STAGELAND.

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 116, 12 April 1930, Page 7

STAGELAND.

(By “Jack Point.”) The Ernest Lotinga Company is playing at 'Wellington. Alexander Watson is giving recitals at Auckland. Frederick Bentley, .who was here in “Rose Marie” and has been appearing in Australia in “The Showboat” and “New Moon,” is on the Niagnra on his way to America and the talkies. Writing from the Friars Club, Now York, Dave Mullen, who achioved popularity with New Zealand audiences last! year under the Fullers’ management as) Chickie Bean of “Rio Rita,” intimates; that lie may soon be figuring in Hollywood talkies. . v . “A Night . Like This” .is the title chosen for Ben Travers’s new farce, which has opened at the Aldwych Theatre, London. Tom Walls (the original “Peter Doody” in the Australian production of “The Arcadians”), Ralph Lynn and all the other familiar actors in the Aldwych company aro in tho new play. Muriel Starr’s insolvency showed her assets at twelve and six and some thirty pounds’ worth of stage dresses, writes a Sydney journalist. She is staying with friends, so it is not quite as bad as it sounds, ~ and it is more than probable that J. C. Williamson will tender her a benefit to raise her fare back to America. Miss Starr ie standing up to it and playing game. She has been an. honeet manager and employer of theatrical talent for years now, and she has never pulled a long faco at her failures. A Sydney correspondent writes: "The Belle of New York” is worth coming over to Australia to see, so think about your holidays beforo she goes flitting out of sight. It wits a flash of inspiration to rovive it, and it is said that Cecil Kellaway was the man to think about it. Small wonder I for his characterisation of the Polite Lunatio is as polished a gem of acting as he' has ever given us, and he has given us some. He played tho part in South Africa many years jigo when he was starting on the stago, but the role as ho presents it now must be as beef to gravy beef in comparison. It is one of tho rare stage jewels that should nover be forgotten in tho memory of playgoors. In England or the United States it would stamp him a first-class star for life. Marie liromuer ie tho most demure of Belles. Everywhere around you at “Tho Belle of New . York” folks suddenly break into a whistle, a humming tune. Each song as it comes, along strikes different people in the audience in different ways, and those they havo loved best in the past—either on the Btage, on gramophone, on band, or in .suburban drawingrooms, come bubbling up in their throats and _ they can't resist the temptation to join in. That’s why I predict a three months’ run in Sydney for “The Belie.” Come over and •join in! You’ll have the time of your Gwyneth Lascollea is quite remarkable for the way she handles tho delicate part of Fifi Fricot—the little lady made of sugar who has her ear bitten off to tasto. She plays tho French girl on rather wistful lines and with a French accent, and she shows more poise than any other young actress on tho Australian stage today who has had so little experience. She should go far because she has the voice for it, and is as pretty as a postcard to look upon. Dulcie Davenport gets a chance as Kissie Fitz Garter and shows that five years in the ballet gives a girl her chance when it comee. Kissie is a dancing part and Miss Davenport can dance. She has made several tours of New Zealand in the front line of the chorus. It has been decided by J. C. Williamson, Ltd., that “Mr Cihdors,” tho musical comody by which that management is represented in London, will be produced in Sydney in June. Hindle Edgar is to come out for the role of Jim Lancaster, the hero of this etory, a modern version of Cinderella. In London, where the piece has been running for more than a year, this part has been played by Bobbie Howes. The role of the millionaire’s daughter who masquerades as a housemaid was at first taken by Binnie Hale at the Adelphi, and Rene Mallory is now in the cast at the Hippodrome. A piece called “Let Us Be Gay” has been chosen for the first Australian appearance of Edith Taliaferro, who is to leave America for Australia on April 17. Her company will include J. 'B. Rowe, who was in the Boucicault plays, and Ethel (Mollie) Morrison, who has been in tho Gilbert and Sullivan and other'productions in Australia. When William Faversham arrived in Australia it was announced that as his tour must be of limited duration his plays _ would be changed more frequently than if the term of .his' stay was indefinite. “The Hawk,” by Francois de Croisset (adapted by Edward Knoblock from tho French) will succeed “The Prince and the Pauper” in due course. In “The Hawk,” it is stated, there are excellent acting roles for both Mr Faversham and Ann Davies. This cast will include Beatrice Day. Another piece likely for Mr Faversham’s Sydney season is “Her Friend the King.” Meanwhile 'the pronounced run of success continues of “The Belle of New York” in Sydney and “The Maid of the Mountains” in Melbourne. “The first few days of these revivals,” said Sir George Tallis in Melbourne . recently, “have brought the best financial results for the past 12 months. That result is a clear indication that the publio has regained its taste for the theatre, and that it is ready to * patronise good productions. During the past two or three months I have felt that the turn of the tide was coming. Though, the talkies captured publio favour, I was never afraid of them, for the stage has had to enoounter all kinds of obstacles, and has surmounted them all.”

Robert Roberts and his revue company have done steady business in a small way for 21 weeks on end at Manly with a change of programme’ every week. It is a sound little company of hard workers, and in a quiet way they are making a success of their end of the business. Manly has “got the habit’’ now, and they may be there all the summer. Charles Zoli, • who used to be with Marie Burke in “Wildflower," is one of them, states a Sydney theatregoer. '■ 'n Here are some of the lines from “The Roof,’’ a new play by John Galsworthy: “There is nothing like the sins of your neighbours for* concealing' the kins of your own.” “I find it safest to assume that every man is a gentleman and every woman a lady.” , ■ - * * * * “Let’s sed —what do I owe you?” “It so ’appens, you advanced me today’s yesterday.” “Then I suppose you want to-morrow’s to-day?” * • » • “What do you think of me?” “Well, I’ve never thought about the origin of species.” «** * • “Are your feet wet? Sit down and take them off.” - “The ■ modern girl is a perfectly natural product.” ’ “Well, with additions.” i*■ * # • “I have always sympathised with canaries—expected to sing, and so permanently yellow.” * • # . • “Weren’t you at school with my brother?" "Very likely. I was at school with an awful lot of brothers.” *,/.■.* * * “I’m smoking on .rather an empty stomach.” ■'*' /■ ' . ' “Dear. me I Yes, I remember that feeling, coming over me once at a Royal Academy banquet.” *m, • • “I always' say that when you begin to tell the truth it doesn’t do to stop sudden." • • • • “Got any smelling’salts? A sniff in time saves nine.” **-* ■ * , “I paid half in cash and half in promises.” .** * • "Are we going to supper before or after the theatre?”, “Both!”