PLAYS and PLAYERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 29, 3 August 1939, Page 21

PLAYS and PLAYERS

SHAW'S HAT TRICK.

Not since Somerset Maugham and Noel Coward achieved the hat-trick on the London stage have there been three plays by the same author running simultaneously in London. The plays were Shaw's "Doctor's Dilemma," at the Whitehall; his "Geneva" at the St. James; and "Candida" at the Westminster. Catherine Lacey was Candida and Peter Osborn played Marchbanks. "Candida" recently was successfully produced in Holland, sponsored by the London Mask Theatre.

INSfDE JNFORMATION.

J.oseph Sawyer, Addison Richards, Grant Richards, and Selmer Jackson, popular character actors, have been signed by Universal for featured roles in "Inside Information," new Irving Starr production. With June Lang and Dick Foran in the romantic leads, and Harry Carey in a conspicuous supporting role, "Inside Information" is in production; under the direction of Charles Lamont. A mystery drama, it is based on an original story by Martin Mooney ahd Burnet Hershey, with screen play by Alex Gottleib.

BRITISH FILMS.

Tlie latest advice on studio activities in London in connection with productions for G.B.D. shows that "Doctor's Dilemma," by George Bernard Shaw, is now in preparation, and will be produced by Gabriel Pascal, who produced "Pygmalion." Gracie Fields is to be working in "Shipyard Sally," a story concerning the building of the Queen Elizabeth, and likewise in "Sam and Sally," or "Hindle Wakes;" with Will Fyffe. "Hangman's House," Dorm Byrne's story, with George Sanders and the Gate and Abbey Theatre players, and that old favourite, "Charley's Aunt," are also in preparation.

PLOT REWRITTEN.

er The vulnerability of motion picture production to mishaps and the- resourcefulness of the studios to cope with them was illustrated during the i making of "The Girl Downstairs," the new romantic comedy r'trring Frani ciska G^al and Franchot Tone, when Reginald Gardiner fell down a flight of stairs in his home ana broke his arm two weeks after the picture went into production. Gardiner had been photographed in the early sequences of the picture and again in a scene toll wards the end. There were many other scenes to be done in between, 1 but it was impossible for the actor to make them with his arm in a cast. Director Norman Taurog consulted the authors of the script, and the result was that another cha'-icter was injected into the story, that of CharleI maine Grump, played by Reginald I Owen. In the story, "Tdiner's charj acter was made to disappear mysterij ously and reappear just as mysterious- !♦ ly to fit into his scenes with Franchot Tone later in the picture.

ONLY A BIRD.

I .— ■ I One Hollywood star, his leading [ lady, and four featured players recently broke all theatrical tradition when they surrended one of their pet superstitions. But only temporarily. It | happened during the first day's filming lof "Flight to Fame." the Columbia j drama. Charles Farrell, Jacqueline i Wells, and the other players walked i on a dark, chilling garden set. Trees [ and thick shrubs clung around a sinister house. On one low branch, his eyes blinking solemnly, perched an owl. The players stopped. Owls, in line with black cats, whistling in a dressing-room, and dropping a hat on a bed, figure in the time-honoured superstitions of show business. C. C. Coleman, jun.. the director, quickly sensed the situation. "I know how you all feel," he said, "but the script calls ifor an owl, and an owl heightens the atmosphere of gloom here. Let's say," he suggested, "it is simply a bird, then forget all about it for this one scene. Right?"

Ever since its inception in 1919, the Sheffield Repertory Theatre has been a project of which its supporters might well be proud, particularly when it is remembered that it owes its success entirely to local initiative. It began iri 1919 as the-drama section of an educa-. tional settlement. It then became the Sheffield Little Theatre movement, and its permanent home has been for many years the Playhouse, a building purchased from the British- Legion, and which, a century ago, was a temperance hall that fathered many of the original crusaders of that movement. In 1934, a difficult year, the townspeople got behind the repertory movement and by means of an appeal contributions mounted up, and the theatre was raised to full professional status. It is now one of the mpst prosperous in the country, and the public-spirited citizens deserve praise for having supported the local ambition to provide a real people's theatre. All profits go back to the theatre. Now the management are planning a reconstruction of the theatre.

