STAGE SUCCESS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 28 November 1938, Page 3

STAGE SUCCESS

DOMINION BURLESQUED l “A PARTY FOR CHRISTMAS" AUTHOR NEVER BEEN HERE LONDON, 3rd November. ; | A bibulous New Zealander, reminis-j j cences of life in the Dominion and Maori songs are amusing London play-1 I goers at the moment. At the Haymarket Theatre, "A Party for Christmas” relies mainly lor its humour on I a Mr Fred Mathesou (Milton Rosmer) 'who describes himself in his less sober moments as “a Colonial soak ” and Alice Matheson, his wife (Sydney Fairbrother), a super-sensitive elderly lady j with frequent memories of robust Maoris and their music. The play gives an insight into the modern family’s reaction to an old--1 fashioned Christmas party. Into an [atmosphere of family quarrels and love matches, Mr and Mrs Matheson arrive !to spend their first Christmas in England for 14 years. ! It must be admitted that, with Ids' j frequent repetiti< n of an incident in ! t the Napier earthquake, when a lady |in a bath was unceremoniously preci-l pitated into the main street, and his , recollections of the Salvation Army in Auckland, Mr Matheson succeeds in becoming rather boring to the younger members of the family. Sydney Fairbrother gives an amusing interpretation of Maori songs, and her comment on the life in the Dominion is “very pleasant, but so different from England. There are no tabic napkins, | and so many buttons undone.” She 'sings in Maori, suddenly and abruptly, ! causing much amusement to the audience, but some concern to a young niece who does not expect s frail a lady to impersonate so virile a race without [due and proper notice, i Miss Fairbrother, who at 64, is one of the best-known figures of the English stage to-day, admitted after one of her performances that she knows little about the Maoris, “although, of course. I am very interested in them.” she added. “They must be a very fine people. “I am afraid that I have never been to New Zealand, but I have a link with it. My mother visited New Zealand and Australia 57 years ago from India. She toured both countries. Melbourne was only half built, and people in many of the towns were under canvas. My mother’s name was Florence Cowell, and she travelled in Miss Marie Du Gray's company. “One of her most vivid recollections of New Zealand was the pink and white terraces, over which she almost wept when she heard of their destruction. Of course, I am very interested in New i Zealand, and I would like to go there. ' but I am afraid that is unlikely now.” | The authoi', Mr N. C. Hunter, is ; the manager of the Regional Broadcasting Station at Belfast. He has never been to New Zealand. His material for the characters, “both imaginary, you know,” was gleaned from conversations with his brother-in-law, Captain H. L. Morgan, who commanded the Veronica at the time of the Napier earthquake. Mr Rosmer, likewise, has never been to New Zealand. “I know little about the country,” he said, “except that it is beautiful.”