STAGE AND SCREEN

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 126, 24 November 1932, Page 20

STAGE AND SCREEN

Real Dancing,

Classical dancing of the Pavlova tj'pe ■will be seen in the Williamson presentation, of "Waltzes from Vienna," .a..musical tplay-ibased •on -music' from Strauss,1 to be 'given., its i'it'usiralian ipremiere"atvMelbourne; on Qhvistiriasr Eve." ■" 'Twenty-!sis ■beautiful youns iballerinas-.vriE take-.part in the big dance, features^ ofT:fh'e,\pro'duction, bringing batk all.'.the; charm'.iof-classi-cal- dancing too long submetgedVin the craze for tap-dancing and the. commoner steps of the jazz. Danced to typical Strauss music, these ballets will set a new standard in terpsichorean art. Principals of:.the company are en route to Australia irfow^and.the rest of the cast will be Australianv *'VY-'V':--■''-■.■ -.''■■ ■ ' * ' ■ ' ' friOrclirds^' ;

I Arthur;Houseman^ featured in^a: number bf -prodnctions,' -has-been: fengaged for aho'ther bibulous role,. thatfi of Serge, in Gqlutebia's "No More Ordhids,".the Grace Eefkin'B novel. IncludedSiiftthe cast are > • Carole Lombard, Louise, '-'dosser Hale, Enthelma-.-Stevens etc. -r-Hpuseman- wbefore"j . he :: cinematically "took' ;tb' drink" - was noted for Ms gangster roles. The Doctor. ■ ... _ ' '."-

Dr.-Neill has- for years; been-minister ing as -medical officer to the ailments am casualties at 8.1.P.'s studios at Elstree but in all that time he has never seen : film in the making. He was particularly pleased and interested, therefore, when/hi was called in as medical supervisor bj Benn Levy," the director, ■ for scenes ir "The Case of Lady Camber." "Little Orphan Annie." , Matt Moore has won the role of tin doctor in "Little Orphan Annie" anc Mayvßobson will;play the elderly ant crotchety Mrs. Stewart. They join Erii Linden; Dickie, Moore, Buster Phelps, am Joseph Cawthorn in the supporting cast o: this R.K.O. Radio" production. Mitz Green, who plays the title role in "Littli Orphan Annie ( ". torned her flaming rec locks into platinum • blonde, as- the pic ture went into production under the. direc tion of John Robertson. Amateur Notes. Arthur Ripley has been engaged to sin< the tenor solos for the Hamilton- Philhar monie Choir in its performance of "Thi Messiah." at Hamilton on Bth December Mrs. H. C. Ross'is c&nductor, "and the ora torio_ will be interpreted by other solo ists,'including Mrs. Slyra Booth, soprano Mrs. Lan-Stuart,; contralto; and Geprgi Wheeler, ibass. '■.■:}.-£ :■ : ri'H The Cbristehureh '< Operatic Society- hai decided on."Aßunaway Girl" for its'ipro duction in'April'next. The sum of £300..was taken at the fina matinee-and.'evening performances by-tlii Dunedin-Operatic'Society of "The Belle-6: New York."- The.receipts of the -we.el totalled like- ;£IOOQ7-an achi4ye ment for,Vahvamateur: production: 'It ii understood "A■: Country 1 Qirl" brought ii a slightlyvlarger'vtotal.1, ' .''"■"'.;'. The ; Canterbury " Repertory Societj staged' this-:weekVfor three nights Johi van Druten's-play "London Wall," ii which MarieiK'ey'1 made such a success' ii London/- iy ■/'■'■:'.-'.''.' , ; ■'.!_:- ' ■'-.'' The Paeroa:imat'eur.Operatic Society ii staging "Wildflower" for, a season com mencingnestMori'day^ ' This has notbeei done by an amitcut" company before Marie Burke Appeared in.-it under th< Wiliiamson flag a few years ago. ' The Auckland Catholic Repertory So ciety is staging Sierra's "The Kingdom o: God," in the Town Hall Concert Chamber Auckland, on 2nd, December. It is not'i religious play, but is the story of a sistei - of charity moving in her round of philan thropy. A unique Christmas concert is to b< given in._Auckland-on 17th December. Al the municip.al musical units, "including th< Municipal Band/.Municipal Choir,:and, th< three honorary'city .organists) Messrs. E S. Craston, Trevor Sparling, and A E Wilson, will take part. A feature will bi the singing of Christmas carols, in whicl the audience wiirjoin.; The "concert wil conclude with^a-performance of .the "Hal lelujah Chorus/f■ fronrHandel's "llessiah,' in which the audience will combine witl the band, choir, and organ. Special arrangements with Messrs. J C. Williamson are being made by Mr. C M. McCallum, of Auckland, for the pre sentation of Prank Vesper's farce, "Twii Beds," in His Majesty's Theatre,. Auck land, on 14th December, under the aus pices and in aid of the Returned Soldiers Association. Mr. McCallum has chosei a cast including Misses Ethel Rae, Non Wright, and Allie Deacon; Messrs. J Macksie and J. Swan.

