STAGE FOLK

Evening Star, Issue 22817, 27 November 1937, Page 5

STAGE FOLK

Commencing its tour st’Auckland on December 20 is the J. C» Williamson Musical Comedy Company headed by George Gee, in a season of merry comedy set to catchy music. ‘ Over She Goes 5 is the title of the first offering, and it will he followed by other successful musical compositions. The plot of ‘ Over She Goes ’ centres round a youthful earl and his conventional misfortunes. The first claim of the piece is that it will bring back an old favourite in George Gee, funnier than ever, just as neat and debonair, as nimble on his feet, as minciugly humorous as always, and putting over pantomimic tomfoolery that reduces audiences ip tears. In

support of the principal comedian will be Valerie Et«y, a golden-haired ini genue who can sing and dance] Billie Worth, an American who looks like a brunette Ginger Rogers] Lois Green,; the versatile Australian girl who is a perfect partner for Hr Gee in her rapier; wit: Donald Burr, a handsome romantic lead who plays the earl on sound sing* ing lines,] Percy le Fro, who is coruradeinrfoolishness to Mr Gee j William' O’Neal, in a “ bewman ” rolej Ken Tuokerfield, Enid Hollins, Phil. Smith, and many others. Beautiful girls grace the ballet, which for. charm, and chorus work ie one of tJse ablest teams ever assemhiedi by the firm. Hagnifiocnt dressing and settings will be a feature.

Those who believe that in this ppli* ticaMy-arar&Kid age the. drama should Be more than an entertainment medium will have a special interest in the Dunn e-din. Little Theatre’s presentation next’ v month of a bracket of plays by Clifford i Odets— ‘ Till the Day I Die ’ and ‘ Waiting For Lefty.’ Both these 0 one set in Naai the other in New York, reveal an awareness of the challenge implicit in such varying forma political ideology as Fascism and , f . Communism, and a strong indictment is ‘ provided of that form of' extremism' , esempfifiod in Nasirm in the Rieich", and . of Union dictatorship under the control < - of the gunman, which may be dis- ~ covered in the United States. But thg Little Theatre Society emphasises thafy . above all, thqse offerings are super# drama. Mr Odets, who is'one of the '■ younger of the American proves himself in them, an author wftoi the (power, as oM as the. theatre itself * to extract the utmost ‘in dramatis valuee from His material; and the ori* ' ginal and unusual pjetbod of presenta* ■feion of the play* acrakte thefr efark and Smpreesfve effect.

With its three, conductors and «| galaxy of assisting artists from Bister ’ the Orchestral Society’ll jubilee' concert on Wednesday nest • promises to be a most important events • ■ marking as it does the completion ofl half a century of useful and enthusi- T astic work in Dunedin. Dr F- Vernon Griffiths and Mr Alfred Wahnsley* < former conductorsfor. the. society, .will . be assotoi&ted with Mr O. .Boy ©packman, the present _ conductor, m to* evening’s presentations. Besides Mow dellsohn’s Concerto in G minor, conduct<xl by Dr Griffiths, with Mrs H. C.t Campbell as soloist, the programme is to include Nicolai’s overture, ‘ Merry Wives of Windsor’ (Mr Walmsley), Weber’s ‘ Prcoiosa,’ Coleridge Taylor’s ‘ Nero ’ prelude, Osrio Naylor’s ‘ Three Irish Scenes,’ and Sibelius’s ‘Finlandia .(Mr