Plays-Players-Pictures

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 33, 8 February 1930, Page 25

Plays-Players-Pictures

The lato Madame Ada Crossley, tho Au/ralian vocalist, directed in her will that her remains should bo cremated and taken to \ Melbourne for burial in her'parents' grave, tho trustees to. arrange a memorial service in tho Anglican Church iii Melbourne (says the London correspondent of the Syduoy "News"). Madamo Crossley was interred at tho North Finchley Cemetery on 21st October. The explanation is that neither her ''husband. (Dr. Mcueke) nor the. Crossley family solicitors in England were ,'awaro of this particular will, which was executed last February and revealed only after the fuuera'l. For this: reason, it is very unlikely tnat any nioVe will be made in England to dis'•'inter the remains or otherwise interfere •with the arrangements as carried out. In view of the fact that this will differs "in certain respects from a former one, it is pointed out that Madame Crossley, ,'in her last year,'suffered periods of un■balanced mentality, though she generally remembered afterwards what she had done. Madame Crossley left an estate of £16,989. There were small bequests ,to servants, and tho remainder went to relatives, in Australia.: ■.'... The "Wellington Operatic ' and Theatrical Society will bo presenting .early in March at the Grand Opera House for a short season tho'tuneful coniedy, "So Long Letty." Playgoers will remember ■/With pleasure this bright piece -which 'was put on some years ago by J. C. Williamson, with the lato Charlie Work"man, Connie Eddis, Dorothy Brmitpn, : and Alfred Frith. As the Life Saver "in this .comedy. Frith made his premiere ris a comedian of the first rank. -: The members of tho Operatic Society arc now rehearsing under the conductor'ship of M ; J.: F. Woodward, and a strong cast has been chosen, for the principal characters. The ballots are well advanced, and many novelties are .'being introduced. The society is to be commended for its. efforts in 'bringing before the public,from time to tiino such popular pieces. - ■ ■ : "The enthusiasm which'prevailed at thoiwinding up of the thirty-fif th-sca-feon of tho famous1 promenade concerts, 'conducted since their inauguration by Sir Henry Wood, is generally interpreted as a portent of the change of heart of London's audiences towards classical tnusic/' says an English writer.' "Only a few years ago, it will bo recalled,, 'the. proms, were in danger of being abandoned for lack of public support. Since, however, the British Broadcast--ing Corporation has taken over all re--1 sponsibility. for this traditional series ■ ''of'concert's,-the tido of musical appreciation has. turned, and the classics have definitely triumphed over the embattled array of syncopated jazz." ' John Galsworthy is mentioned, as the next chairman of the Board of Film Censors, London, iii succession to tne late T P.,O'Connor. The position carries with it a salary of £2000 a year. ■' - George Bernard' Shaw dislikes music %ith his, meals. Ho once ' asked the leader of, a restaurant band, °°«d you play something if I asked you to 1 ' "Most certainly, -, monsieur," was the reply. "Well,, wouW you play either poker or dominoes—whichever you like —until I have finished my meal! Paaorewski recently was- operated upon for,acute appendicitis. /The operation : was completely successful. A new farce, which has been written by Arthur Wimperis and Lauri Wylie, entitled "A Warm Corner," is to be produced at tho Princess Theatre at an early date, Miss. Isabel Wilf ord has been .allotted a part in the cast.; SJio will be associated with Messrs. Austin Melford; George 'de • : Warfaz, ' Alfred < ' -