\' "The Golden West.'"' j Determined to make Zanc Grey's "The , Golden West" equal to the biggest out- , door picture ever made, Fox Films has ex- [ tended the shooting'schedule of the prof duetiori and added several personalities to j the cast. The company, including several > hundred extras; is now in the desert near [ Barstqw,, California, filming the attack of . the Indians on the railroad construction . camp. George O'Brien plays the leading male role, and the cast includes Janet Chandler, Marion Burns, Bert Hanlon. and Arthur Pierson. - Homesick in Hollywood. ' • Edna Best, the English actress who liev came, so homesick for. England and hei ■ husband (Herbert Marshall, also.- of■■■"sta'gV " fame), that she threw up a satisfactory > Hollywood contract and hurried back i Ho.me,.:hasa rival for the notoriety she - gained?'"?'■ Now comes news of another English actress, Miss Binne " Barnes. Miss Barnes Was under contract to play in the talkie version of "Cava!----1 ycade^"-■vbut, becoming panicky .at the jvthpught of being away from England and [ ."her"husband '( Samuel Joseph, partner in :: a-'firm', of antique booksellers in London), ■,'i threw;. lipVKer. contract, which was for five 1 years,, and caught'the first available boat ly back, for' Home and domesticity. Miss ;.* Barnes -has.appeared in such films as "Out the' Blue," "Love Lies," and "rihe fvLast-Coupon." Sheer loneliness and honieX sickness ,iyete.given as reasons for her<deL!''feetion"; '.' ;. s Ace.Directors. Three of BKO Radio's ace directors drew 1 three big assignments Mhen the signal • for new shows to go into wQrk went out. i E. H. Griffith, director of many Qonstance Bennett and'L-Ann Harding successes, was ; assigned to "make' Ernet>t Hemingway's c gi-eat novel, "The Sun Also Rises." Giegory > La Cava, who has amazed Hollywood in t recent months with'a series of successes, ■ will wield the megaphone on "Phantom ■ Fame," which is based on the colourful life of the late Harry Reichenbach, master ■ publicist. La Cava replaces Casey Robin--1 son, who was: previously announced for the : directorship';, (George^ArchainbaudHis , ; the i last ;6f the; trio drawing; for his?assign- . merit "Penguin PooF Murder," from the . mystery novel by Stuart Palmer. ' Heifetz. I Jascha Heifetz, who seems to have'sac- • rificeda public lifezfor. that ofsliusban'd to a: charming wife ,formerly Florence i Vidor of 'picture fame) 'and father to1 a family, of two, gave his first recital in . two years in New York recently, and had .a. hearty reception. His programme mvv eluded. -Greig's,"'.'Sonata in- C Minor; r Mozart's'; Concerto in A Major; Bach's - Fugue ' "and • ;Adagio.; ' Hummel-Heifetz's • "Rondo; Rimsky-Korsakoff's "Flight of the ' Bumble Bee"; and Ravel's "Tzigane." It l is a few years since the genius of the i violin was in New Zealand, but the mem- . ory of his visit is still fresh in the minds of all who heard his delightful programmes.

