STAGE AND SCREEN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 8 March 1930, Page 4

STAGE AND SCREEN

Two London West Kud theatres, the Globe and the Queen's, which stand Hide by side in Shaftesbury Avenue, have been sold for about £230,000. The deal is a part of the I'orttiiicnuiking romance of "Journey's End." The leaseholds of both theatres have been bought, by interests closely connected with Maurice Browne, Ltd., the producers of ".Journey's Knd," from the G.Q. Syndicate and Sir Alfred Hull. There will be no change in the management until the end id' the run of "The Apple Curl" at the Queen's and '•Canaries Sometimes Sing" at the Globe. Then Maurice Browne, Ltd., will take active control,'both theatres will be redecorated and modernised, and "Othello" will be produced at the Globe, with Paul Robeson, the American negro actor, as (he Moor. "My Old Dutch," a play that, was once the rage, and with which the inline of Albert Chevalier is inseparable, is being reproduced by George Marlowe at the Grand Opera House, Sydney. Miiyne Linton will play doe, the cosier; Lane IJaylifi will be 'Frb Tggins; and Nancve Stewart will be Sail v.

Ilerr Remarque, the author, of "Al Quiet, on the Western Front," has re coived £75,000 in royalties; £25,001 has been claimed by the Germai Government in faxes. He was recentlj injured in a motor accident near Berlin

A feature of the production o! Somerset Maugham's play, "The Lain of Promise," at the Comedy Theatre Melbourne, is the fact that, the wholt of the cast associated with Leon Gor don is Australian (says the Meluoui'iu

"Leader"). "It is one of the best allround companies I have ever known," said Mr Gordon. "Their acting of the roles could not be improved upon, and their team work and enthusiasm all through rehearsals were remarkable." "The Land of Promise" has given two of these young Australian artists their big chance. These are Mary Macgregor and Dulcie Cherry.

The Westminster Glee Ringers concluded their New Zealand tour at Blenheim this week where they gave several fine concerts before large audiences, They are now on their way to Sydney.

A party of more than 100 blind children were recently the subjects of an interesting experiment when they attended a motion picture theatre in San Francisco and "saw" an all-talk-ing production.

The experiment was conducted to ascertain the possibilities of talking pictures as a means of entertaining the blind. "The Virginian," a Paramount talkie, with Gary Cooper, Mary Brain and Walter Huston, was screened. Teachers, and a few of the children who could see slightly, distributed themselves among the totally blind ones. Then, when the dialogue was not sufficiently explanatory, those who could see whispered explanations of the action. The successful results of this experiment were plainly' visible on the bright countenances emerging from the theatre and experts have become keenly interested in discovering a moans of producing the talkies for the blind.

The Society of Bell Ringers of Halesworth, England, which has been in cxistencc since 1503, seems to be doomed to extinction, for the younger folk of the village arc said to he taking no interest whatever in their ancient organisation, refusing to join it or support it in any way. I suppose, jazz and the talkies must take the blame, as usual.

The Auckland Little Theatre Society are starting activities this year with a remarkable play entitled "The Man They Buried," by Karen Bramson. It is described as a comedy of fear, and is recognised as one of the outstanding repertory plays of the last few years. It is a splendid piece of work, and will cause considerable discussion. The taski is a large one. and a great amount of' difficulty has been experienced in getting together players to give adequate interpretation. However, the producer, Mr Kenneth Brampton, is satisfied that full justice will be done to this rather ambitious attempt. The season will be from 2nd to sth April, at the concert chamber.

The well-known American comedy actress, Edith Taliaferro, has been engaged by J. C. Williamson, Ltd., for a tour of Australia. Miss Taliaferro, who first appeared on the stage in 1897, won recognition early in her career in the role of Lovey Mary in the American production of "'.Mrs Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch" (produced in Australia in 1908 when Miss Ada Dwyer appeared with so much success in the title-role). Later Miss Taliaferro confirmed her reputation by her performance in Chicago as Margaret Grey in "Brewster's Millions," and then gained one of her chief successes in ' the title-role of "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm," produced in Boston in 1910, and a few weeks later at the Republic Theatre in New York. Two years later she made her first appearance in London in the same role, at the Globe Theatre.

