STAGELAND

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 248, 16 September 1933, Page 9

STAGELAND

(By “Call Boy.”) Th® next production in Palmerston North from overseas will be a J. C. Williamson company in the tuneful musical comedy, ‘‘Bright Side Up,” on September 27. Now that the principals for “The Country Girl” to be produced by the Palmerston North Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society, have been chosen the practising of concerted work with principals and chorus will be undertaken next week. Of the principals there are a number *ho have been seen in operatic work in Palmerston North on previous occasions, but there are also one or two who will be new to taking the parts of operatic leads. Miss Naomi Whalley, who takes the part of Nan, has a number of bright and tuneful solos. Mrs Brian Simpson, as the Prince, is a newcomer to operatic leads, but is no stranger to the boards. As an artiste she is wellknown and will no doubt be able to handle her numbers with the capability she has shown before. Miss Edna Boon has a pleasing part and is also a newcomer to operatic lead work. She is a versatile performer and should carry her role well. Miss Lucina is a newcomer to the city m operatic work. Her sweet soprano voice should be well suited to the part she has, that of Marjorie. Tire part of the Rajah is taken by Mr E. Cousins. When the opera was previously produced he took the role and received much credit for his singing on that occasion. The society is fortunate in having him in the position again. Mr E. G. Seeker should feel quite at home as Geoffrey. Cballoner, as he is one who has the ability of making a decided success of it. Mr H. Palmer is taking the comedy role. The role, that of Barry, is an outstanding one and lends itself to some fine comedy work. The minor parts are all in the hands of capable amatuers, so that with the advantage of experience in the main leads “A Country Girl” should be as well done on this occasion as it was a few years back.

Mona Barrie, the Australian actress, has been given a long-term contract in MoUywoou. A production for her has not yet been selected. Messrs J. and JN. Tait have engaged the boy violinist, Yehudi Menuhin, aged 16, for a tour of Australia and New Zealand, to give 20 concerts, opening in Sydney in May, 11)35. They have guaranteed him a minimum of £IO,OOO. A music-hall star of other days, Miss Amy Lyster, has died at her home in Tottenham, London. She was a contemporary of Marie Lloyd and Little Ticli, and she left the stage at the height of her popularity, 26 years ago. She injured a leg in an accident, and never appeared again. Amy Lyster was a favourite of the East End and South London halls, and especially at the old Britannia in Hoxton, where her popularity challenged that of any other artist of her time. She was a very accomplished dancer and vivacious comedienne, and played in pantomime both :.s principal girl and principal boy. Miss Lyster belonged to that fine old school of entertainers of whom few are left

Mrs C. Tabor Gregory, who is producing “The Firefly” for the Hamilton Operatic Society, has been appointed producer for the Wanganui Operatic Society, which is producing “The Country Girl” in November. After a season in Sydney the Williamson Musical Comedy Company headed by Madge Elliott, Cyril Ritcliard and Gus Bluett will come to New Zealand. The repertoire will con : sist of revivals of “Our Miss Gibbs,’ and “The Quaker Girl,” which have proved very popular in Australia. After the New Zealand tour Miss Elliott and Mr Ritchard will go to England, returning to Australia next year for the Melbourne Centenary activities.

The Canterbury Repertory Society, which recently staged “Socrates” with much success, will next essay a draw-ing-room type of comedy, and it will then present “The Yellow Jacket,” that will sound a new note in stage productions in New Zealand. The play is of stylistic character, and the dramatists have closely followed Chinese stage tradition. “London Wall,” a play by John van Druten, in which the New Zealand actress Marie Ney made one of her biggest successes in London, is to be staged by the Wellington Repertory Theatre in October. The Wellington Operatic Society, which recently did “Miss Hook of Holland,” is to give a performance of that play at Masterton. “The Distaff Side,” John van Druten’s play, with Dame Sybil Thorndike as lead, is among Gilbert Miller’s plays now due in Loudon. Auriol Lee is to produce. Clifford Evans, Dora Barton, Alexander Archdale and a young actress from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art will support Dame Sybil. “Reunion in Vienna” will take Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne from the United States to Britain for January. Noel Coward’s keen clientele has been looking forward to seeing them in his “Design for Living” from New York. But that is not to he, says a London writer. Instead Mr Gilbert Miller will introduce them in Robert Sherwood’s success. Incidentally, he has Leslie Howard under contract for a new London production, while lie is taking back to New York Edna Best and Herbert Marshall.

Th© show girls in “Bright Side Up,” Ernest C. Rolls’s big spectacular musical production, were selected from over 1000 inspected by Mr Rolls in Sydney and Melbourne. Their appearance created something like a sensation when they made their debut in Australia and they have proved quite a feature of the production wherever it has been staged. The ballet is comprised of specially selected young girls from the principal Australian dancing schools and their work, too, is an outstanding feature. Clias. Norman and Clric Arnold are two versatile young Australians who went to New York and London and found success immediately. They played “ltio Rita” on Broadway, and then went to London and opened at one of the world’s most famous playhouses, the Colisseum. ' A brilliant tour of the larger cities of England and Scotland followed and a return to the best, known of all English theatres, Daly’s, Loudon. Just as they were about to sign a long contract, there came an offer from Ernest Rolls for an Australian season. The call of home and sunshine proved irrestible, so they contracted with Mi Rolls to open with his brilliant company at the Princess Theatre, Mel•bourne, in “Dick Whittington and His Cat.” This was last Christmas and so great was the success achieved by this clever comedy team that they have signed a long term contract with Ernest Rolls and New Zealand audiences are rapidly learning to know and love these artists; their comedy work in the brilliant musical productions now on a tour of New Zealand place them on the highest pinnacle of public approval, and it will lie a long time before these artists will be allowed to rdturn to England or America.