A New Sonia. ; H_elen Gilliland, a beautiful London act ressjiwas the Spnia of a recfenfc revival o JE^ Merry Widow," in London, in which Carl'Brissonj was the hero, Danilo. George Graves was'in his old part of the Baron, and Jay Laurier, who had never seen the part or Nisch' till twenty-four hours before the production, did excellently at such short notice. Miss Gilliland and her colleagues had a warm reception from Joseph Coyne, as youthful looking as ever, who occupied a seat in the stalls. The presence of Mr. Coyne reminded theatregoers of the days of Lily Elsie, with whom he, was associated in her triumphs .in Franz Lehar's tuneful operetta. Miss Gilliland danced the famous waltz of the piece with Mr. Brisson, and wore some Make-up. . ■■• ■ Welcome. Wallace Beery, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer tfhU Wrr^cl h°d °£ geeting f^* ■at his Beverly Hills home. He records his

"Thei Maid of the Mountains." - v This screen adaptation of whatis~unf 'doub&edly the world's most famous musical comedy, "The Maid of the Mountains " was tmveiled to a packedl and critical audierice at the two special sessions at the Phpenix Theatre, and 8.1.P. have been literally inundated with congratulatory messages ffom exhibitors-throughout the United Kingdom and agents of-foreign buyers on this fine vehicle for Harold FraserSimsonV tuneful melodies .rendered by Harry ' W(elchman. and Nancy, Brown who both make their talkie debut; -Among the cast Albart Bui-don, - Gus -,■ McNaughton, and Wallace Lupino have'been singled out for special, praise. :;-/.-• Potash anrf Perlmutter Return. ' "■ Mr': "Potash" Yorke and Mr- "t> l London to"-figure in-a revival/despite the S?w e° J° ■LondoDlV c accepted immediately. hearsals *c .^afcgu^pp^bacf into their memories quite; oatarally Thw

"Red Man." . x , Forty actors, technicians, and cameramen of the Columbia; staff headed by Tim .McCoy, the/star, and E. Ros3 Beilerman, director, left -Hollywood - for a 150fcmile trip ftp' Wyoming where the spectacular Indian-picture "Red Man" is to be filmed. ,±ne picture is,planned as the talkie succ«s?pri.of '.fThe. Covered Wagon."' Most or . .Ked: Man''vwillVbe shot on the reservations of the rAr'apaho, and Shoshone Indians, in both- of which tribes McCoy is an honorary chief and influential figure. He is considered one of the greatest living authorities the Indians, and is no^ writing a book dealing with the Indian sign language which he "speaks" fluently. Another Melba?^ 'v Australian^critics have been astounded by the purity,and .range of the-voice of Miss Grace:;Simpson,.who lives at.Lane Cove, Sydney. She is only 19 years of age, and-at. attended yby the Preinier ;; |fc me^ns, certainly created a ™i°. re- She -has had scarcely two years' tuition; her voice is phenomenal and her . interpretation remarkable. She has an effective range : of: three octaves, and her .top G .in point lot clarity and quaht aT most excels the flute. The Sydney rr e ?l ■ «" that in her number from : ttesSe° £ *° s^L^t Janet Gaynpr.' v'V .;..'. ; "Tess;of the, Storm Country,", a modnorrstarred ;. in the title role DudLv .ttgges, Eyalyn Knapp, Edward Pawl!/ George Meeker, and' Claude Gilline^aW Play important roles.. The screen nlav excitmg.problems by her impulsive nature : Jean'Hersholt. >: j ■ V -Jean Hersholt willbe-Wallace Beerv's ■ Y^t'ing ,manager^ ? ini-.,v "Flesh," S John;E-ord is to; direct-fdrMetro-Goldwvn Mayer. .Althopgh;-Hersholt hails from Denmark, he is' conversant witli the Ger^ man language, and-the rearly sceneTof the story_brmg togetherlbotH Beery tie star and^Hersholt In-Germany. .Later they .o to Americano win fame-,and dollars" ' " SybilThorndike on 26th December. One of the most-important engagements tress,, Sybil ThorndiKe,;.who is generatlv ■Sd-tfe^s^^l evidence of^erwbnderfulfhSL^oweJ last-mentioned being the work of Sydney Howard. This celebrated stage artist and her specially .selected English company will open the New Zealand season at Wellington on 2Bth December, thus providing a rich and rare Christmas, attraction The" Sydney Howard play is a tale of mother? love, and the hostility shown to the marnage of her sons by the mother, leading ? °}^X me.S yWl Plays the mother and Atholl Fleming and Donald Eccles tlie sons. Dame Sybil is accompanied by; her liusband, Lewis.Casson, .producer,- and son, Christopher Casson,atid-her,-compariy ■ js all British, including names well known: on the London'stage. .

