FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

Evening Star, Issue 20256, 17 August 1929, Page 21

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

[By LOFTERERI

Leonard Doyle and Leona Hogarth (stars of ‘ The .family Upstairs ’) are staying another year with Fullers. Host of the time is to bo spent in New Zealand.

Gregory Ivanoff, Mona Magnet, Alec Regan, Dorothy White, and Les White, all of the Midnight Frolics, head a new edition of the famous Tivoli Follies, now at the Melbourne Tivoli.

Nat Madison is to appear in a “ Loyalties,” by J. C. Williamson, Ltd, lie is now playing “ No. 17 ” and “ Draoula” in Melbourne, and is billed to jour New Zealand before long. Clay Smith, husband of the late Lee White, of ‘ Bran Pie ’ fame, is in Sydney, but he means to return to the United States by tho Aorangi on her next trip. After appearing in the London production of ‘Show Boat,’ Marie Burke has gone into vaudeville. Nicola, the magician, is back in Sydney again, with all sorts of uncanny tricks. H© opened a season at the Palace Theatre last week, Lewis Shaw (“Young Woodley ”) is east for a big part in ‘ Journey’s End,' the war play to bo produced in Australia shortly. Starring Miss Maisio Gay, a London revue artist, ‘ This Year of Grace’ has been produced at Fullers’ Empire Theatre, Brisbane, by Robert Roberts, and the show is having a very successful season there. Many overseas performers support the leading lady, with a sprinkling of Fuller revue artists.

At the society mannequin parade held recently in Sydney, John Fuller was the only man present one morning. “I’m always at homo with the ladies,” said smiling John, on being twitted wtih his bravery. Another morning E. J, Tait strolled in, but then he .had two daughters “walking on ” in the piece. ‘The Patsy’ company having been ’disbanded, Irene Homer and A. S. Bryon have returned to America. Sam Wren is in ‘ Laff That Off ’ at the Sydney Criterion, and Brandon Peters is to play in ‘ Lombardi, Ltd.’ which follows ‘Laff That Off.’ Rowena Ronald, here last with the Vanbrugh-Bouci-vnult Company, will also be in ‘ Lombardi.’

Before ‘ The Desert Song ’ closes in Sydney to tour the dominion, there is talk of arranging a “New Zealand night ” to honour Lance Fairfax, the leading singer, who is a New Zealander.

The Savoy Theatre, London ,is being ' altered at a cost of £70,000. It is expected that the reconstructed theatre will open on October 1 with a season of Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The coloured ballet which is appearing in the spectacular production of ‘ Show Boat ’ in Melbourne has been it regular feature in many musical comedies and other productions in the United States. Such a ballot is seen and heard in the talkie picture, ‘Hearts In Dixie/Having travelled over 30,000 miles in the past year and a-half, Miss Margaret Bannerman and her husband, Mr Anthony Priusep, are settling down fur a time in’ their Bourne End home, states the ‘Daily News.’ They were both delighted with their tour of Australia and New Zealand, but it was very tiring. “We took a car with us from London,” Miss Bannerman stated. “In New Zealand, which is a most lovely country, the roads are wonderful, and we motored from oue end of the country to the other. In Australia the roads are not so good, and we did less motoring.” • One of the most picturesque characters ever presented in a musical production is the Red Shadow who dominates ‘The Desert Song,’ the musical play which will come to New Zealand in September. This role is played by Lance Fairfxa, whose rise from chorus to leading parts lias been nothing

iotttnss on tte people of tire Stage raff Screen and on fbo latest recorded Mask.

short of meteoric. la this connection a writer says; “Perhaps Mr Fairfax obtains some of bis verve and stage confidence from his early military experience. He was born in Wellington, New Zealand, served with the artillery. secured a commission when in his ’teens, and at twenty was a company commander. At Buckingham Palace ho was personally decorated by His Majesty King George. After his service in tho war Lance Fairfax studied singing in London. It was Ilosina Buckman who introduced him to Sir Thomas Beecham. The latter was very favourably impressed with this young singer, and it is probably due to the good advice given by him to Lance tairfax that this capable young 1 artist rapidly achieved success.” London’s new luxury theatre, the Dominion Theatre, is expected to be opened early next month. Sir Altrecl Butt, who is joint managing director with Mr R. H. Gillespie, states that it is costing more than £503,000. “ Only one London theatre—the Empire, Leicester square, —has cost more than this, and that was because its site was £BO.OOO dearer,” Sir Alfred said. The Dominion will have the biggest seating capacity of any London theatre—room (including 1,250 stalls) for 2.860 people. The three biggest theatres now are the Lyceum (2,489), the Palladium (2,318), and Drury Lane (2,128). It will be a luxury theatre. Each dressing room is to have its private bath, and there will be a laundry .in the building. The top price for stalls is to be 8s 6d, and there will be a soft drinks ” lounge with accommodation for 1,000 people. The opening production is likely to be ‘Follow Thru,’ an American musical plav with a golfing interest, Molly Plimmer, formerly a member of the” Wellington Repertory Players, is touring England with a company playing the ‘ Wrecker.’ Nydia d’Arnell, , leading lady in ‘Show Boat,’ was in tin cast of ‘Mayflower ’ in New York, with William Valentin© and Ethel Morrison. 1 Show Boat’ lias opened in Melbourne. The Westminster Glee Singers are .en rout© from Canada, playing a three weeks’ season at Honolulu, from where they come direct to Auckland, opening at His Majesty’s Theatre on September 14. Tho personnel, organisation, and method of presentation are entirely different to those of previous visits, and an extensive repertoire allows of nightly change of programme. Following Auckland only the three other main centres and principal provincial towns will be" visited.

Mr Alfred Walmsley, the Dunedin tenor, has been very busy in London with his musical studies since his return from Germany. Latest advice is that he has been engaged by tlio Carl Rosa Opera Company as soloist until Christmas, to sing m London and also on tour. Prior to , lis, Mr Walmsley had been offered an engagement by the Old Vic Theatre to sing in various roles for the next opera season. Ho had also been filling the position of tenor soloist at the Carmelite Church, Kensington. Wireless enthusiasts who remember his singing from 4YA, will be interested to know that he has been singing for the 8.8. C., which broadcasts from 2LO. At the Royal College performances, Mr Walmsley has been singing again in 1 The Magic Elute,’ this time conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham. His other performances have been in ‘ It Trovatore,’ ‘ Contes D’Hoffmann/ ‘Pagliacei/ ‘The Princess,’ and ‘Pirates of Penzance ’ (this last at the Guildhall School of Music). Mr Walmsley expects to he back in Dunedin at the beginning of February. J. C. Williamson, Ltd., has secured the Australian rights of the latest London dramatic success, ‘ The Murder on the Second Floor/ which has proved something of a sensation at the Lyric Theatre, London. The play, the author

of which is Frank Vesper, a wellknown actor, is conceived on novel lines, and contains not only thrilling drama, but most amusing comedy, and many novel devices which make it quite out of the ordinary. Rehearsals will commence shortly, and the first Seduction in Australia will be given in elbourne.