Wellesley, Kirn Pcaock, Henry Crocker, and Miss Toni, Edgar-Bruce. , ■ Mn Alec Began (Dunediu), tho wellknown music hall "star," came to England mainly for a holiday, but it so happens that ho hua been working most of tho time, writes "Tho Pout's" London correspondent. Prior to leaving for England ho played a farewell tour of New Zealand with the Regent Theatres', with the "Midnight Frolics."..lt was during this tour that Mr. Regantwas approached, by tho managing director, Mr. Beaumont Smith, regarding a position with Regent Theatres managerially, and as producor for their presentations. He has settled •to return to New Zealand by the end of March, and has definitely signed to commence as manager and producer for one of tho Regent theatres. On 27th December Mr. Regan left for South Africa, where he is to play- a tour of eight weeks. He will be appearing in Capetown when the Prince of Wales arrives. During the next two weeks he will bo on the Continent seeing the principal shows and variety entertainments with the view of finding something suitable for New Zealand. During the seven weeks of his stay in the Mother Country he has appeared at the Brighton Hippodrome, Holborn Empire,, tho Paladium, as well as in Birmingham, Liverpool, and Glasgow. Everywhere he has had great success. Old friends at Acton have accorded him a grc-at welcome. Australian tours by Wilhclm Buekhaus, Jan Kubelik, Florence Austral, and a boy prodigy named Wolii are announced for 1930. With Now Zealand's musical reputation sunk to the depths, it remains to be seen whether they will all visit thi§ country. Backhaus, .the famous pianist, who played here about .five years ago, is to. open his tour at Sydney on Eastor' Saturday. Under the J. and, N. Tait management, Kubclik will begin his season in Melbourne about tho end of March or the beginning of April. This great virtuoso toured' New Zealand about 20 years ago, when his fame was at. its height. Hois now not a regular concert performer, but none the less a great virtuoso. At 12 years Kubelik was a pupil of Seveik, who has also trained Wolfl, the violinist prodigy. E. J. Carroll is directing tours by Florence Austral, tho eminent Australian soprano, and by Wolfi, the,, fourtoen-year-old violinist who is now attracting tho attention of Europe. London audiences first heard tho boy last month, when he appeared in Ids shirt-sieves at tho Albert Hall. They^ we're indebted for his visit to the Baron yon Franckenstein, the Austrian. Minister. Wolfi's London debut was made after a series of highly successful recitals vi the provinces, .y., .

In spite of Federal law,:the efforts, of the Actors' Federation, and repeated newspaper denunciation of careless or unscrupulous managers, yet another Australian theatrical company; is stranded somewhere in India. Hilda Dorrington, . Mildred Carlton, Carl Lawson, Walter. Hunt; Binney and Waltor MaoCallum are among the members iof this company, called tho Carl Lawson- Comedy- Company, which is left stranded in Calcutta, as the result of poor attendance and bad luck.. Lawson himself is a well-k^iown actor, and for some /time was with the Nellie Bramley' Company. The Australian Federal law requires the return passago of tho players: to Australia to be guaranteed, and.in this case William Russell, husband of Nellie Bramley, and a well-known showman,xput up the guar-. antee for the return of the whole of the company^ In the meantime, however,!