s'Prize .Play, "Egged.'?: ' ■H The'./Pulitzer/ Prize';play, ''The--Green pastures, was playedvbefore.;avfullfhouse \at.St6cklio)m'.recently:under police guard, ...after .^a'zealpus'group.'had .^'egged" the per'l'fqrmefs"iuia .protest iagainst'what they xtermed "reh'gious/lampoohery." ■ _Rotten tomatoe?".and*stehch-bombs;'i,vere also util-! ised as: reinforcements ior ;eggs, and other projectiles"; hurled on '.the' stage stopped the . action during '.the second act, so' that on the following night J police:'?were'requisitioned to keep order. One actress was Mjured.bjt a stone. As if at a.signal, several members of the audience seated near the stage" began to bombard "the'players One. was rarrested—a fisherman who: had m his possession a handbill warnin" bwedes to awake "in iprotest against the system which tolerates;, sueh ■■ religious lampoonery as witnessed, and'; the' present deear of culture." Gunnar Mickelson, the .National socialist, leader, condemned' the egging,in an article .in the newspaper Uagens Nyherter," but avowing sympathy with the motivesibehindf it:"r 'Connolly s Green Pastures"'' contains"' references to a negro's conce'p.tion-of heaven... .Discovery. , ■ ' ' ' ■!•.-•..■." Griffith"'-Jones; Bi-P/s 'latest discovery wno has been signed up on a long-term contract, just had "to'- be"ari'actor. Bbrhi m Jjondon, -and a member- of1 a 'family which, eyedjthe; stage with' ste'rn'rdisapproval, he became an unwilling student "at Liondon .JJniversity.;', Inhiso^vn-mind he was determined, to! answer .the .caJLof the stage, which heheard- so strongly,, and' at" last took a,bold,step.'. He'presented'himse« at. theiEoyal 'Academy, of iDramatie ■Art m the-hope of; competing' successfully for a vacant .scholarship.. His belief in .himself was fully justified; for ' he' was awarded.the scholarship immediately. ' Hugh Herbert; ;, ' _Admirer s of that 1^ irrepressible: comic,' ilugh Herbert, will welcome-the news of his reappearance in the:,cast :of -."Goldie trets Along, a story esposingv the • bathing beauty racket, now-^being produced by J. G Bachman for,E.K:Ofiadio release,vwith Lily Damita in the starring role r°^TTS es asorto, n' Sam Hardy, Lucien liittleneld, and other prominent players ,m -support.. .."Goldie Gets Along" will matk. Herberts-first appearance; in a feature' production since his role with Richard Dix in "The Lost Squadron-." Rasch Girls in London. < The Albertina Rasch Girls, a--bevy'V-of American dancing experts, were, recently in London. They numbered' seven, - and had'arrived to play in. the Drur'y Lane musical show "Wild Violets," in which .Harriett Bennett and her husband, John Oiarrick (Reginald Dandy),:were to play leads. The Rasch girls are led by Margaret Earle, a tall,, willowy - blonde with .personality. • Their ranks number blondes, flaming red-heads, near-blondes, and-brun-ettes. They are nearly all high school, girls who have eschewed -education and professional careers for the- dance. They work hard, go to bed early, dance; so much they do not have to diet, and do not drink . alcohol;.'. ' . : To'the South Seas. ' : ; .Universal will embark on another big .shortly, /announces. Carl . ; Laemmle, jun., general manager -ofcprodud.tionV) folio wing the signing of Irvine Wil-lat.-the^ director to make a picture in theXSouth Seas. Willat will': take a company to photograph a super-production for the Laemmle Company in the natural -location of the story. This expedition :is in addition, to the Dr. Farick-Greenland expedition now making "S:O.S. Iceberg," and the company which has been- shootingatmosphere scenes in BarcelonaJor a Lew Ayres production,the background of which is in the bullfight arena. ..;.■ . .

