FAMOUS ACTRESS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 159, 2 April 1937, Page 8

FAMOUS ACTRESS

Elisabeth Bergner May Visit New Zealand

TOUR BY PAUL ROBESON ALSO LIKELY Elisabeth Bergner, famous A ieunese stage and screen actress, is almost certainly coming to New Zealand, and it is almost equally certain that while here she will be induced to git e short play seasons in the four main centres. A Melbourne report that the famous actress was going to Australia was confirmed in Christchurch on Wednesday by Mr. John Farrell, of J. C. Williamson, Ltd., who added that otherfamous artists were also likely to visit the Dominion.

The Austrian actress is going to Hollywood to make more films. Up to the present she has resisted . Hollywood’s blandishments, but with her growing reputation the financial lure has become bigger each year. She intends to sail from London in September, with her husband, Dr. Paul Czinner, who is her director in films. During her visit to Australia and New Zealand Miss Bergner will be primarily on a holiday, but Mr. E. J. Tait, managing director of J. C. Wildamson, Ltd., expects, according to the Melbourne report, that she will give short play seasons in the main centres. He is trying to arrange that her most successful play, “Escape Me Never,” will be included in her repertoire. When Mr. Farrell confirmed this information he said that there was a likelihood of the famous negro, Paul Robeson, also coming to Australia and New Zealand. Other famous artists likely to tour soon, he said, included the pianist, Benno Molseivitch, and the Italian tenor, Tito Schipa. The latter would be giving his first concert in Australia in May. All these movements, Mr. Farrell said, were indications of the steady revival of the legitimate stage. During the last year there had been several highly successful tours, including two Gilbert and Sullivan companies, Richard Crooks, and two revue companies. AU these companies had been enormously successful, and the Russian ballet, at present touring New Zealand, was having a similar experience. Gladys Moncrieffi was also to tour the Dominion again, playing this time the musical comedies. “Southern Maid,” “Maid of the Mountains,” and “The Merry Widow.”