In a dramatic outburst from the ! stage at the final curtain of "Divorce" at the Grand Opera House, Sydney, recently, Mr Richard Bcllairs expressed I his disgust at the fickleness of the J theatre-going public, who, he said, had I deserted the Australian stage and! abandoned Australian actors fori foreign films and American capitalists. "What do they want?" asked Mr j Bcllairs in despair, as the numerically | poor audience rose to leave the the- I litre. "Why can Australians not give their countrymen a chance? They are driving their own people to unemployment and starvation.

"The support we have had has been pitiable. We tried to give you good clean comedy with a first-class company, but our effort has failed. Last week Mr George Marlowe closed down the pantomime because Australians would rather patronise 'canned' drama than Australian plays." Australians seemed anxious to give their money to Americans. America received GO per cent, of the gross takings from "talkie" shows. Once the picture shows used to include "presentations," but now even they had been' cancelled. in addition the most recent tax impost of the Sjate Government had hit the stage heavily, and made it more difficult to make the legitimate stage pay. During Mr Bellairs's speech the audience listened earnestly, and at the conclusion applauded vigorously. ENGLISH FILM STUDIOS

"EXTRA" TELLS OF LIFE "We arc thought, nothing of collectively, and very little individually. We

lire a mass. Wo live nameless, soulless, mill even niiinlicrk'ss. We are just the crowd." An Knglish motion picture "extra," ii> use tlic American term, writes entertainingly of tlic Irinltt of tlic un-der-dogs in lihnlund. Vet we consider we are highly ini|iortanl to tlic lilins tlial need us, mid we g<> so far as to say dial, we liavc stolen tlie picture from tlic slurs. What would you liave thought id* "Intolerance," "Birth <d' a Nation." "Wlial Price (Jlory?" "Noah's Ark." "King of Kings," "North of :j(i, I'lie Covered Waggon," "Hen Ifur," "High Treason." "Tommy Atkins," "The Iron Horse," "Searamouehe," or "Four Horseman," without the crowds? Were they not the beginning and end of these pictures? Here are a few of our concrete complaints, and no single one of us can say Ilia! they arc exaggerated: First, the wages. One guinea a clay. Mean little paymasters glare at us when we whisper "Overtime," and launch threats at us, because they know we are unable to retaliate. Work is too scarce. Have you considered wind: we have to do with our guinea? First, our fares. No small item if we ure called lo far suburbs. In flic studios '|c have lo buy our own meals, (bus handing back a part of our money to die hand that pays us. Next, make-up. If either melts or is stolen or borrowed, or becomes used, and one is always buying it. Clothes. A very important and expensive item. T have known a girl work for a guinea and spend fifteen shillings on a dress wilb which to fulfil the job! "Go in fur coal." "Wear silk pyjamas." "Take throe modern bats." "White modern evening dress necessary." "Provide nlus fours." Tiieso are common instructions to fit" 1 written <>n our curds. Tliere is die very considerable item of "'loto'O'apbs. Wn ....■„ eo«itailed to have ohoto"T.'ll.V;. Wo doubt if lliov ;\ro ever u="d *•■ referred in otino diev are !•> Hi" files --bo* w<. must have diem all die atiino, ''Tr>M'-n ~<; vour nhotocraph—lpnvn i» half :> «W o ii TT., V „ Vflll ~;,.. fores of vom-self in ri;<Tp-n,if Mofh«s? O i l«orse» Tn n r>n.r? On f.h' e Alps?" we've 1>»'1 o'iv sav. ■»»"< hn S nnvl.ndv H s f„ne(l' Wi.;,.i, «f„ f lln will bo the first to set the glorious example?