FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

Evening Star, Issue 20020, 10 November 1928, Page 16

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

[By LOITERER.]

Tho League of Notions Rovuo Company which has just concluded a short •eason in Dnnecru. is now in Christchurch, and is reported to be opening ac Wellington on the 12th hist, for a short season The company then moves to Auckland, where it will play untl Christmas, when Dunedin is to bo revisited by this popular combination. A revue company which is comprised of English artists, and known as the Frank O’Bneu Rcvuo Company, is now on its way across - to New Zealand oa the Manuka from Melbourne. This company, which has had out standing success h Sydney and Adelaide, opens in Ohristchurcn on November 1-5.

Mina Ida Newton is to bo principal boy in William Anderson’s Christmas Gntomimo in Melbourne. Her Inland, Joe Brennan, who Ims made many visits to Now Zealand, will play dame.

A .vaudeville company headed by liong Tack Sam’s _ troupe of Cliinose Wonder-workers, will visit New Zealand early in the New Year. It is not generally known that Miss Margaret Bannerman, the noted actress (now in New Zealand at the bead of Anthony Princep’s London Company appearing under the regime of J. 0. Williamson) made a special visit to Paris before coming to the overseas dominions, for the purpose of getting the very latest modes. She has brought ■with her a veritable treasure-trove from Paris, and by the raagin of her persuasion secured some wonderful oonfectior which will lie shown in New Zealand before their like roach London fashion shops, _ They are “ the very newest and choicest things extant,’: Miss Bannerman says, and is quite proud oi the fact that she managed to persuade the French modistes and costumier to part with the latest creations before they had been placed before fashionable London.

Edna Best, the English is appearing in ‘ The High Road ’ in New

Latest news of Miss Dwothy Brunton showed her to be playing Fleurette in the ‘White Camelia,’ a musical comedy on tour in England. It is good news indeed to learn from Mr Bert Hoyle, New Zealand representative of J. 0. Williamson, Ltd., and J, and N, Tait that the famous London actor and actress, Dion Boucicault and Irene Vanbrugh, will come to New Zealand early in the New Year, the dominion tour opening at Auckland on January 8. For many months this talented pair, with a first-class company, have been delighting Anstrnlian audiences with some wonderfully finished performances. “This is acting as wo rarely' see it” said one critic; “the whole play has been a revelation.” Miss Vanbrugh and Mr Boucicault are very popular stars in England, and are accepted as two of the most accomplished artistr appearing in the great metropolis. They are bringing with them a particularly capable company, and they will appear in a series of plays in which they have achieved a world-wide reputation. Versatility _is a, strong qualification not only with the principals, but with every member of the combination.

Margaret Banneman, the famous London actress, who is now touring New Zealand under the J. C. Williamson banner, with Mr Anthony Prinsop's London Comedy Company, is opening her season in the various cities and towns with ‘ Other Men’s Wives,’ the second production being Somerset Maugham’s startling play or intern life, ‘Our Betters.’ It was in this intriguing satire that Miss Bannerman set the seal of fame on herself as an actress (she played the part for over two years in London). Somerset Maugham himself waxed enthusiastic over the wonderful characterisation of Lady George Grayston by Miss Bannerman, and in a personal note said h© had been very fortunate in having her in the leading role. “ While there are such actresses as Miss Bannerman the British stage will maintain the high standard it has achieved,” he added.

TotSisgS on the people of the Stage amf Screen and on the latest recorded Mask.

Miss Diana Wilson, the beautiful actress who was hero with John D. O’Hara and Lawrence Grossmith, is now in London, playing in ‘ Knight Errant.’ Stiff,y and Mo, now in Auckland, return to Sydney shortly, where they will play a short season at the Fullers’ Theatre before the company is disbanded The Lynch Family of Bellringers, who have toured New Zealand periodically for many years, have reorganised and are again on their travels. Fat Hanna, of the Australian Diggers, has been seriously ill for some time, but has now rejoined the company. I'jisio Prince and Jimmy Godden arc now playing in Brisbane in the college play, ‘ Good News,’ which is reported to be attracting record bouses. This company was to follow ‘Bio Rita’ in Sydney to-day. .Miss Heppie de Vries is returning to Enropo to create a new role in romantic opera. She said her farewells in Sydney in ‘ Madame Pompadour.’ Ngairo Phipson, the New Zealand girl who commenced her professional | career with the Humphrey Bushop | Company, and her partner, Billy Toin- , ton, are on the Keith vaudeville cir- 1 ctiit in America.

it was announced recently that Anna Pavlova, the famous dancer, would retire. but it is now said that she wii! leave London on November K! on a tour of India, Egypt, Java, Australia, and New Zealand. Miss .Rosina Bookman and Mr Maurice D’Oislcy are appearing with tho Carl Rosa, Opera Company this autumn.

