TRULY SHAVIAN.

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 59, 11 March 1937, Page 21

TRULY SHAVIAN.

George Bernard Shaw's play, "On the Rocks," has a political flavour; it was revived at Malvern, where it came as a new play to most of the members of the audiences. There is a Prime Minister, and members of a typically Shavian Cabinet provide much amusement. The wit is shrewd and the final curtain descends on a question mark, thus proving that G.B.S. is still one of the finest craftsmen of the theatre.

"GOLD DIGGERS OF 1937."

Exceeding even the lavishness of its predecessors of the same title, "Gold Diggers of 1937" received a tumultuous preview in Hollywood a short time ago. The new picture stars Dick Powell and Joan Blondell, and other members of the cast include Glenda Farrell. Rosalind Marquis,'lrene Ware, and William Davidson. Recently twelve of the most beautiful chorus girls in the cast left Hollywood aboard a gold-painted American Airlines aeroplane for a three weeks' tour of America, which tookithem.to twenty-four cities from coast to coast. During the trip they made personal appearances at theatres in all the larger cities.

- "MEN ARE NOT GODS." * Miriam Hopkins, the American act- j. ress, has a fine role in ''Men are Not „ Gods,"-it is claimed. She plays Ann . Z Williams, impulsive secretary to the '£ theatre critic of the "Daily Post." Born : in Georgia in 1904,- she made her first ' stage appearance in New York at the : Music Box Theatre as a dancer in 1921, but her film career dates only from 1930. Her recent pictures are a long list of successes, 'including "Design for Living," ./'Becky Sharp," "Barbary Coast," !"Splendbur," ; and ' "These | Three." The combination of this act- '- ress with a director' such .as ' Walter J Roisch' should have interesting results. £ Sebastian Shaw plays the principal role of Edmond Davey, an actor. Since d his debut on the London .stage in 1925 a in "The Sign in the Sun," he has played r varied roles on the stage. His film ap- ti pearances include "Brewsters Millions'' ■ tl and "Jury's Evidence." a

RUSSIAN BALLET'S TOUR.

The Colonel de Basil.-; Monte .".'Carlo Ballet is at present in Auckland,*- and on conclusion of the" season there on March 17, goes on a provincial <tour embracing Hamilton, Wanganui, New Plymouth, Palmerston North/Hastings, and Masterton, before commencing its Wellington season on March 27, Easter Saturday. The ballet is; headedf by Leon Woizikowsky, who is supported by Jean Hoyer, Valentine,' Blinova, Helen Kirsova, Nina Raevska, Nathalie . Branitzka, Thadee ■ Slavinsky,' Ho land Guerard, Tamara. Tehinarova, 17----year-old "veteran" of the ballet,' and being its "baby" for many years; Nina Youchkevitch, daughter of a wellknown writer and a discovery of Nijinska, the famous sister of Nijinsky; Helen Polouchina, character - dancer who is also an expert sportswoman and swimmer. Nina: Golovina, a pupil of Legat; Igor Yousskeviich, outstanding male dancer whose leaps are amazingly agile; he was born in Belgrade; Valery Shaevsky, Polish dancer who is also an athlete of note; Birger Bartholin, Danish dancer, who 'is an expert draughtsman and designer; Sonia Woizikowsky (daughter of Leon Woizikowsky), an infectiously gay youngster in her teens;: Irina Bondireva, .Sonia's:.inseparable friends who was, the ifayourite pupil of the", great Kchessinska; Jlriria. .Vassilieya,1 ' -dark svelte, hailing ,' from' Belgrade; 'L'ilia Roussova, an English girl aged only 15J who is the "baby" 'of the company; Vanda Grossen, a true child prodigy from Riga, who toured ! Spain with Balieff's famous "Chauve-Souris"; and Harij Korjinska from Belgrade.- ---■-'" '■ -'NOVEL.! THEME.; •■.,■■■: '.'-■; --. -:' ■' -: ■■':-■''.. ? '. :.}■ :..' ■; ■; >■ ' r B. G. "Buddy" De ' Sylva, recently signed as a producer at Universal, will produce "Mr. Broadway." The picture is De SylvaV third ..assignment," the others being the. musicals, "Hippodrome" and'"Riviera." 'All are in the process of preparation. "Mr.. Broadway" is an original story by. Warren Wilson, Maxwell Shane, and: Bill Thomas. It-is about a Press.agent who makes a great success out of a Broadway show by posing as an Oklahoma oil millionaire, who is so infatuated with the star that he buys-out the house for two'weeks just so he;alone can see her: perform. By; the time the two weeks are up the.public's, curiosity has been, aroused.; to such an extent that the show becomes, a boxoffir success for the'length of-its run.' ~' "THE LAST SLAVER." , \ George Sanders, whose portrayal -of the role of Lord Stacy.in "Lloyds -of London," won him a long-term contract with 20th Century-Fox ; Studios, ha 3 been assigned to an important role -in "The Last Slayer" which goes into production shortly with" Warner Baxter and Wallace -Beery in the ; co-stellar roles. Peter Lorre, another-recent addition to the-long-term contract list .at the.studio, .will have an .important role also. . '. ,' ; "., • '.' ,',','.

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SHOWING THE WAY. MAY ROBS ON HONOURED. ' When a director embraces a lead- ,™ m i( i.j ' . t__L_, „'■ «,_+ + L« ing man and teaches him how to make H S»l&lSCr*, ' ♦** love-that's news.r The value of such f^J^J ?„ "R=ini! P n +1 -r- ea» a hannpniMff nf-nnnrsp may hp slight- tured role in Rainbow on the River, fv tinkered by the flct that thedirec- which Sol Lesser as producing for RKOfir iXny a^oman* Nonetnetes. H««°. waS "iniversar y of p her fiftymembers of- the Columbia cast of ?°"^y ear on stage and screen, an lm"Craig's Wife" enjoyed a unanimous Prol?,P tu CD f ebr|^°? T^ n ? ccorde v d ,^ e,J smile when Director Dorothy Arzner On. ~tneT , s?t l ; Production, was : halted interrupted a love scene rehearsal' be- I&K^&J? I™?' £? S% r ih ot &% twopn Rrxialinrt Rll<;<;pll nnH TnVln Rnlps n'm' 3n« Other members of the Cast "Hlr^'slfdMis^ Arzner "let me show entertained Mss Robson with a nurny™LusSdbedin'! ThS ber. of songs,which recalled to her upon, the feminine director stepped happy memories-, of her many, conseouforward, went into Boles's arms, and tlve years on-stage and, screen., . gave her interpretation of .what she . ■ ■ • .. '.■.:;>■■; wanted-in the way of romantic acting. ROMANCE. J 'FLYING: LESSONS. •• ~„, .~- . .""",■ .■' .' - . • . ■■ When they, finish their current p;ctures, Frances Dee and Joel McCrea Robert Cummings is giving flying les- are planning a trip to Honolulu as' a sons to Shirley Ross, co-featured with "second honeymoon." Miss Dee is workhim in Paramount's "Hideaway Girl." ing in "Souls At Sea" and her husband Cummings, an able flyer himself, has in "Internes Can't Take Money," both an aeroplane of his own. at Paramount.