Coming Attractions

Evening Star, Issue 23325, 22 July 1939, Page 6

Coming Attractions

‘No Thorough fare, 9 Playbox presentation at Playbox Club, July 25.

‘ Funz -a - Popping American Revue, His Majesty's Theatre, July 26. ‘Lovers Leap,' Invercargill Repertory Society, Concert Chamber, July 31.

Competitions Festival, His Majesty's Theatre, August 16-26.

in innumerable advertising stunts. They have never worked singly, and they have never separated but for a period of six weeks last summer.

They dress alike, both on and 1 off the stage They wear the same size 'slices (each knows her own because they “ feel different ”) and the same size clothes. June is the elder, having an advantage of 20 minutes over Trudell. In Kentucky, a Senator wished to confer on ono of the twins the honour of a Kentucky colonel. Ho gave the necessary papers, etc., and then found there ' was another Van _ girl, and he had quite a lot of explaining to do when he approached the Governor for another set of papers.’ In order to satisfy the department concerned he had to produce a photograph showing the two girls together.

PINT POT PRIMA DONNA

Elsa. Lang, who with Murray Greene provides some delightful song numbers in ‘ Funz-a-Poppin’,’ has been described as a pint-pot prima donna. Starting her studies in New York, she studied only with women; they were not Americans, but famous Continental singers living in America, In 1931 and 1932 she had a lead in that most famous of all musical romances, ‘ Blossom Time.’ She sings operatic arias, but has not actually sung in opera. She

can sing in French, German, Italian, Spanish, and English, all with equal facility. While she will sing anything, and likes music of every kind, she prefers classical music. The famous Schwartzwald. head of the musical department of R.K.O. Theatres, has written many orchestrations for Miss Lang, This most attractive personality has been with her present partner for four years. DUNEDIN REPERTORY SOCIETY TO TOUR One of the most outstanding of the many productions of the Dunedin Repertory Society, John Drinkwater’s ‘ A Man’s House,’ is to be presented in Christchurch. The play will be given there in its entirety, and with one or two possible minor exceptions, the cast will bo the same as that which made the play such a magnificent production here.

The arrangements have been in the hands of Miss Ngaio Marsh, who was responsible for the staging of the play, and she will supervise its presentation in Christchurch. ‘ A Man’s House ’ will be given in the Radiant Hall for a three-night season, commencing September 1. Proceeds are to be devoted to St. Saviour’s Orphanages. H.Z.'S MONETARY POLICY BANS AUSTRALIAN ARTISTS The monetary policy of the New Zealand Government is placing a barrier between the Australian and New Zealand theatrical worlds, says the ‘ Wireless Weekly.’ Many Australian actors who have gone to New Zealand have been unable even to send l money to their dependents in Australia. They must invest or spend their New Zealand earnings in the Dominion. The result is that theatrical managements arc unable to send companies to Now Zealand and individual players are unable to go there.

PAULINE LORD IS A GREAT STAR The latest American star to arrive in Australia under engagement to .1. C. Williamson Theatres is Miss Pauline Lord, making her dehut at the King’s Theatre in Mark Heed’s smart play, ‘ Yes, My Darling Daughter.’ This amusing story of two gay deceivers has boon a great success in the United States. Miss Lord plays opposite Mr lan Keith, well known stage and screen star. Supporting artists include Harvey Adams, Lloyd Lambic. Jane Conolly, Doris Packer, and Winifred Ward.

Pauline Lord is the shyest of actresses. She does not seek personal publicity, and she utterly lacks that glibness of tongue most people of the stage acquire from long contact with the" public, the Press, and from being “ the life of the party.” Many years ago Milwaukee knew her as Polly Lord, and! went to see her in vaudeville at the Palace Theatre. She had many long, grinding years there in stock, too. before her widely-acclaimed success in ‘ Anna Christie.’ A few years ago, by a unanimous vote of New York critics, she became “ America’s greatest actress.” She received a gold medal. Only two other actresses have been given such praise—Bernhardt and Duse. DUNEDIN PLAYBOX ‘ No Thoroughfare,’ a three-act play for an all-woman cast, is to be staged by Walter Russell-Wood at the Playbox Club on Tuesday evening. The large cast comprises 16 players, and included in that number will be seven girls who are making their first appearance on the amateur stage. They are Misses Marie M'Callion, Alison Turnbull, Stewart Tillyshort, Natalie Owles. Rosie Wilson, and Margaret Ballard. Other players with experience who will lend balance to an interesting cast include Mesdames A. W. Hazelwood. Lcn. Withers, T. Nelson, George Claridge, Misses Peggy Griffiths, Edith Clare. Audrey Watson, June Howison. and Marcia Morris.

