FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

Evening Star, Issue 20322, 2 November 1929, Page 22

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

[By LOITERER.]

Miss Mary Nyman, who was last here as leading lady with Mr George Wallace’s revue company, made a successful debut in musical comedy on her return to Australia, and has now left for London in search of theatrical fame. . When Lance Fairfax finishes his present contract with Williamsons he mtends to proceed to America to try ms luck with the talkies. - Ernest Lotinga, noted English comedian, and a big company will arrive m Australia soon to appear under the J. C Williamson direction, ih© opening musical production will be August, 1914 ’ . Miss Elsie Prince, the most brilliant comedienne seen in New Zealand tor many years,.has left on her return to England. Miss Prince was engaged by tne Fufler management for musical comedy roles, and with Mr Jimmy Godden she was responsible for a number of notable “hits.” Her first appearance was m ‘No, No, Nanette,’ and this gave her an assured place in the affections ot local audiences. Her next appearance was in ‘ Lady, Be Good,’ and then she returned to open the St. James s 'lheatre, Sydney, last year m a musical comcdv season during winch . Archie, •‘Sunny,’ and ‘Mercenary Mary were produced. Miss Prince is a brilliant artist with a delightfully infectious charm, and her departure means • a great loss to the musical comedy stage in Australia and New Zealand. The Wellington * Post’s ’ London correspondent wrote on September H:—News comes from America of the gratifving success of Mr Lionel Ince. He left "England early this year for the United States, and made ms t headquarters in Boston. Mr Ince is now finishing a summer season with the Eice Players at Martha’s Vineyard Island, winch has included some interestin" plavs, including ‘The Rivals,’ The Taming of the Shrew,’ 1 The Patsy, ‘Ten Nights in a Bar Room, Just Suppose,’ ‘Three Wise Fools.’ ‘What Anne Brought Home.’ ‘ Peg o My Heart,’ ‘Meet the Wife,’ and a new play produced for the first time on any stage called ‘ Miles M'Carthyby A. E. Cobb, who went especially to supervise the production. It is a very' interesting Irish play founded on history and is very dramatic. After the season M’- Cobb made the New Zealand actor a. present of a beautifully bound volume of the play with the autograph of “To Lionel Ince, from A. B. Cobb.-A Father. Paul who created a part beyond my fondest expectations. Not an actor, but a priest.” This is one of the major parts of the play, and full of really fine eloquences. After the season finishes Mr Ince will go for two weeks’ vacation to New York before starting rehearsals for the winter. New Zealanders arc fortunate to have the J. 0. Williamson’s newest musical comedy. production,- ‘ The Five O’clock Girl” promised them as a Christmas attraction (writes a Sydney correspondent)., “1 have been a regular attender, at • Her Majesty’s. Theatre

Jaffiargs on tte people of the Stage aafl Screen and on the latest recorded Music.