ANOTHER FARJEON SUCCESS.

That prolific author Herbert Farjeon has completed his revue intended to follow his successful "Nine Sharp" offering. When it was presented at the Little Theatre, Hermione Baddeley and Cyril Ritchard were again in the leading roles. Walter Leigh again wrote the music, and Hedley Briggs did the settings and costumes, and also produced. Others in the cast were Joyce Grenfell, a newcomer, who attracted managerial notice at a private party with her monologues; Vida Hope, who made a hit in the political pantomime at the Unity Theatre; Laura Gorton, understudy to Irene Eisinger in "An Elephant in Arcady"; and Bernard Miles, a product of the Players' Club. Miss Baddeley and Mr. Ritchard made a feature of impersonations and in "The Answer's a Lehmann" gave a clever burlesque on a current play in which the noted l actress gave a thrilling, spine-chilling performance.

WELLINGTON REPERTORY, THEATRE.

"It is no wonder that Dodie Smith is our most consistently successful dramatist," says a London critic. "She has now written five plays and has never had a' failure. She possesses in a supreme degree the gift of showing tis ourselves as we should like others to see us. In "Dear Octopus,' her latest and greatest achievement, she has not only created, one of her most likeable families!. She has written a. mellow comedy of youth and age, covering four generations, cheerful and heartening. Sentimental, if you like, but none the worse for that." "Dear Octopus" is the Wellington Repertory Society's next choice and will be presented under the direction of Leo dv Chateau in the Concert Chamber for five performances commencing on September 5. The following members of the society will comprise the cast:—Mesdames Lulu Tingey, R. Gilkison, Hilda Ashe, Lewis Campbell, Misses Paulina Shotlander, Kathleen Smith, Ethel Ford, Catherine Forde, Patricia White, Constance Morice, Margaret Newell, Shirley Allen; Messrs Norman Hannah, Algernon Deuber, George Cooper, Lindsay Arlow, and Master David Lawson.

ITALIAN TENOR FOR NEW. ZEALAND.

Arrangements are being made by Mr. Hugo Larsen for Galliano Masini, a well-known Italian operatic tenor, to visit New Zealand next year. Masini is second only to Gigli in Italian public opinion, and there are some who .place him first, writes "The Post's" London, correspondent on July 10. Masini, who is 39, has established a reputation for himself in Europe and North and South America. The reason why he* has not sung at Covent Garden, it is stated, is that the figure he has named has been deemed excessive. Plans for Masini's visit to New Zealand are tentative at the moment, but it is hoped that he will reach the Dominion during April 6r May, 1940.

AND A PLAY WAS BORN.

Robert Sherwood, whose play, "Idiot's Delight" has proved one of the stage sensations of England and America, was formerly an American journalist. His play brought its author the largest fortune ever'made by a dramatist out of a single play. His earnings are well on to the quarter-million mark. The comedy-drama was written in a fortnight at his English home at Witley, near Guildford, three years ago. In its New York season it drew a milr lion theatregoers, and another million saw it on tour. The author receives 10 per cent, of the gross box-office taking's, and his'earnings 'in Britain, alone last year were between £209 and £300 a week. The film rights were sold to Hollywood for £35,000. A prominent London theatrical manager forecast a ten-day run when the play first reached England; it ran for eight months at the Apollo! A transatlantic fellow-passenger recounted to Mr. Sherwood his experiences in a Chinese hotel with a group of strangers while fighting went on -ll around. Mr. Sherwood met in a Budapest night club a third-rate troupe of American girl dancers, led by a man whose personality impressed Mr. Sherwood so much, that he blended the two incidents into "Idiot's Delight."

WELCOME RETURN.

After a successsful Brighton try-out Jack de Leon took to London Grant Wallace's play "Interlude," in which the leading parts were played by Louis Borell, the popular young Belgian actor, and Sarah Erskine. Mr. Borell's part was that of a young antique. dealer with musical gifts, and Miss Erskine's -that of a girl whose owa ambitions have been frustrated, but who plans to realise them vicariously by fostering the young man's career. In the London production, Hilda Bay* ley made a welcome return after * ten years' absence.

LOCAL INITIATIVE.