FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

Evening Star, Issue 20292, 28 September 1929, Page 21

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

[By LOITERER.]

Maisie Gay, English comedienne, who originally came to Australia, for 4 This Year of Grace’ and later appeared in vaudeville, has left on her return to England. , Oscar Asche’s production in London of 4 The Merry Wives of Windsor,’ brought up to date, ran only eight nights.

According to E. J. Tait, one of the heads of J. C. Williamson, Ltd., the stage in Australia has not known a worse period of depression since the early ’9os. Nicola, the magician, is to tour New Zealand under the Fuller management. He was duo to leave Sydney for Auckland on Friday last, and will open the tour in Auckland.

Gladys Cooper has retired from the London stage, though not indefinitely. 4 The Sacred Flame,’ Somerset Maugham’s play in which she scored her last success, was withdrawn at the same time. Last year Miss Cooper married Sir Neville Pearson.

The success attained by 4 Brewster’s Millions,’ staged after a lapse of twenty-one years, by Leon Gordon, has decided J. 0. Williamson to present this company in another farce-comedy of other days. This is 4 lt Pays to Advertise,’ and the laughmaker of soap and advertising follows the season of 4 Tho Squeaker’ at the Theatre Royal. Sydney. This production was originally staged in Australia around nine years ago by J. C. Williamson, and the principal part was interpreted by Hale Hamilton, who later found fame as a screen actor.

‘ The Desert Song,’ the spectacular ,7. C. Williamson musical play, opened its New Zealand tour in Wellington a week ago, when it was given a great reception. Everything seems to point to a most successful season. The lead ing roles are taken by Mr Lance Fairfax, Mr Herbert Browne, Mr Herbert Mundin, and Miss Romola Hanson.

Sydney has given a great reception to Mr Leo Carillo, the brilliant Broadway actor, who was engaged by the Williamson management to play in ‘ Lombardi,’ Limited,’ the comedy which he made an outstanding 14 hit ” in New York. The first, night was a triumphant success, and the enthusiasm of the audience was so great that Mr Carillo was forced to break from pro cedent and make a speech at the close of the second act. _ 414 Lombardi, Limi ted, and Leo Carillo are here to give Australia something new in comedy entertainment,” said one critic. _ 44 They succeed to perfection.” The New Zealand tour of the play will bo awaited with interest.

A notable personage of the British drama has begun his last professional progress through England. In the leading cities the hoardings will make the sad announcement, 4 Sir Frank .Benson —Farewell Tour.” This distinguished actor'is but a respected name to the bulk of the present generation of London theatre-goers, but in the provinces Sir Frank Benson is a great idol indeed. For more than forty years Sir Frank has served tho public. He has fostered interest in the plays of Shakespeare and added lustre to the reputation of the British stage. A bright array of brilliant theatrical stars have owed allegiance to Sir Frank in the past—Henry Ainley, Oscar Asche, Matheson Lang, Lily Brayton, Lilian Braithwaite, and others. Ever since the Gonsalez Opera Company toured Australia and New Zealand with _ such success. Sir Benjamin Fuller, principal of Fullers’ Theatres, Ltd., has been receiving offers from Italian companies for future tours ._ But never—never before—has Sir Benjamin been called a “ theatre-undertaker,” as ho remarked after reading this letter:— 44 Mr Benjamin Fuller, 44 Theatre-Undertaker. 44 Sidney.