for many years, and I frankly confess that I have never been afforded a more pleasant entertainment than that given by the firm’s company in this frivolous and fascinating production.” It is presented by one of the most cosmopolitan companies ever gathered together by J. C. Williamson, . The Dunedin Operatic Society is in full rehearsal for ‘ Our Miss Gibbs,’ the delightful musical comedy which it intends producing towards the latter end of this month- A. very strong cast of players has been secured, and the chorus is a particularly strong one. It is some years since the Operatic Society has’ given us a taste, of its quality, arid there is every reason to believe that the forthcomihg production will be something worth while. There are, no doubt, many who held happy recollections ot the humour contained in ‘ Our Miss Gibbs when it was presented here many years ego, and they, together with other in search of good entertainment, will he eager to view this play. In Lombardi, Ltd,’ still attracting excellent business in Sydney, Leslie Victor adds to his long list of character successes another' triumph _ in James Hodgkins—with a genial, kindly heart behind what appears to be a ■ querulous, miserly exterior, assumed wholly in the business interests of liis principl (Leo Carrillo). A half-interest‘in ‘Whoopee,’ which is doing well in Melbourne, has been secured from Frank Neil by William-aon-Tait, Ltd., with the result that it will now be toured in the latter’s theatres throughout Ansralasia. New York is looking forward to a “ British season ” at its theatres, and if all goes well there will bo fifteen British productions in full play there by Christmas There are three plays by English authors drawing full houses in New York at present, including ‘Journey’s End.’ Strella Wilson, last here with ‘ The Vagabond King, -writes from London: — ! ”l am having a wouderuful time in London—so m icb so that I am not a bit keen on work yet. Spent the other evening in Madge Elliott’s dressing room. She was very upset, as her mother was going hack to Australia after fifteen months' stay with her. Madge and Cyril Ritchard arc doing wonderfully (their names are in electric lights outside the theatre), and are very popular. ‘ Mr Cinders ’ is a fine show, and littlo llita Nugent’s dance is a treat. ‘ New Moon ’ is also a good show. I - wonder how Australia will like ‘Journey’s End.’ I loved it. A very good comedy here, which I understand J.C.W. has bought, is ‘Murder on the Second Floor.’ It sounds awful—but is really good. Sara Allgood is one oi the leads. _ Little Josie Melville lies been very ill. but is now having a month’s rest at Brighton. I forgot' t«. mention Jhe show , shows, ‘ Bitter Sweet. Words, music, and production by Noel Coward, pro-

Ihably the finest show J have seen—- - wonderful, but very daring. . . . An American comedian who can - speak Chinese is a novelty, particularly as there are many people who •icosider tht an American comedian is unable to speak English. But Leo , Carrillo, who has made a sensation in Sydney with his production ot ‘Lombardi. Ltd.,’ has more than a working knowledge of both languages. “ I learnt to, speak Chinese,’ he said, “when I was a newspaper man on the San Francisco ‘ Examiner.’ It was 'my job to do sketches from life in the Chinese, quarter, ano I used to illustrate them with sketches. of my own. I got to know and like the Chinese, and learnt to speak the language pretty well.” Mr,Carrillo added to his knowledge of Chinese by lessons given hini convoi'sationally by his personal servant, Wong Wing, who has been with him for several years. One of the most unique distinctions ever bestowed upon a play is that to be accorded ‘Journey’s End,’ the wonderful war drama which will shortly be presented to Dunedin audiences by a particularly strong J. C. Williamson company. Wo read that on the evening of Armistice Day, ‘Journey’s End ’ will be broadcast from London throughout the world. Arrangements have been made in practically every country for its reception and rebroadeasting, ■ thus denoting the international fame and world-wide appreciation of this ■ play. It has been stated by the J. C. - Williamson management that ‘Jouri ney’s End’ has proved the most successful of any dramatic production ever - presented by the firm. Dunedin dates ' are December 3 to 7. Though Leon Gordon made his first i appearance in Australia as the cynical i Witzel in 1 White Cargo.’ his own love i play of the tropics, and he has been I therefore regarded chiefly as a dramatic actor, it was_ in comedy that ho 1 made most of his successes in England and America. It is an interesting fact in this connection that the • role of Monty Brewster, which lie is 1 playing in ‘ Brewster’s Millions ’ at ■ Melbourne Theatre Royal, has been i played by him some hundreds of times ■ in ‘England and America. It was in ; this part that lie made his first appear--1 ance on the London stage, following ! a successful career as a graduate of Dulwich and Durham Universities. Subsequently he appeared in ‘ Raffles.’ i ‘Arseno Lupin,’ and ‘The Great Adi venture.’ In 1918 ho accepted an offer ; to visit America to appear in pictures as leading man with Alice Brady. His engagement in motion pictures ended. | he accepted a special engagement to , appear in a repertoire of plays which' > included the works of Barrie, Oscar ■ Wilde, Shaw, Pinero, and Galsworthy. I Leon Gordon rewrote ‘ The Man Who Stayed at Home,’ and starred in this • play with great success