A SAMPLER OF PLAYS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 104, 29 October 1925, Page 8

A SAMPLER OF PLAYS

MR. GEORGE HIGHLAND RETURNS

SOME, RAPID TRAVELLING

Plays, like wines and teas, and other things, have to be tasted or sampled before purchased—at any rate, produced. Seeing plays and advising upon their suitability for staging in Australia and New Zealand is one of Mr. George Highland's responsibilities. He is better known to the playgoing public as producer for J. C. Williamson, Ltd. ; that is, he takes a play and a company, with a small army of costumiers, scene painters, musicians, carpenters, and electricians, and with these materials produces the play as it is usually seen, or ought to be seen, when it is sent on its course. He provides the chart ant] instructions.

But he is also a traveller, and a rapid, nervy one at that. He left here to-day for Sydney, and has been but 144 weeks away. Of those weeks ten were spent on boats and trains; 12 days were spent in London, ten days in New York, and the balance of the time was spent in Boston and Chicago. ' "THE FARMER'S WIFE." But Mr. Highland was sampling, sampling, sampling, all the time he was not on boat or train. He was restive at having to slay a day more than he bargained for in Wellington. Plays, he saw abroad were "Roso Marie"—with which he was much . impressed ; "The Farmer's Wife," a, Devonshire play. It was secured for Australia and a new company is to appear in it. Mr. Highland spoke enthusiastically of this new play, when interviewed by "The Post" to-day. .

"Mr. John Tait was m London (he went on), and he engaged a new company to play 'Polly With a, Past," 'The Last of Mrs. Cheney,' and 'The Mask and the Fact.' Miss Renee Kelly is leading lady in this company. She created tho leading role in 'Daddy Longlogs' in London. "There are several other people coming out whom tho Firm have engaged— "Pavlova—what about her?" "I did not sec her," replied Mr. Highland.

GILBERT AND SULLIVAN.

"A Gilbert and Sullivan season has been arranged for," said Mr. Highland, "and Mr. Jack " "alonn and Mr. James Hay have been engaged for that. About the lady principals, I can't speak with certainty. The Gilbert and Sullivan season begins in Melbourne in Easter week, I understand."

"What? Oh, yes; Gilbert and Sullivan will always draw, providing it it well done. The period of the War of Independence is that selected for an American opera. Its name is 'Dearest Enemy.' I saw it in New York, but have forgotten the names of its originators. I know they are three young Americans and up to their success, quite unknown men. 'Dearest Enemy' is a beautiful work. It is light opera, abounding in comedy. "

A FLITTING INTERVIEW,

In (he hurry of the interview, ■which was had within a few minutes of the Tahiti's sailing for Sydney, Mr. Highland flitted between London and America in his' references. -. "WluieCargo," he said, is to bo producer! in Australia by "Tho .Firm." His opinion of the play on seeing it was: "It is up to the public to sit out the first performance of ' White Cargo.' It is •" strong, a 'meaty' play. Leon Gordon, who adapted- the play from the novel, is coming out to piay the leading o part, nd four other prominent people for big parts. Their names I can't remember at' the moment. > " 'Tell Me More' is a. musical comedy I saw at tho Winter Garden Theatre, London, and I liked it. A GOLD MINE. "Now for 'Rose Marie I' There's a. musical play for you. It is playing' to £000 per week houses-, at Drury Lane; for sixteen months it had played to £.700 a, week houses hi New York,' it wan in its ninth month at Chicago, its fourth at both Boston, and Philadelphia while I was in America, and still drawing. 'The Firm' has engaged a new company for this powerful magnet of a play. Marjorie Bambeau, the big dramatic star in America, is coming. Ethel 1 Barrymore, I saw in New York. She is playing in Shakespeare with Walter Hampdcn at tho Hampden Theatre in that city.

"TllE BEST-WORST ACTING."

"I think," Mr. Highland went on, "I saw some of the best-worst acting I ever saw in my life in London. It was really shocking. How it 'gets over' I can't imagine. I say, and will iitaintiiin tlififc there is iw comedian playing in London 10-dny, except Gene Oarrard in 'lvatja,' which, by the way, is to be produced in Sydney at Christmas."

"WHAT ABOUT PANTOMIME?"

"There will be no "Williamson pantomime tliis year, sir," replied ■ Mr. Highland. "The Jinn is negotiating for several now plays thai, aro to bo produced in jN rc\v York those coining Christians mid New Year kolidavs."

"Ohi" he concluded, as the gangway was being uulashed and the lines were being cast oil', "Boueicaull is coming back. >So is MoNcoviteh, the latter as Svcngali in 'Trilby.' ■"