FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

Evening Star, Issue 20346, 30 November 1929, Page 26

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

[By LOITERER.]

Kenneth Duffield is in Sydney negotiating with J. C. Williamson, Ltd., to bring Dion Titheradgo out from England to produce the revues written by them in • collaboration. _ The last, time Dion Titheradgo was in Australia was as a member of the Lewis Waller Company, in which his- sister Madge played lead. Since those .days, helped by Kenneth Duffield. he has become a most successful playwright. Elsie Parkes, who was with the Elsie Prince-Jimmy Godden Company when it was hero some time ago, has joined up with the Connors and Paul Revue Company, now playing in Adelaide. This revue company, with its comedian, Syd Beck, will be remembered in New Zealand, and the fact that a return visit here is being mooted will make pleasant reading for theatregoers. “ Alfred Frith, the comedian, having removed from his luxurious flat at Hampton Court, is now housed in a much smaller apartment in the same neighbourhood,” writes the Sydney correspondent of the Christchurch ‘Sun.’ “ Together with Tui Black, with whom Frith provided a ' first-class theatrical sensation by motoring around the countryside when he should have been at the theatre, he is busily_ engaged in writing sketches for their joint appearance in vaudeville. No plans yet. But Frith, like our old friend Micawber, confidently believes that something will turn up.” Miss Leona Hogarth, the celebrated American actress, who is leading lady in Sir Benjamin and Mr John Fuller’s Comedy Company that is to play a season in Dunedin shortly, is an artist of the highest calibre. She brings with her all the finish and repose of the ultra modern school of acting, coming, as she docs, direct from the leading playhouses of the United States. There has been no actress in recent times who has come to our land with a more fascinating personality _or pleasing stage presence than Miss Hogarth. She. has the rare and delightful quality of being able to adapt herself to any situation and not to play the part, but live it. Miss Hogarth is just as charming off the stage as she is on. She will be seen in several comedies, one of which. ‘ The Family Upstairs,’ had a seventeen weeks’ successful run at the Athenseum, Melbourne. Sir Benjamin and Mr John Fuller are adhering to their generous policy of giving the public the best entertainment possible at common-sense ' prices, and have set the prices for these comedies at vaudeville figure. Ada Beeve, for many years in variety. is to play her first straight role in “Australia. “Miss Reeve will appear with Leon Gordon in Melbourne m ‘ Tho Murder on the Second Floor.’ Since her return from abroad last year the actress has done little work, so doubtless this appearance will he welcome. Like so many other members of tho profession, Ada Reeve discovered Australia to be in the grip of the talkies. A passing phase, maybe, but nevertheless serious enough for snow folk, writes the Sydney correspondent of tho Christchurch ‘ Sun.’ A 1 Jolson will make a world tomnext year, and may come straight from America to Australia. This news has been published in America. A 1 Jolson will be accompanied by his wife (Ruby Keeler), who may also perform. He will tour under the William Morris direction, and Billy Grady, of 1 Morris (inn, will be a member of the party. The tour will begin in the mid-west of America in February, followed by a few entertainments in Florida. A 1 Jolson will then go either to England or Australia as starting points around the world. In the Albert Hall, London, a top price of £2 will be charged. Supporting talent will be recruited in London and in Australia, but in countries such as India, China, Japan, and the Philippines Jolson will be a “ one-man show. rT ... A young Auckland dancer, Miss Hilda Saunders, has left for London in search of theatrical fame. Miss Saunders, who was a pupil of Miss Cecil Hall, has appeared with success in J. \\ illianv son musical comedies in Australia, hav ing played in 1 Rose Mane, _ Hit the Deck,’ and more recently in Hold Everything.’ Prominent among the passengers on the s.s. Marama, which sailed from Wellington for Sydney on Friday, was Nicola, world-famed magician, and the members of his theatrical company, bound for an engagement in far-olf India. Before bis departure Nicola e.v pressed himself very sorry that he had to leave New Zealand so soon after a tour of a little more than two months, and regretted that, owing to his pre vious arrangements, it was impossible to play any return dates, as requested by so manv theatre patrons. Of course, I will be hack again some day, added the wizard. ‘‘Perhaps not tor a long time, but when I do come back I will bring with mo many new tricks and illusions, which I anticipate perfecting during my tour in India.” No murders, no detectives, no revolvers—yet ‘Tho Calendar’ is described by London dramatic critics as first-class .Edgar Wallace of the ripest and most authentic brand. Firstly,

Jottings oa the people of fh(p Stage and Screen and on tlie latest recorded Music.

there is iui excellent story,. and, secondly, tho whole thing is brimming over with that special variety! of humour which Mr Wallace has so much made his own. There is a ready market in Australia and New Zealand for anything written by England’s expert at literary mass production, and the play may yet bo secured for presentation here, Si; Benjamin and Mr John Fullers American Comedy Company, headed by Wvrley Birch Leona Hogarth, -and Leonard Doyle, three of America’s foremost comedy players, and supported by a very strong oast, is shortly to open a Duhedir season. Tho company will be seen and heard m such delightful plays as ‘ Tho Baby Cyclone,’ ‘The Family Upstairs,’ ‘ New Brooms, ‘White Collars,’ ‘Six-cylinder Love,’ 1 Whispering Friends,’ and ‘Saturday’s Children.’ The plays are, to be staged on the same elaborate scale as they have been staged in Australia, where the company has been playing successfully for two years.

