PLAYS and PLAYERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 21, 25 January 1940, Page 18

PLAYS and PLAYERS

FEMININE ILLUSIONS.

AN IRISH PLAY.

"MESDAMES ALVIIVG."

CANDID CRITICS

A BAR TRAGEDY.

SHAVIAN HONOURS.

BROKENC v■-

i FROM STAR TO SMALL PART.

SHAW'S PLAYS.

FISH OUT OF WATER.

IBSEN RECHRISTENED;

"THE THIEF OF BAGDAD:*

TRAVERS AND LYNN.

It is fitting that the play "A Woman s Privilege" should be written by a woman—Margaret Branford. It has a certain resemblance to the theme outlined by Mr. H. F. Maltby in his "Three Birds," in that the woman in the case is revealed not as the "nice" person she is generally supposed to be, but. as a baggage. Mr. Maltby showed his three women to •be predatory harpies and Mrs. Branford reveals her heroine as an illusion of the senses. Dora Spenlow and Agnes WicKfield are sisters, but the former is a pretty doll to look at and a hard schemer to know. Dora's plotting to secure a husband ranges from the heir to a fortune, who i^ left with a mere pittance; to her sister's lover; and finally to an American millionaire, who, by rights should have been hobbled before he left the United States, but who comes to England to be roped in by the scheming Dora. A newcomer to London from the Coventry Repertory Theatre, Phyllis Calvert, played Dora in the London production; Rosemary Scott played the lady-like Agnes; and John Penrose was the heir to a fortune that did not come tiis way.

The Malvern Festival for 1939 was again notable for the inclusion of a new. Shaw play—"ln Good King Charles's Golden Days," and for a James Bridie play, "What Say They?" The Festival is dedicated to Mr. Shaw. He offered his latest play as a gesture of appreciation of the fact that his 1938 Malvern play "Geneva" hadj been given a run in London of over' 200 performances. Any Shaw play is, assured of a welcome in London, as witness the success of "The Doctor's; Dilemma," at the Whitehall. .. •;

-jChe new Ben Travers farce, "Spotted Dick," which was presented in London by the firm of O'Bryen, Linnit, and Dunfee (three energetic and enthusiastic young producers), starred two old favourites, Robertson Hare and Alfred Drayton. Producing was Ralph Lynn, former stage star, renewing a happy association with the author of so many Aldwych Theatre successes. Mr. Hare played the prim Charlie Dick who is put out of countenance by the irresponsible behaviour of his sister (Joyce Barbour) and brother-in-law (Alfred Drayton), two enthusiastic Turf devotees. :

\vnen Shaw's '"Man and Superman" was produced at the Old Vie, London, last year, the third act, consisting of the Don Juan interpolations, was omitted. At the same theatre, however, "Hamlet" was presented unabridged. It was given in modern dress and at first did not take public fancy; however, the performances gained popularity. Shaw's "Geneva" was presented at the Saville Theatre later; this was first presented at the Malvern Festival, since when the playwright spent a busy time revising it in order to keep pace with the international situation.

When he was engaged to play a small part in the American film, "Rich Man, Poor Girl," the actor William Lawrence was surprised to learn that it was a remake of a play in which he had scored a remarkable success on the stage some years previously. When he had starred in it, it was called "White Collars," and was a smash hit of a San Francisco theatre when Mr. Lawrence was the matinee idol of the period.

The state of war in Europe will not

interfere with the completion of Alexander Korda's Technicolor film "The Thief of Bagdad," according to word received from the producer. All shooting on the film has. been finished, <md the few remaining trick sequences are now being completed at the laboratory, with final editing well under way. Dialogue and lyrics were contributed by Sir Robert Vansittart, Chief Diplomatic Adviser to the British Government.

Rutherford Mayne has written a moving tale of the workings of the Irish Land Commission in his drama "Bridge Head." This has had London presentation at the Westminster. With his knowledge of,the Commission (he has been a Land Commissioner) ,v Mr. Mayne has written about the bog and moorland plains of Mayo and Galway and the lower slopes of the mountains of Connemara, Kerry,. and Donegal with authenticity and realism. "Bridge Head" tells how Stephen Moore, Land Commissioner, disposseses landlords and cuts: their land up for tenants— who proved no better than the landlords^ as owners. His first lieutenant falls in love with the daughter of one of the landlords, and the story is so neatly woven that audiences find it entrancing Celtic stuff. In the Westminster production the role of the Land Commissioner was played by Wilfrid Lawson, who ih'ari&led the part with skill. It is not a spectacular role but suited the talents of: the:noted English actor who will be remembered for his role of the father in "Pygmalion."