INVERCARGILL REPERTORY PLAYERS

Members of the Dunedin .Repertory Society are keenly anticipating the visit 'to be paid by the Invercargill Repertory Society at the end of this month. The Southland players will be entertained at a social evening on July 31, and they will present Philip Johnstone’s three-act play, ‘ Lover’s Leap,’ in the Concert Chamber that evening. This play was given in Invercargill last week, and proved very Successful.

MANY THINGS BEFORE HE BECAME PLAYWRIGHT

Now 43 years old, Michael Egan, playwright, has had a varied career. He has been a journalist, a publicity agent, served in the war as a wireless operator, and at 39 sat down and wrote his first play, ‘The Dominant Sex.’ This was produced at the Embassy Theatre, where the Irish author had been Press representative and associate manager. It was a great success and was later put on at the Shaftesbury Theatre and then at the Aldwych, where it had a long rhn. His second play, ‘ To Love and to Cherish,’ was recently put on at the Ki.ngsway; it is the amusing, argumentative story_ of two divorced young men who are claimants for the hands of the daughters of

a parson who condemns divorce. Bob Beatty, a friend of the playwright, who is a Canadian, went over specially at the author’s request to play the aggressive, not-quite-divoreqd Dave Manford. Laidman Browne played the parson and Lydia Sherwood played one of the hapless daughters. ICE KING HAS TAUGHT KINGS As one who at times has skated successfully over thin ice, Herr Hitler not long ago warmly congratulated a man for his remarkable performance on fee that was somewhat more substantial. The real ice skater was Phil Taylor, who is appearing in the big ice show now delighting patrons at His Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne. Phil has mqt many notabilities in his skating career, and has taught royalty, Cabinet Ministers, and famous film stars to glide with ease and grace over the ice.

One of his star pupils was Sir Samuel Hoare, the Homo Secretary, and when Phil left England his distinguished pupil was well on the way 1 to gaining his gold medal for skatecraft. Phil taught the late King, the Duke of Windsor, and members of the royaJ houses of other countries. He could not, however, induce Hitler to try his paces. GODFREY TEARLE SAW POSSIBILITIES OF * THE FLASHING STREAM ' Godfrey Tearle, the noted London actor, and brother of the late Conway Tearle, famous film star of the silent era, made a happy success of his first managerial venture in London when he produced ,Charles Morgan’s play ‘ The Flashing Stream.’ Mr Tearle’s faith in Mr Morgan’s work has been fullv justified. He liked the melodramatic. human story; the beauty of the writing, and considers ‘ The Flashing

Stream ’ to be an ideal vehicle. “ No play is too good for the public,” ho said, “ because no play is good unless it is first rate entertainment,” It is stated that several well-known agents rejected the play for the reason that it was “ too good,” but Mr Tearle saw further than that and knew the instant ho read it that it was a play worth backing with his own money. Mr Tearle has been associated with the West End Theatre for the past 30 years, and has had a vast experience of play-reading. Mr _ Morgan is a well-known dramatic critic of a London newspaper; lie lias not scorned the use of theatrical artifice in his play. ZIEGFELD FOLLIES MAY BE REVIVED The daughter and widow of the late Florenz Ziegfeld, Pat and Billie Burke (well-known cinema actress), are planning to revive the famous Ziegfeld Follies, made so world notable by the late producer. They hope to reintroduce to the American public another bevy of beauties. Billie Burke was a famous personage of the London stage when she married the American man who glorified American womanhood in his spectacular stage shows.