A non - mystery man has made Ids bow on the vaudeville stage of Australia in Rahman Bey, who gives what he terms a demonstration of the science of fakirism. He gives expositions of body rigidity, cataleptic, anaesthesia, thought reading and hypnotism, altogether an act for highbrows. However, the featured item on the bill, a burial alive, should prove popular with all classes. Records established by 1 Rose Marie ’ are being broken with bewildering rapidity at Drury Lane, London, by ‘Show Boat,’ the musical play founded on Miss Edna Fcrbcr’s fino novelet life on a Mississippi River floating theatde. The play has not yet been secured for presentation in Anstralia and New Zealand. Miss Bertha Riccardo, who acts the part of the terrified girl so convincingly in ‘ The Silent House ’ at the Theatre Royal (says the, Melbourne ‘Argus’), is a South African, who owes her stage success to the influence of Mr and Mrs Seymour Hicks (Miss Ellaline Terriss), At Johannesburg they were amused by a child, aged four and a-half years, who performed a cake-walk for them. Mr Hicks suggested that the little girl should “ do a number ” with Miss Terriss. In an Empire frock and a picture hat ; the child sang ‘ Tiny Bit of String ’ with great success. Another “hit” was ‘Put on Your _Ta-Ta, Girlie,’ which she sang clad in an Eton suit and a silk hat. Madame Frances Alda, Metropolitan Opera Company soprano, announced to-night that she had filed suit for divorce from Giulio Gatti-Casazza, director of the Metropolitan Opera Company, ciiarging incompatibility (says a New York Press telegram dated September 7). The suit was filed in Nongales, Sonora, Mexico, she said. Gatti-Casazza now is in Milan, Italy. Madamo Alda and Gatti-Casazza were married eighteen years ago. In November of last year it became known that they wore living in different places, but denial was made that they were separated. Madame Alda has been with the Metropolitan Opera Company for fifteen years. Gatti-Casazza has been impresario of the company more than twenty years. Renewal of bis contract to extend to May 31 1931, was disclosed in a tribute to him made in public in May, 1925, by Otto H. Kalin, chairman of the company. (Madame Alda toured Australia and New Zealand in 1927.)

Signorina Marghorita Flor is declared by newspaper critics of both Australia and New Zealand to be a born musical comedy star, and it is expected that this is what she will eventually become when her present contract with the Fuller-Gonsaloz Grand Opera Company terminates. Signorina Flor has an unusually fine stage appearance. She is tall and slim and blonde, and she plays her parts with gay naturalness and spirit. As her voice is so much above the average of musical comedy singers, her success in this type of production would seem to be assured. SCHEENIAND JOTTINGS F. \V. Murnau, who produced ‘Sunrise,’ and the forthcoming picture, ‘ Four Devils,’ is recovering rapidly horn an appendicitis operation at the Pasadena Hospital. Murnau was stricken with an acute attack of the malady in the midst of his preparations for a trip to Oregon, where ho was to arrange for shooting important sequences for ‘Our Daily Bread,’ his next production. Miss Gwen Lee, who has appeared with Miss Norma Shearer in all of her iMotro-Goldwyn-Mayer starring productions since ‘Ladies of the Night,’ and who just recently staged some amusing comedy with the star in * The Actress,’ again has been cast for a role with Miss Shearer in ‘The Little An gel,’ an adaptation by Carey Wilson of a story by Leroy Scott, which Sam Wood will direct. Miss Lee will play the mistress of the crook who entangles the star in a web of crime and intrigue. , Beautiful Billie Dove has a splendidly drapmtic vehicle ii 3 1 The Night Watch,’ a beautifully produced First National film which should add considerably to the lovely star’s laurels as an actress as well as a beauty. Full of suspense, the picture is one succession of thrills—sudden lights _in the sea’s blackness—a shot—confusion —a giant dreadnought sinking—and then a bravo commander court-mar-tiailed for neglect of duty, and all for the pair of bright eyes that arc Miss Dove’s as the fascinating heroine. ‘ The Butterfly Chaser,’ Harold Lloyd’s latest picture, was commenced recently, after months of detailed preparation. The story must be complete before filming is started whenever sound synchronisation is to be introduced, Previously it was often built up as the picture progressed. ‘The Silent House,’ adapted from the thrilling stage play of the same name which was recently played throughout New Zealand by Maurice Muscovitch, is now in production in England. Walter Forde is directing the production, and has chosen a location in Middlesex, where his construction staff have built a complete Chinese village, consisting of a huge wharf, bungalows, huts, and stores. The delightful little British film star, Mabel Poulton, plays the lead, and is supported by an exceptionally fine cast of British players. This film will bo released throughout New Zealand by British Dominions Films. Ltd. ‘The Exploits of the Emden’ made by First National, with the full co-op-eration of the German and Australian Navies, has been enthusiastically received at the Prince Edward in Sydney, Preceded by a spectacular prologue, the film was shown to a remarkable gathering of naval officers_ and leading citizens of Sydney—a significant tribute to tho excellence of tho production. Lee Doyle, who is Zane Grey’s own guide during tho anther’s frequent excursions into the wilds of Arizona, has been selected as the official guide _of the location party which is making ‘ Avalanche,’ a Zone Grey story, for Paramount. Jack Holt, Doris Hill, and Baclanova have the principal parts in tho production.