"Rose Marie" Revived. Sydney has an amateur company calling itself the Metropolitan Operatic Company, and it is to present "Rose Marie" 1 tor a season, commencing on sth December next, at North Sydney. Dot McCormack, who was understudy to Stephanie Destc the dancer, in the Williamson production a few years ago, is to play the part of Wamla, whose sinuous dances were a feature of tlie action. Bryson Taylor ami Arthur O'Keefe, both well known in repertory work in _the New Soutli Wales capital, will play Jimmie and Sergeant Malone respectively; Laura West. Ethel; Conpie Hobbs, Lady Jane: and John Radford will produce, with Palmer Kent as musical director. "The Invisible Man." ''The Invisible Man," the fantastic novel by _H. G. Wells, has been acquired by Universal, to form the basis of an uncanny script which John. L. Balderston, the British playwright, is rapidly coin- . pletmpr for KarloifV debut as a full-fledged star: The actor is already hard at .work with the Universal make-up staff attempting to perfect with the. materials of their art an effect never before approached. It is an effect of opaqueness, border- ■ ing on transparency, which will characterise the character in the weird drama as he approaches the invisibility stage of the play. Nothing like it has ever been attempted, before, so that precedent offers no aid, and Karloff's labours are relegated to the. field of experimentation. J.,C. Williamson Directors. The three retiring managing • directors : : of Messrs. J. C. Williamson, Ltd.—Messrs. ; B. J., F. S., and J. H. Tait—and the four ; retiring ordinary directors—Messrs. F. J; . Smith, A. Wl Allen, C. A. Wenman, aud 3 Sir Robert W. Best—have all .been *ref elected unanimously. The annual report ' presented to the annual meeting showed ? that during the past twelve months the > business of the company has paid within < the Commonwealth of Australia taxation . approximating The chairman, 'Mr. Smith, said the future was .looking ; brighter, and the new attractions mdi.- . eated a very strong revival of the legiti- . mate theatrical business. The year closed with a net loss of £4759,- compared with a net loss?in 1930-31 of £32,930. ■ - ; .. "The Calendar." .. ;...■■.' British films are now well to the fore, . and one of the /latest productions, "The . Calendar," is soon to be released in . New Zealand. Although an Edgar Wal- , lace story, it is hot a "mystery thriller," | but a story of the Turf. Scenes at Ascot I culminate in the Ascot Stakes. Edna , Best. Herbert Marshall, Anne Grey, and Gordon Harker have leading roles. ' 1 Helen Hayes. '. Victor Fleming will direct Helen Hayes t in "The White Sister," according to an; announcement from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. [ It is further stated that the filming of [ this F. Marion Crawford novel will start . as soon as a supporting cast of suitable r prominence can be selected. -Fleming is . now completing work on "Red Dust," in . which the cast is headed by Clark Gable., \ "Reckless Romance." Shirley Grey who recently finished a .^dramatic role in Columbia's "Virtue" has . been engaged for the heroine part in Buck , Jones's next starring feature "Reckless Romance." In this .picture Jones departs from his customary cowboy characterisation and plays a gallant army officer [ of the old West. ! "Casanova's" Success. - -■■ ' ; Already 300,000 people have seen Sir i Oswald Stoll's spectacular musical presen- : tation, "Casanova," in London, which has ! reached its 250 th performance at the Coli- ;■' scum. Arthur Fear, baritone, has made i a big success in this theatrical attraction, i which has attracted queues for unreserved seats equalling those for "White Horse Inn," its predecessor at the Coliseum. Gay colouring, tuneful music, and fine ; singing and dancing numbers have made , the theatre a magnet not only for play- ' goers from all.parts of the country, but also for visitors from the United States ■ and Continent. It opened in anything but • auspicious circumstances,.; and despite ! early criticism has developed into one of ! London's biggest successes/Many improvei ments- on the opening performances have • . been introduced, and humour has been • better balanced. It looks as if "Casan- [ "ova" will equal the run of "White Horse

