STAGELAND

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 313, 2 December 1933, Page 12

STAGELAND

(By “Call Boy.”) The Palmerston North Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society contemplates staging two “straight” productions, either drama or comedy early next year. Preference will pro°bably be given to comedy, and the choice may fall on “The Ten-Minute Alibi,” which seems eminently suitable to undertake. The producer will be Mr F. Cousins, and tentative plans are that the productions should eventuate in February and April respectively. On Boxing night a Williamson comedy season is to open in Auckland. The repertoire will include old favourites, opening with “The Arcadians,” and including “The Merry Widow,” “Wildflower,” “Florodora,” “Katiuka” and “A Country Girl.” Romola Hansen and Herbert Browne will have tho romantic leads. Others in the company will be Eric Bush, Phil. Smith, Don. Nicol, Charles Albert, Eileen Pollard, Marie Le Varre and Oliver Peacock. “The Quaker Girl” has been replaced in Sydney by “Our Miss Gibbs.” Madge Elliott has the title role, Cyril Richard is the Hon. Hughie, and Gus Bluett is Timothy Gibbs. The two former are to leave for London this month.

Pantomime is to be popular at Christmas in England. London will See several. Julian Wylie, one of the managers so interested, is to produce four in the provinces. Playing in “All the Winners,” Ella Shields and George Wallace are still to bo seen in Melbourne with the Frank Neil Revue Company. The death oocurred in Wellington this week of Mrs Dorothy Fuller, wife of Mr Walter Fuller, Oriental Buy, and sister-in-law of Sir Benjamin and Mr John Fuller, Sydney. Mrs Fuller, who was born in Christchurch, was the daughter of Mr and Mrs G. D. Cameron, Christchurch and Dunedin. She was an accomplished singer and musician. In her younger days she was associated with the professional stage for some years, and during her married life in Wellington was for a time a member of the Wellington Amateur Operatic Society, having played the role of Casilda in “The Gondoliers” in 1918. Of recent years, although still devoted to music, she led a retired life.

The Hawke’s Bay Little Theatre Society recently staged three one-act plays. Probably the most enjoyable was “The Sacred Cat,” by Sleden Smith. “Suppressed Desires,” by Susan Clasped, was another well-acted play in which there was some exceptionally witty dialogue. The final play was J. M. Barrie’s “Roselind.” It is a pleasing little story of a boy’s infatuation for a young and beautiful actress. P. G. Wodehouse’s “Good Morning Bill” was played for three nights by the Napier Repertory Players. The Auckland Little Theatre Society has now been in existence for nine years and the end of that period will be marked by the production of “And So to Bed,” the Pepvs play, commencing to-night. During the life of the society some 33 plays have been produced. Mr Leo du Chateau is the Wellington Repertory Society’s producer for the 1934 season, following Mr W. S. Wauehop’s departure for England. Mr du Chateau returns to his old job, for he was the society’s first producer'. Though he has of late years been known only in “the front of the house,” he was for many years actively engaged on the stage. Mr du Chateau is one of the most popular men in “the profession.” “Ahce-Sit-by-the-Fire,” by J. M. Barrie, will be Mr Wauchop’s farewell production for the Wellington Repertory Theatre in December.

Three farewell conoerts will be given at the Town Hall, Melbourne —tonight and on December 7 and 9—by Dame . Clara Butt, under the management of J. and N. Tait. Arriving at Melbourne on December 4 are four English artists under engagement to J. C. Williamson. Ltd. These are Billv Milton, Iris Kirkwhite, Madge Aubrey and Edward Royce, junr., who are to appear with the musical comedy company a.t present headed by Cyril Ritchard and Madge Elliott, who are returning to London early this month. The new arrivals will open in Sydney in the first production in Australia of “Gay Divorce.” One of the outstanding features of the musical side of the performance of “The Student Prince” at the King’s Theatre, Melbourne, is provided by the Forty Singing Students. The newspaper critics referred, to them as the best male chorus that had ever been heard on the Australian Btage. After “The Student Prince” has finished its allotted run at the King’s Theatre, Melbourne, J. C. Williamson, Ltd., will stage for the first time in Australia “The Du Barry,” the musical play in which Sylvia Welling won star rank in London under the most sensational circumstances, • after the German prima donna, Anny Aiders, became ill and died. The role in which Miss Welling will appear is one that affords the actress outstanding opportunities for singing and acting. Her performance in London made her a world-famous star.

The condition of the stage in London is almost aggressively robust, wrote a correspondent recently. Not only is it necessary to book weeks ahead for many shows in the West End, but practically every a.vailable theatre in that quarter —and there are over forty of them—has the bright lights fully turned on. It would certainly seem that the English public, and Londoners in particular, are strong in their loyalty to the stage. Popular interest in acting and in the art of the theatre is very strongly manifested. For example, amateur theatrical societies in London, of which there are no fewer than 800, representing some 40,000 members, affiliated to the British Drama League, are making special efforts, this winter, to carry off the cup to be competed for at the national festival. In the eight vears since the foundation of the festival, Hampstead lias been the only London district to win this coveted trophy, and it is felt that the metropolis should be able to make a better showing. To that end the British Drama League intends, at its forthcoming conference, to debate the question of establishing theatres for amateurs. It. is estimated that there are more than 200,000 players of amateur status throughout the country. Affiliated with the league are 2500 societies, with approximately 125,000 members, while there are large numbers of village societies and groups continually springing up in every direction as part of the movement for the revival of a brighter rural life. A THEATRE PASSES. The Theatre Royal in Melbourne closed last night. “Music in the Air finished its run there a fortnight ago and on Saturday evening, following the precedent set by Her Majesty’s Theatre in Sydney, J. C. Williamson, Ltd., revived “Tlie Maid of the Mountains,” with Miss Gladys Moncrieff in the leading iwle. Tho passing of the Royal has excited widespread regret among Melbourne theatre-goers, for this playhouse has had an even longer career than Her Majesty’s (says an Australian paper). It was built in 1854 by one John Black, who had made a' fortune by carting goods to the goldfields. where fabulous prices were being paid for them by the diggers. It opened in 1855, with “The School for Scan-

dal.” A great feature of this production was the illumination of the theiitre by gas, then a great novelty in Melbourne. But “The School for tecandal” failed to draw the public, and in an effort to recoup liis loss John Black resorted to opera, with the popular Catherine Hayes and Madame Carandini in the leading roles. Then Lola Montes wafe put forth as an attraction. Then pantomime was given a turn. All to no avail. After a single year of management, Black failed, and the theatre passed into the hands of G. S. Coppin and G. V. Brooke. It was burnt down, and rebuilt in 1872. In 1874, Mr and Airs J. C. Williamson laid the foundations of their fortune at the Royal with “Struck Oil,” which they had brought from San Francisco. Since then-innumerable idols of the public, like Alfred Dampier, George Rignold and Airs Scott Siddons, have trodden the historic boards. i'