“ Gentlemen I beg to let you knew I was instructed by a well informed person that you have required—time agothe Company of Consalez Brothers. 1 think it may be of interest for you that I have still in formation a great Uric company to whom belong artists of undiscussed value; the success they already have obtained in great and important theatres may be the best grant for every undertaker of first class foreign e theatres. My artistic company is composed in order to execute the great Italian repertoire, the old and pew one, comprising the operas: Fanciulla del West, Wally Duo Foscari, Mefistofele, Nabucco, Luisa Muller, Gioconda, which never have been represented m your theatres. To this notable artistic troupe is corresponding a coral body comprising 20 men and 10 women; furthermore the first parts of orchestra. namely 10 professors. Notwitnetanding that my company is much better than that formed by Williamson, it’s cost is inferior; it is to say 2,000 pounds sterlins a week._ Of course at your own charge remain the voyage, there and back, of the whole Company, and all the expenses for the theatre: as completion of orchestra, dresses, aoenes, machineries, hosieries, wigs, light-effects, etc. I hope you shall take into serious consideration my proposal and beg to inform rue at what a period could begin the journce. With best regards faithfully, your.—M. Graziano Mueci.” Mrs Tudor Boddam, who has been residing in London, returned to Wellington last week. As a sister of Sir Benjamin and Messrs John and Walter Fuller, and herself an artist of note in farlier days, under the stage name of jydia Walters, Mrs Boddam has an instinctive interest in the theatre and its doings. “If there is one that New Zealand should be proud of,” said Mrs Boddam, “ it is Mario Ney, the Wellington girl who used to play with the amateurs here. With the rest of London 1 went out to Hammersmith to see * She Stoops to Conquer,’ very beautifully produced by Sir Nigel _ Playfair. What a treat it was to see this delightful old English comedy played well, and to see Marie Ney carry off the honours as Kate Harcastle. She made the sprighth Kate a most fascinating sreature. and fairly charmed the heart of all London, In one part of the play Miss Ney has to sing one of the old English songs to a harp accompaniment. Seated at this golden lyre she loked perfect, and the sweetly simple manner in which she sang the song captivated everyone. After a long run at Hammersmith the play was taken on tonr. New Zealand should he proud of Miss Key—her triumph in this play was beyond question. I also went to see Robert Lorraine’s rivival of ‘Cyrano de Bergerac,’ a very fine performance of a very notable poetic play that pained nothing by the performance of the leading lady,” Mrs Boddam continued. “ Among those in the cast was Molly Plimmer. figuring as Mary Plimmer in the programme. She played only a small part—an orange girl in the theatre—but was so good in it that she made those round her seem stiff and uninteresting. It was a real good little bit. and 1 was not the least surprised when I saw that some of the critics hd noticed her. Miss Isobel Wilford also had her foot on the ladder,

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and does not seem to lack engagements. I saw Dorothy Brunton in 4 A White Camelia,’ but was not very impressed with her performance. Miss Vera Pearco is still in London, and appears from time to time, but usually in more matronly parts than we used to know her in. Among those 1 met occasion ally in London were Mr and Mrs Hugh M'lntosh, of Sydney. For some time ho had a lease of the late Lord Kitchener’s marvellous property in Sussex. one of the grand old homes of England, with woods, and far-extencl-ing lawns, artificial lakes, great motor drives within the park, and a veritable castle of treasures. Mr M'lntosh has been poorly in health for some time past, and was nbt at his best when I left.” , A playgoer at Melbourne, who called around at the stage door in the interval of * Show Boat,’ to ask Colin Crane for a photograph, paid the young Australian a splendid compliment when he said that he had never seen a more realistic representation of a coloured man given by a white actor. “ I’ve been in the United States for years,” he said, “ including Harlem and Kentucky, and know all the types.” One of tiie features of the performance of ‘ Show Boat 1 is Colin Crane’s rendering of 4 OF Man River,’ which recurs throughout the play. Ho puts into it that strange note of_ wistfulness, of yearning, that few artists other than those of the coloured race are able to impart to it. A unique tribute to his popularity was paid Marshall Crosby, of the George Wallace Company, during a season in Perth, Australia. Crosby was a member of a revue playing there, and his genial personality and undoubted ability had made him a prime favourite with audiences. So popular, indeed, did he become that when the Fuller organisation announced its intention of moving him to another part of Australia a deputation of- seven members of Parliament waited on the management with a request that Marshall’s season be extended. In face of this striking indication of public feeling, the request wa acceded to, and he was permitted to remain in Perth for several months longer. Gertrude Lawrence, the musical comedy actress, recently arrived in London from the United States, and within an hour was rehearsing her part in 4 By Candle Light,’ a special version of which has been written by P. G. Wodehouse for an American production. It is to be presented by an English company. Miss Lawrence has just completed her first talking picture, 4 The Battle of Paris,’ in which she took the part of a street singer. In 4 By Candle Light ’ she will appear for the first time in a straight play. In Matheson Lang’s English stage production of the famou novel ‘Jew Suss,’ the well-known Australian actor, Frank Harvey, plays the bestial duke, and his performance is warmly praised. Dusolina Giannmi, the lusciousvoiced prima donna, who is due in New Zealand next week, is just as great a success off the stage as she is on it—judging from the reams of admiration that have been penned about her by social writers and interviewers in Australia. Although the twenty-six-year-old singer has been in Australia for only two months, she has had several proposals of marriage, one impetuous Sydney wooer going so far as to attach a wedding ring to a floral tribute forwarded to her! So far, the 41 divine Giannini ” is heart-free, however, and she unhesitatingly announces that if sho marries she will insist on continuing her career; and she also says she will marry onl'v a music-lover —not a musician. 41 The Giannini family has quite enough musicians of its own.” she remarks. And she explains this by stating that her father is a tenor, her mother a violinist, her elder sister a lyric soprano; one brother a violinist, pianist, and composer; and the younger brother a ’cellist. Giannini’s visit to New Zealand should prove a big social success as well as a notable musical event.