THEATRICAL NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19833, 31 December 1927, Page 8 (Supplement)

THEATRICAL NOTES.

PEATH-KNELL OF! VAUDEVILLE.

A very significant satement was made yeceutly by Sir Benjamin Fuller, governing director of John Fuller and Son, Limited, the firm which owns a chain of theatres throughout Australia and New Zealand! In saying that his firm would confine its attention in tho future to musical comedy, revue and straight dramatic pieces,* Sir Benjamin has practically sounded the death-knell of vaudeville as far as Australia and New Zealand ore concerned. It is all a matter of improving public taste. If ihe public still desired vaudeville entertainments they would pay for them and they would still be presented. But of late years, vaudeville has been flipping more and more into the background of theatrical life. It will always have its place, but as a complete form of entertainment it wa3 only a passing phase. It was a sort of relic of the old circus days when funny men made faces between tricks by performing animals and feats of strong men. It was all very exciting in the days when the theatre catered only for the few, but with the spread of education and the improved, technique of the theatre the taste for this form of entertainment is vanishing. It has a niche in picture theatres and will probably remain there. It still has its following in England, but the variety shows there are far removed from vaudeville as we know it in New Zealand. The leading London variety houses include one-act plays by famous authors on their bills and a certain continuity is preserved in the programme. So it is with revue, but plain straight-out vaudeville, with its wirewalking and atrocious sentimental ballads could never hope for lor.g life. Even in the English provinces large strings of vaudeville houses have gone over to musical comedy and the legitimate stage, Tho decision made by the Fullers may be a good thing theatrically for Australia end New Zealand. The popularity of such a piece as " Rose Ma.-ie " shows that there is a reaction toward simplicity and beauty—simplicity of story, of course, rather the.n simplicity of production, for the modern audience likes its plays lavishly mounted. The matchless music and wonderful characterisation in " Lilac Time" showed that the public will always pay for the best'. With further entertainment of the sniro ':lc..-s offered fcr the cOit.fr.tf year, U oaly /squires a h'tie mere co'ufv'u'iiKj in th>> staging of Dome ot' th<3 dr&naii,* masterpieces of recant years to inak« a great 'improvement in the theatre.

PLAYS AND PLAYERS.

For the fir.°t time since it was opened 84 years ago with "The Taming of the Shrew/' Daly's Theatre in London has presented a non-musical play. Tho consent of the trustees of the late George Edwavdes was given to tho production there of Mr. Noel Coward's new drama .'"Sirocco," and so bang goes another policy —for the timo being.

"Abie's Irish Rose" closed recently after occupying the Republic Theatre, New York, for five and |i-half years, and establishing \ vor'id record with 23i 7 comecnive pet' ( ornar.'bi. .But it ha;, not left Yak! liistead, tho company .has inched up to the Bronx Opera House. There Miss Nichols' hardy perennial will emhark upon what is properly knotvn as a® indefnite run.

The performances of Miss Renee Kelly in four light comedies, notably in Lonsdale's "Tho Last of Mrs. Cheyney," are among the most reassured memaries of the theatrical year that is past. Miss Kelly returned to England through America, and in November, after an absence of nearly three years, she and her husband, Mr. Hylton Allen, reappeared at tho Coliseum. Miss Kelly hopes to make another tour of Australia and New Zealand before Jong, and it is her ambition to appear in -?ome of the one-act plays o! Bftrrie and Milne, in which she has" Achieved considerable success in England,

The Australian musical comedy star, Miss Gladys Moncneff, ii to return to Sydney in May next under a two years' contract with Fullers to play in "Rio Rita," tho Mexican musical play, which hns had a phenomenal ran in America. The announcement has be ;m made by Sir Benjamin Fuller, who says that the contract with Miss Moricrieff wa3 signed in New York through the agency of Mr. John Faltar. • Miss Moncftsff was last seen here several years ago in "A Southern Maid" arid a revival of "The Maid pf the ■Mountains." Since then she has baen playing with considerable success in Englai'd and the United States. Ons of the most delightful young lad ; es that has over played load in a musical corindy in Australia or New ZeaJand, Miss Elsio Prince, will be seen again in Aiuklf.nd daring the coming year. She de" ghted ill who saw "No, No, Nanette" an-, "Lady Bfr Gioud." Since ha? return to Sydney she has been playing in "Archie" at the St. James' Theatre, and «t the conclusion of the season is to tour New Zealand in this and two other musical comsdiea, "Sunny" and "Mercenary Mary." Recently Miss Prince abandon**' a return to London in ©rdr* to - * umv <:•It • •• vi'-. \h-