THE STAGE WORLD

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 30, 5 February 1935, Page 9

THE STAGE WORLD

BRITAIN AND AMERICA MR. WAUCHOP'S IMPRESSIONS SHAKESPEARE'S PLAYS • ■—~ » Impressions of the stage" world in Britain and America were given in an interview by Mr. W. S. Wauchop, who returned by the Makura yesterday after being abroad for just over 12 months. Mr. Wauchop, who is assistant librarian of the General Assembly Library, is producer for the Wellington Repertory Theatre, and is well known in art circles, haying been a member of the council of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts. Mr. Wauchop visited /England, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Jersey, and America. He was accompanied by Mrs. Wauchop and his step-daughter, Miss Kirkley; who did not go to America, but returned last month via Panama. Mr. Wauchop confessed that he did not see much actual repertory work at Home, as there were no important repertory production in London when he was there. Professional societies, who often staged their productions on Sundays, were active, however, .and in one of their plays, "Viceroy Sarah," dealing with the life of the Duchess of Marlborough, Mr. J. R. Herd, who is well known locally, appeared. This play, which was produced by Tyrone Guthrie, for the Arts Theatre Club, starred Edith Evans, who was recognised as one of the foremost English actresses of the day. In the evening of the same day on which he saw "Viceroy Sarah," Mr. Wauchop saw Edith Evans play the part of "Gwenme" in "The. Late Christopher Bean." Mr. Wauchop was also fortunate in seeing the same actress give a wonderful performance in Katharine Cornell's production of ''Romeo and .Juliet" in New York.

Mr. Wauchop (attended several interesting Shakespearean productions m England: He attended the produc- +°« 0f ol ''Much Ad° About Nothing" at the Shakespeare" Memorial Theatre at Stratford-on-Avon. Eric Maxbn, who is well known to New Zealand theatregoers, was a prominent member of the stratfprd-on-Avon Theatre company. Mr. Wauchop'describes the performance of "Richard the Second" at the Old Vie." as "delightful." Maurice Evans, as Richard, gave a spirited and interesting performance. The staging was simple, but artistic and effective. It was the second last performance of the play, and hundreds were turned w£n*? f . USe> Th6re Wel'e SOme wonderful houses at the Shakespearean productions at this ; theatre. h°P attended John Gielgud's one 'of,the outstanding productions, of the-season. Gielgud was ln%%\ t^ sltlv% act°r.: good-looking !w ' an? lh«rs "ere blauH'dra? foZ^ nd deco^^°n about it. The perl formance was well received by the critics as a whole, arid the consensus of paft r ahd Set d h in^K^ SS sS 16 PV°f Uction w«h

MORE ACTION ON THE STAGE vvh lch Mary Clare appeared" Tan'on y ■fw? 1' Novel\ 6' s Play "Murder in. MayZena Dar^? 11 Fa* Compton. Dare (an old-timer who had reIvf Ad^ to ;th-* stage)' Edna Best, Robert Andrews, and Ivor Novello, but It raised a problem that it did not solve ™r etw lpef" was n°table mainly for Diana Wynyard's performance. Mr Wauchop was present at the first night 2-tE£7 l heads with Flora Robs™ Thltl ? Tg lole'I ole at His Majesty's w« a m L°- nd,° n- The.PW. which was an historical one of the life of a woman who masqueraded as a man o^acUo i OS^6 and spectacular and fuU ( REVUE IN AMERICA. : ' '■ IMnl B —» Wauch°P's oP^ion that anything _in the nature of revue or musical comedy ls much better done in ArnehroJ^i n Br^ain- 'Much of it was broad m humour, evento the extent of being-nbald .but it was really amusin N,w Vni tw T °./ ea"y good shows in «ew York—"Life Begins at 8 40" which was: elaborately and artistically staged and contained some, good dancing reminiscent of.the more modern .Russian ballets, catch songs, and i flne comedy . team in Bert Lohr, "a f<- ea£ and Eav Bolger, and Anything .uroes,". an excellent producedian inS Vi°tOr M°°re' the co™"

VnH. Chlcag.° ,he saw -last- year's New Yoik- musical comedy success, "As Thousands Cheer." It contained some really fine skits, .including ones on Mr. and Mrs. Hoover vacating White House, the British Royal Family, and ■NoeL Coward. .

_Mr. Wauchop went to the Radio City picture theatje, probably the finest in the world, and saw a fine film, "Broadway Bill." There was also on the same programme a most elaborate and colourful stage production. In New York, Mr. Wauchop saw Eva Le Galhenne, the daughter of the poet, "} ?.f ay by Ibsen. She had the most mobile face he had ever seen in an actress he said. Hugh Buckler, who was well known in New Zealand, supported her. Also in New York he saw Dame Sybil Thorndike in "The Distaff Side" (by Van Druten). Another good play was Sinclair Lewis's "Dodsworth " in which Walter Huston, one of the leading American actors, appeared The' play was good entertainment, although the opening was a little diffuse In Boston Mr. Wauchop attended the first night of "The Petrified Forest," in which Leslie Howard appeared The play was an interesting but not a great one. Leslie Howard was a thoroughly good actor wfto was just as attractive on the stage as on the screen Mr Wauchop states that Noel Coward's new play."Biut Valaine," which he saw in America, was quite well received at the end rather.than through the production. The first act was a little diffuse, but the last two acts certainly held the interest. There was fine acting in the play by Lynne Fontanne who was one of the most charming actresses he had seen in recent years. Her husband/Alfred Lunt, and Osgood Perkins, were others to impress. At the end Noel Coward gave in person a simple and unaffected speech of thanks. Personally, Mr. Wauchop thought the play was unpleasant in theme and rather unsatisfactory, and junnecessarjj,