A murder play that caught the fancy of the London, theatre-going public was "Saloon; Bar," in which Gordon Harker played an .Oriental travelling salesman—a distinct change of characterisation for him. ' Any of the intimate, old-fashioned public " houses in

the side streets off' Oxford Street could

have, provided the background for this thriller. The murder mystery is unfolded to the accompaniment of much good-natured humour on the part of patrons, presided over by Ursula Jeans in the role of a barmaid, a clever Cockney characterisation in keeping with her extraordinary facility for such roles. "Saloon Bar" had a most successful season in Birmingham and Blackpool before opening in London in September. It was produced by Richard Bird and written by Frank Harvey, juh.

When •the German .;actress Lucie Mannheim -opened at the" Duke of York's Theatre, London, under her owo management, she chose as her opening vehicle Ibsen's "Dpll's'House," in whicn she had a big success ihßerlinV The play was rechristeried "Nora," and was cut,! smartened up and its dialogue taken'out of the idiom of its 1880 translation. There was no departure from the original conception, however. Miss Mannheim is a popular figure on the London stage and has been seen' in many successes.'

The social reforms that Ibsen advocated have become realised facts; a war and a general revaluation' of our attitude towards outworn conventions have made the social implications in "Ghosts"' considerably less ; shocking than they were in 1891. But the personal tragedies that so inevitably transpire in Mrs. Alvihg?s quiet-living-room ' by the Norway fjords are overwhelming, -writes an American critic. Ibsen: mean them to be. "My intention," he wrote a friend in 1882, "was to produce the impression in the mind of the reader that he was witnessing something real. ... • In no other way that I have written is the author- such air outsider; so entirely absent. .. '," He conceived the partof Mrs. Alying for a great actress: Many,.of the ladies of the theatre have played - it—Mrs. Patrick Campbell, Janet Achurch, EleanoraDuse, Mary Shaw,. Mrs. Fiske,; andtMme.-Nazimova. ■ ■ • " ■

James Bridie's new play. ."Babes m the Wood" is an entertaining;;story of a. schoolmaster and^his xwifj^J^ho, when. the husband's essay pn^^Th6; Rhythm: of, the tlriiverse" beco^e^ta^bestTseller,' are, transported from/, a hum-drum existence in Scotlahd. tp^ the home of the publisher in the South. Strange company—sophisticated literary folk — bewilder them .and*..they are glad to return to their former quiet! life. There is plenty of satire and humorous character drawing in;, the "play, 'the. chief roles of Vvyhich call, for a publisher, his mother; a bearded artist', and his light o' love—a raffish menage. The comedy is a sort of Innocents Abroad—full of clever fun. ';'.. •

Irvin ■ ; S. : Cobb, the* fambus: author, who has done/ some> screen at well, made caustic comments^ria'littl* summary he compiled after Hollywood experience:—Studio: Bedlam's/annexe run by Balaam's ass. Producer:. A gentleman who labours under?-the delusion that the general public is^as^ighorant as he is. Associate Producer: A relative by, marriage.. Supervisor: A typographical* error. Shbuld* read, stupidvisori Executive: Anybody ?. With an Zin his name. Actor: - A -person who, having failed at being himself, is > unsuccessfully trying.to be somebody else. Extra: Either, a star whofhaSjhot ? yet been discovered or a-star who' has . been exposed. Composer: Has.a-great memory for old tunes afid hopes to goodness nobody else has. Property Man: One who is out.of everything but excuses. ~ Make-up Man: Paints fanci* ■ ful designs on poor backgrounds.' •■■■'. .^(0Pr?: '~'- —"V ::'-'"'':y' :". :'[ .'' '' '

The intimate revue, " "Nine^Sharp" (by Herbert Farjeon), broke records

for revue at the Little: Theatre, London,

before it was taiken off-tq make .way for yet; another Farjeon 1 w,prk.|,; It openedriom January i26^il9.^,\^d i was taken off at the end <)f DecemberVafter achieving nearly 400 performances. The record was previously" held, for sixteen years by the '"Nine ;O'clock Revue," which rah for 385; perform* ances in\ 1922 with Beatrice"Lillie as its particular star. "Nine Sharp"' .ran longer' than afly other show at the Little, .except. Shaw's "Fanny's, First Play" which was ;produced. there in 1911, a year after the theatre opened, and ran for 624 nights. Herbert Farjeoa and Eleanor Farjeon also wrote "An. Elephant in Arcady," which had^ a long run at the Kingsway Theatre- •'•