here they will pull over and allow you to pass,” he said. “In Australia you take your life in your hands.” While Steptoe-Brambell plans to have a long rest when he returns to England, Son-Corbett is considering scripts for two stage plays and two motion pictures, one of which may be filmed in Australia. From Christchurch they go to Dunedin for yet another one-night stand; thence to Wellington, Palmerston North, New Plymouth, and Hamilton. Then it is back to Australia where the tour will end in Sydney on April 2. Steptoe wants a rest, but Harold says he wants to keep on going “to die at 90, having suffered a stroke reaching for a stubby.” Review, page 6