SUNDAY CINEMAS

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 27, 1 August 1932, Page 6

SUNDAY CINEMAS

EFFECT ON THE STAGE

SHOWMEN CONCERNED

("rbm "The Post's" Representative.) - / vy* LONDON,- 24th June.

Mr. C. B. Cochran, the prince of showmen, accompanied, by some other well-known theatrical producer*, and "stars;'.' presented to ,vati unofficial meeting, of members of- Parliament, at the House of Commons vthis week, the ease for equality of treatment with the cinemas in the matter of Sunday performances. Mr. Holford Knight, K.C M.P., presided.

Mr. Cochran objected to the nation becoming celluloid-minded, and said: "For fifteen years the cinemas have broken the law. The theatres have respected the law. Am I to understand that as a reward for breaking the law the cinemas are to be given the privilege of opening and the theatres are to be denied it? If the cinemas were denied the privilege by law they would continue to do so, and I hope all theatre' managers would join me in opening also. I wouldgo further and suggest we follow; Mr. A. P. Herbert's suggestion, and withhold' our entertainments tax."

The speakers-included Sir Oswald Stoll, Sir Nigel Playfair, Mr. Sidney Carroll, Madame Alice Delj;sia, Miss Violet Vanbrugh,.and Miss Nancy Price. According to the Parliamentary correspondent of the "Daily Mail,'": Sir Oswald. Stoll considered it was unfair to grant cinemas the right to open on Sundays as a. reward for breaking-the law and. ; to ignore 'the theatres, who employed British Jabour. If 'Parliament permitted mpneyjto drift-to the cinemas and not to thef,theatres,Vthe means .of ■continuing the business of the theatre would coine to- an eni So. many people went to Sunday cinemas that the .Monday theatre business had declined, and he added enipjiatically that he would gladly close " any of his' theatres .on Mondays" for the privilege of opening on. Sundays. ■ . .~--': .' .

INJUSTICE AND HYPOORtSY.

Sir.Nigel Playfair described the Sunclay'Cinemas Bill as "a piece of injustice and even hypocrisy." He said that the Government's Bfll would support American films at the expense of British actors. '.'Most actors," he added, "would prefer to work six hours a day seven days a week than work no hours a day for three-quarters of the year." People complained of rivalry with religious ■ services; -. If religious services were so uninteresting or uninspiring, then all he could do. was to say, in the words of George Stephenson: "So much the worse for the cow." ' . s " ' Mr. Sydney Carroll, the well-known dramatic critic, said: "I can produce a. list' of films offered last xSunday, and challenge anyone to say that more than. twV-of- the'pictures are respeetable entertainments; Members of Parliament should, have very., grave consideration for- themselves and representatives of the country before they;allow this cesspit ,of crime of every kind, of degrading 'impulses,•; of: brutality, and 'every, -shocking instinct known to man to have an absolute right oh Sundays while the theatres are closed." . Madame Alico Delysia spoke charmingly in broken English, saying: "This is my first time to speak in any House of Commons, and I rather-like'it. It is nice to have so many representatives of le sexe, fort, which is French for the. stronger sex, and' the House of Commons is supposed to stand for fair play. My opinion is there ought to-be fair play and equal rights between theatres and cinemas."..'. Miss Violet yanbtugh also maintained that whatever was' given to the cinemas should also bo given to the theatre. ; The Sunday Entertainments Bill would .have far-reaching effects on the theatre* of the future. Miss Nancy Price wound up the case for the stage by describing the theatre as the mother of the cinema. "They take our plays," she said, "and give us carbon copies- of our artists." According to the "Daily Mail's" correspondent, Major H. A. Procter (Conservative, Accrington) wanted to know whether those who had, spoken in favour of Sunday theatres could advance asiy reasons for preventing dog-rac-ing, horsc-raeing, and the general "Cocliranisation of the Sabbath." Mr. CochraiT-challcnged "Major Procter to explain what he meant by this. "The only Sunday entertainment I have ever given is oratorio and highclass music." he protested. "And also boxing," interpolated Major Proctei\ "Not on Sundays,'' declared Mr. Cochran. "The only Sunday entertainments -with which I have been associated are oratorio, John MeCormaek, and Kreisler. That is up to now. I would open my theatres if I had the privilege." Mr. Holfoirf Knight asked if Major Procter wanted to withdraw, but the dour M.P.' from tho Xnrth said certain1y not, so. Mr. Knight ordered the "play" to go on. . v