iwn at the lung's Theatre. ' "The Sign of the Cross." ' In assembling one of the largest all-star' casts o£ the year, Director Cecil B. De Mille selected Harry Beresford, Lilianne Leighton, and Sidney D'Albrook, all famous character actors, for important roles in Paramount's spectacular romance of pagan Eome, "The Sign of the Cross." Beresford was prominent on the stage for more than thiry years; Miss Leighton, who has been kept out of motion pictures for the last year because of ill-health, last appeared m Harold Lloyd's "Feet First," and DAlbrook has appeared in many of De Mille s productions, including "Madame Satan, "Dynamite," "The Volga Boatmen," and "King of Kings."' Ella Shields-George Wallace. ; A fine company of artists is coming to New Zealand in support of Ella Shields, the foremost male impersonator 6f England, and George Wallace, Australian comedian, who are to open a Dominion tour at Auckland at Christmas. In a programme of revue-cum-vaudevilletype Miss Shields and her colleagues will provide the-kind of entertainment vaudeville lovers have been anticipating for many months. Sketches, singing, dancing (by soloists as well as by a well-trained ballet), burlesque, patter, and air the ingredients of highclass, vaudeville will be served up in a setting suprising in,its originality. Messrs. J. C. Williamson promised New Zealandera a visit by three notable people^ and after postponement on account^ of continued success in Australia now definitely announce through Mr. H. Stringer, their iNew Zealand representative," that their company will be the Christmas attraction at Auckland. Mr. Wallace was recently seen in Wellington in.an Australian talkie. He has lost none of his fun-making skill ' Miss Shields is at her best in impersonation, and her "Burlington Bertie" will no doubt find a. place in her repertoire. Fights a Shark! Joel McCrea's athletic proSvess ' stood him in good stead when he was cast as co-featured player with Dolores Del Rio in w 'Bird of Paradise." An underwater fight with a shark; a wrestling match with a turtle weighing 3101b, and the climbing of a great coconut tree, were among the several strenuous feats assigned the young actor -when the company went to' Hawaii to film the adaptation of Richard Walton Tully's play. , Elsie Prince in Demand. Elsie Prince, the buxom little leading lady m the musical comedies, "No, No, Nanette," "Sunny," and "Mercenary Mery" throughout New Zealand, is pictured in recent English papers as a slimmer and mdre roguish Elsie than her admirers in the Dominion will believe. She is heading a revue company. known as "Folies Bergere," playing at the Prince of Wales Theatre, London, in a piece entitled "De la- P6lie- Pure." The diminutive little lady is apparently doing well1 at Home. i-'