says the Sydney "Daily Guardian," William Russell himself has suffered severe reverses of fortune. Hilda Dorrington was through New Zealand with Allan Wilkie's Shakespearian Company some years ago. Recent London papers contain accounts of the success of Miss Annie Croft, in the new musical comedy^ "Dear Love," which, having been first tested beforo a Birmingham audience, is now at the London Palace Theatre. "The Times" finds that the piece, "which has something of everything in it, has also unusual brightness, vivacity, and finish..". The critics agree in praising Miss Croft's interpretation of the rolo of Suzanne, and noto the valuable asset which the production possesses in Mr. Tom Burkes fine tenor voice. Tho score apparently is graceful .as well as lightly engaging, and one song, "Love in a Mist," allotted to the heroine, is selected as a typical example. .■:' As in the Birmingham production, Miss Vera Pearco and, Mr. Sydney Howard have won great favour at the Palace for their burlesque dance. While the Christmas night performance of"The Messiah" was prohibited in Sydney by the order of the. Chief Secretary's Department refusing authority to charge for admission, Handel's oratorio was heard by a' Melbourne audience that evening, when it was produced by the Melbourne Philharmonic Society and University Symphony Orchestra, under Professor Heinssc's direction. Mr. Robert Nicholson, who sang tho basso solos on that occasion, was a Lithgow miner until August, when he won a scholarship at tho Melbourne Conservatorium. The "Age" praises his singing in "Tho Messiah"as marked by excellent vocal control, flexibility, and dramatic fervour. Grace Ilayes, vaudeville, gramophono, radio, and night club star, is to make her debut in moving pictures. She is the leading lady in the "King of Jazz Kovuc," starring Paul Whiteman. The Twin Sisters G, tho famous European dancers, arc also in tho cast. Greta Garbo, having completed her first talkie, ''Anna Christie,'' will at once re-make thp picture in German for foreign release/ . Clarence Brown, who. directed the, English version, will again be behind tho camera with the German cast. ■■,•'.'. "The Street of Chance," William Powell's picture, has been completed at the Hollywood studios. '.'Tho Street, of Chance" was adapted from an original story by Oliver H. P. Garrett., Kay. 'Francis plays opposite the star. The supporting cast includes-Regis Toomey, Jean Arthur, Stanley Fields, and Betty Francisco. , ' .'. ' ' Ken Maynard, whose- hobby is collecting songs of tho old West, sings songs in Spanish in "Senor -Americano/' his latest talking picture,-May-nard, who/plays the part of a hardriding, hard-fighting American offleerj finds it'necessary to learn the Spanish love songs to serenade a . beautiful Spanish-Californiari girl, portrayed by Kathryn Crawford, who also sings in tho picture.. The picture deals with Southern California'in the most glamorous and exciting period of its history, Marshall Neilan is preparing .to screen "Tho Song Writer," with Lawrence Gray in tho leading role. The story i» by Crane Wilbur with adaptation by Richard Schyer. Production, is scheduled'to begin shortly. At .the same time Albert Kelley and Edgar M'Gregor are expected to start filming "Good News," with Charles Kaley in the leading masculine rolo and Mary Lawler, of the original stage production* as leading lady. : '~'.. V Mary Nolan's first starring picture is "The Shanghai Lady," which has been transferred to the screen from the play by John Ooltpn. "Tbo Shanghai Lady" is a picturesque, dramatic story of white.derelicts on the China," Coast—of tho igirls in the seaport "tea"1 houses and of the beachcombing, gutter habitues, who have lost caste in the; eyes of the natives and faith in tbo'ih^ selves. James "Murray, as tho white

drifter, heads the supporting cast, with Lydia Yeamaus Titus, a famous stage and screen star of the past generation, playing the inimitable Madame Polly Voo. Wheeler Oakman, Noble John son, Yola d'Avril, Mona Rica, Jiurmie Leong, and Irma Lowe also have important roles. "Only the Brave," adapted from a story by Keene Thompson, has been solected as Gary Cooper's next pro-duo; tiou. Mary Brian will play tho feminine load. Others in the cast are Phillips R. Holmes, Morgan Farley, and Edna Voelka. Filming will start shortly under tho direction of Frank Tuttle. ■'.',. Production has begun on the German version of "Sunkjisscd," Vilma Banky's next picture, with Joseph Schildkraut in the place of Edward G: Robinson, who plays one of the leading male roles in the English version. Richard "Skeets" Gallagher and Zazu Pitts have been assigned to the supporting cast of "Come Ou\ of the Kitchen," Nancy Carroll's new talkio. "Come Out of tho Kitchen" was aaapted from the stage play and set to music for production as a musical comedy. Regis Toomey plays the male lead. Lillian Roth and Stanley Smith are included in the cast. Kathryn Crawford has been assigned by Universal to play opposite Ken May nard in his fourth all-talking production. It is entitled "Kettle Creek," and was written by Jacques Jaccard. This is the second Ken Maynard pro duction in which Kathryn Crawford has been featured. The first was "Senor Americano." Horcbrt Stothart and Clifford Grey are busy composing at least six musical numbers for Cecil B. De Mille's next talkie, "Madamo Satan." Ronald Young is the only player so far selected for the cast. The story is ■by Jeanie MacPherson.