STAGELAND

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 254, 23 September 1933, Page 9

STAGELAND

(By “Call Boy.”) Rehearsals of the play “Champion North,” to be produced early in October by Palmerston North amateurs, have been progressing quite well and good progress lias been made. The work is now in the final stages when the final polish is being given, and it is confidently expected that the production will be successful. The cast lias been well chosen, and Mrs S. T. Bristow, the producer, is feeling quite confident about their work. Several of those in the cast are newcomers to the stage, but they are showing promise that augurs .well for the future. Pour of those in the cast are in the current production by the Palmerston North Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society—Messrs E. G, Spraggon, C. Ellison, G. Simmonds and H. Palmer. Miss Norah Cowlishaw and Miss R. Skerman were seen in Palmerston North in “Nine to Six.” Mrs D. J. Davies is one who is now to Palmerston North audiences and the same applies to Mr Colin McRae, who is taking the part of a juvenile lead. His bright personality suits the part and his work is being well done. Mr Ralph Holmes is another who is faring well in the rehearsals. “Champion North” has a definite plot, but does not remain serious throughout. It has really bright passages with flashes of . subtle rustic humour which bring to it a bright and snappy air that sets off the rest. Much of the play is about dogs— it is, in fact, modelled about dogs of the better kind—and it is there that a wellknown prize-winning dog comes on to the stage in Mrs Ivan Wilson’s Scotch terrier. Mr Peter Dawson, the famous singer, is returning to England after the completion of his Australian engagements, with Mrs Dawson. 'the Helensville Amateur Operatic Society has had an excellent season with “High Jinks.” With the production of his comedy, “Other People’s Lives,” at Wyndliam’s Theatre recently, Alan Alexander Milne put a period to an absence of over three years from the West End stage (writes Leslie Rees in the Era). We are apt to think of Milne as one of our most popular authors, yet during that long period he has not been represented on the stage except by his adaptation of a children’s story, “Toad of Toad Hall,” and by a onenight production of “Other People’s Lives.” “Michael and Mary” was the last Milne play seen in London. The Canterbury Repertory Society hopes shortly to launch the experimental theatre —attendance at which will be restricted to members of the society and friends —with a performance of the highly dramatic play, “Kestrel Edge,” and an address on the idea of the experimental theatre scheme and developments in dramatic art by Professor J. Shelley. In the experimental theatre, the. society intends to give plays of artistic merit and interest that may not be suitable for public performance. In this section, it has on its programme two examples of Dutch dramatic art, one being of stylistic type, and the other realistic.

An experiment which the Auckland Little Theatre Society intends to put into effect during its forthcoming production of “HoOson’s Choice” will dispense with the musical programme which it is customary to offer between the acts. Instead, members of the audience will be encouraged to discuss the play among themselves and submit written criticisms to the committee. For this purpose, slips of paper will be distributed, on which patrons will be invited to write their comments. As there are four acts in the play, ample time will be afforded during the three intervals for" discussion and criticism on the play itself, the acting, and on the production. POPULAR ACTRESS DEAD. MISS BEATRICE DAY. After she had been ill in a private hospital for a week, Miss Beatrice Day (Mrs Wall), who had been well known to Australian and New Zealand theatre, goers since 1906, died in Melbourne on September 4. She. was aged 68 years. Miss Day collapsed while taking part in the dress rehearsal for the comedy “Clara Gibbings,” which began a season at the Garrick Theatre, Melbourne, on August 26. Miss Day was a graceful and accomplished actress. She had a beautiful voice, with notable clearness of diction. Her acting was impressively natural. In recent years Miss Day might have been termed the last of the representatives of the “grande dame” parts of 20 years ago. At the beginning of the South .African War Miss Day, who was born in England, was in South Africa, touring with the Herbert Fleming company. Tliecompany was in Mafeking when it was beseiged by the Boers, and it played throughout the duration of the seige to help to entertain the people. Between the end of the South African War and 1906 Miss Day played in London with Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, Sir Charles Wyndham, and other leading actor-managers of the time. She came to Australia and New Zealand in 1906 with the Brou gh-Boucci-cault company as its leading actress. She appeared later with Julius Knight in such popular plays as “The Royal Divorce,” “The Sign of the Cross,” and “Monsieur Beaucaire,” She was also prominent in revivals of “A Message from Mars.” Miss Day served in France as a nurse during the Great War. She is survived by a son, Mr Robin Wall, who is an orchardist in Western Australia. In recent years she interested herself with Mr Gregan McMahon in the repertory movement. She established a school for English diction, voice culture and other phases of training in the art of the theatre. Her latest appearances on the Melbourne stage where with the Gregan McMahon Repertory players in “Disraeli.”