THEATRICAL NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19780, 29 October 1927, Page 8 (Supplement)

THEATRICAL NOTES.

BRITISH PLAYS FOR AMERICA. There are frequent complaints that the London stage is ruled by the American dramatist. However, it would appear that the boot is not altogether on the one foot. There is expected to be a large trans-shipment of British plays to America for the opening of the coming American season. About ten plays by English authors are due for production in New iYork. Perhaps the two most interesting, presentations in New York will be " Princess Charming" and " Yellow Sands." Both are characteristically -English. " Princess Charming" is almost back to the George Edwardes tradition, and that America should want it is significant. Incidentally, it is among the new musical plays secured for Australia and New Zealand bv J. C. Williamson, Ltd. It is thought that the;, majority of the London principals will travel to New York with " Princess Charming," among them Miss Evelyn Laye, the London creator of " Madame Pompadour," in which Miss Beppie Da Vries, the Dutch actress, will be seen in New Zealand next year. The cabaret revue, " Blue Skies," is probably going to be done in both Paris and New York. The idea :s to reproduce it with Mr. Jack Smith, " the whispering baritone," as the star in America. Mr. Al. Woods, the American producer, has secured a little " bunch' of English plays for production in America, including •• The Fanatics," which he believes will be a great hit there. '' And So To Bed, * play based on portions of the diary of PepyS. " Mr. What's His Name," with Mr. A. E. Matthews in the Seymour Hicks part-, and " Foreigners," Mr. Frederick Lonsdale's new play, are other ' English pieces to be done iu the United States shortly. PLAYS AND PLAYERS. It was stated in these notes last Saturday .that the magician and illusionist, Carter the Great, gave a . performance at the Parramatta Town Hall recently, when there was not sufficient people present to nay for the tax tickets demanded by law, and that, as a result, he was finel £5 for'conducting an unregistered entertainment, and £3 for failing to issue stamped receipts. The man fined was not Charles Carter, the original " Carter the Great," v ho played in Auckland recently. "La Mascotte," the delightful comic opera which was revived by the Auckiand Amateur Operatic Society last month, was given by the society in Whangarei on Friday and Saturday of last week. ~} e complete cast-, chorus and-orchestra made the journey from Auckland, and the performance was staged with the same precision -end attention to detail as it was in His Majesty's Theatre ->t was given a great reception, and the members of th« society were royally entertained during their stay in Whangarei. The annual play of the Auckland University College Students* Association, to be produced early next year, is imy in the City," a sequel to that, laughable " Tillv of "Tamaki," which was so successful a few years ago. The new piece is claimed to be complete with the same riotous humour that surrounded the doings of Tilly in the distant Tamaki, and it is said that her arrival in the city will rive the anonymous author plenty ot scope for local"allusions. Most tho cast that appeared in the first t Tilly will be available for next year s production.

An Arts-Theatre Club, a branch almost of five repertory movement, has been formed in London. In conjunction with sumptuous clubrooms there is a fine, modem theatre in which members can witness plavs sponsored by the directors of the club. The opening performance was Mr. St. John sequel to Shakespeare's " Merchant of \ enice, entitled "The Lady of Belmont." The action is supposed to take place two years after the famous trial, and a modern conception of how the lives of the characters would have worked out is most

interesting.

The presentation in London of E. J. Locke's play, " The Climax," by Mr. Guy Bates Post and Miss Dorothy Bruntori, was an outstanding success. Both these artists are well-known to Auckland audiences—few will forget tho work of Mi Post in "The Masquerade" and "The Bad Man." "An American actor and an Australian actress led the small but brilliantly equipped confederacy that carried * The Climax* to success,** said one London critic, and another held that there had not been in London for years a more moving piece of acting that that of Miss Brunton.

Strange are the ways of the American press agent. Miss Evelyn Bennett is a well-known American actress. At present she is playing in " Merry Go Round,'/ and her press agent has had published a statement that she has a miniature, merry-go-round installed in her dressing room to place her in the proper frame of mind for her performance. He adds that when she played in " Americana " she lined her room with American flags, copies t)f the American Mercury, and editions of " Babbit." He naively adds that on account of this peculiarity, Miss Bennett is thankful she has never played in " The Rat " or " The Spider." A New York critic goes further and congratulates Miss Bennett on the fact that she has not played in " Cobra."