Mr Gus. Bluett is now permanently installed in the comedy part in ‘Hold Everything.’ suddenly vacated by Mr Alfred Frith. Mr Bluett came in to the cast at five days’ notice, and, travelling from Perth to Sydney mostly by air, he had to forget the parts he

had been learning for productions of ‘The Vagabond King,’ ‘The Desert Song,’ and ‘Maid of the Mountains.’ The piece which ho now graces is a musical comedy dealing largely with boxing, and is scheduled for production in New Zealand in the near future, together with ‘ The Five O’Clock Girl.’ ‘ Lombardi, Ltd.,’ in which the famous Californian star Leo Carrillo has scored such a success in Australia, is now listed for any early appearance in New Zealand, probably opening at Auckland on Boxing Night. ‘ Loin bardi, Ltd.,’ was specially written for Leo Carrillo by Frederick and Fanny Hatton, who wrote tho ‘Great Lover ’ Carrillo will appear in his original role of Tito Lombardi, a handsome, excit able, ‘ trusting, and incurably romantic Italian, the proprietor of a fashionable dressmaking establishment in New York.' In conjunction with the performance a complete fashion show is included, with a bevy of mannequins displaying the latest styles' in gowns and furs, and Carrillo acting as master of ceremonies.

Cecil Haines, from New Zealand, is safely settled in London theatres now (writes a Sydney correspondent), and though she is not playing very good parts yet she is under the eyes of good managers, and they have given the best evidence that they like her work by giving her fresh parts. She is in 1 Brothers,’ tho new piece that Edgar Wallace and his wife arc interested in, though Edgar did not write it. She means to stay in Englpnd, seeing no chance of getting the opening she needs in this part of the world. Two unusual plays have achieved littlo records in London—‘ La Vio

Parisiennc ’ (its 200th performance) and • ‘ Bitter Sweet,’ at the Lyric, Hammersmith (JOOth performance). ‘ Rain ’ is out for another trial in Australia.. Yvonne Banvard has the responsibility this time of Sadie Thompson, supported by Jack Settle', Robert Graham, and Richard Rollairs, and after a week at Newcastle the company has moved on to Brisbane. It also lias 'Th Barker ’ in the repertory. .

, His Majesty’; Theatre, Melbourne, will be rebuilt on modern lines, following a disastrous fire recently which destroyed the auditorium and caused £60,000 damage. The building and contents were insured for £75,000. After a highly successful season at Christchurch, where crowded houses nightly acclaimed both play and play ers in Sheriff’s thrilling war drama, ■ Journey’s End,’ the specially-selected J. C. Williamson Company opens in Dunedin on Tuesday.. The season is necessarily a brief one, as the company is duo, back in Sydney before Christmas, when the famous play will bo presented for the first time. After Dunedin the company will return to the North Island, where a short tour of the principal provincial towns will bo made as follows:—Masterton, December 10; Danncvirke, December 11;

Hastings, December 12; Napier, December 13; Palmerston North, December 14; Wanganui, December 16; Hawera, December 17; New Plymouth, December 18; the company leaving for Sydney on December 20 One of the many features in ‘ Lombardi, Ltd., which J. C. Williamson, Ltd., is sending to New Zealand as one of the Christmas attractions (opening at Wellington Grand Opera House on Boxing Night) is a _ fashion display which will have particular appeal to the ladies. To the attractive atelier of Lombardi (who is a noted New York dress designer) furnished with beautiful tapestries, decorated shawls, and other valuable objects of art come the wealth and fashion of tho great city to view the wonderful creations. . There is a mannequin parade, in which twelve handsome girls walk on in striking gowns of .the very latest inodes. This usually awakes keen inteiest on the part of the lady members of the audience, while ihe enthusiastic Tito capers round the stage shouting his delight as each new creation appears. "Tin. musical comedy ‘ Whoopee,’ which will be one of J C. Williamson’s holiday att.actions for New Zealand, gives ample scope for the well-trained ballet and specialty dancers. There are many dance interludes, and the members'of the ballet make their appearance on many occasions, introducing several terpsichorcan novelties which never fail to impress the audience. As showing ihe state of physical perfection to which these handsome girls have been brought, they are not a bit fatigued at the conclusion of one of the most strenuous performances they have ever experienced.