THEATRICAL NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20112, 24 November 1928, Page 8 (Supplement)

THEATRICAL NOTES.

COMING PRODUCTIONS. His' Majesty's. December s—" The Midnight trolics." January B—Vanbrugh Bouccicault Cora pany. St. James'.

Now playing—Georgo Ward's Revue. December —George Wullaco Revue. January—" League of Notions " Revue. February—Prank Neil's Comedy Company. Concert Chamber. November 28—Little Theatre Society's triple bill (four nights). PLAYS AND PLAYERS. Mr. Alfred O'Shea, tho noted Irish tenor, lias been prevailed upon to desert Ihe concert platform for a brief season and to sing at tho Prince Edward Theatre, Sydney, in a stage introduction to the film, " Two Lovers." Tho next concert attraction for Australia and New Zealand will bo a furies nf concerts, entitled " One Hundred Years i'f Kong," by Madamo Evelyn Scotney, a*. lio will tour under tho management of Messrs. J. and N. Tait. She will sing songs ranging from those immortalised by Jennv Lim] 1o tho most outstanding of modern compositions.

,\ plav fo bo presented in tho Jiittlo Thcatro Society s triplo bill is " Maid of Franco," by' Harold Brighouso. Tho following players will tako part in the production: Jetinno D'Arc ----- Yjolitulo Mc\ eairli J-tlnncho Beryl Pnul F. AV Barker Krcil John Stewart (.ierald - Harold Haines

" Tlio Coy Comes Home," a one-act pby, liy A. A. Milne, will bo presented in a triple bill by the Little Theatre Society at the Concert Chamber for a season of four nights commencing ou .November 2G. Following is the cast: —■

Uncle Jiiniea - Zanta Mood I'hillip - - Roberts Pole Aunt. Emily - Sii3nn Moncricf MeC'allum Jlnry .... .... Cherry Anderson Mrs. Hiiuings Ailsa Uackct

■Returning from u holiday trip round tlio world, 1110 popular Fuller comedian, Mr. Jim Gerald, is not greatly impressed with tho American theatre. Ho saw legitimato drama, musical comedies and talking films, and was not inclined to rave abftut any of then). Mr. Gerald is now organising a new revuo company, which will open in Australia shortly, and, in time, visit New Zealand. His return to tlio Dominion will be most welcome.

Few of tho many New Zealanders who are looking forward keenly to tho coming four of the Dominion by tlio company headed by Miss Irene Varibrugli aod Mr. Dion Eouccicault would credit that the celebrated Loudon actress was onco associated with Mr. Charles Chaplin in a performance before Royrjty. This was in :i9oo, when Miss Vanbrugh and the famous film comedian played in " The Painful Predicament of Sherlock Holmes " as n. curtain-raiser at tho Duke of York's Theatre.

It would appear that Mr. Ashley Dukes has been most successful with his dramatised version of Fcuchtwanger's great, novel, " Jew Suss." The play has been completed, and is shortly to be presented in London by Mr. Muthcson Lang. So great was the admiration of Fcuchtwangcr for tho work of Mr. Dukes that lie is anxious to translate the play into German. This is a great compliment to tho English version, as " Jew Suss" was originally written by tho German author as a play. Tho novel really camo later.

Tri addition (o Mr. Zante Wood, who will play Uncle James in Milne's " The Boy Conies Home," several other new amateur players will be introduced to Auckland audiences with the production of ♦ho Little Theatre Society's triple bill of one-act plays next Wednesday. Mr. Fred. Barker, already popular with radio listeners, will play Paul, the French soldier, in Brighouse's " Maid of France," and in the same play Mr. Harold Haines will make his first appearance with the society as Gerald, the English officer. Some Cockney comedy will fall to the lot of Mr. John Stewart, whoso Hev. William Dyke, in " Outward Bound," was a fine pieco of work.

Having completed a long and successful season in Brisbane, the " Midnight Frolics," peer of rcvuo companies, nro at, present (ho attraction at the Tivoli Theatre, Sydney. Their season there will bo short, as arrangements have been completed for the opening of the New Zealand tour,' after an absence of two years, nt His Majesty's Theatre on Wednesday, December 5. Mr. Clem Dawe, that inimitable and irrepressible comedian, will head n duo .company, including Mr. Eric Fdkle.v, Mr. Oscar Beck, Mr. Gregory 1 van off, Mr. Lcs White, Miss Phyllis lAruery, and Miss Dorothy White, all of whom wero members of tho company which mado theatrical history in New Zealand. Few theatrical companies could have met adversity with tho wonderful determination to win that characterised the work of tho " Midnight Frolics" at tho timo of tho Opera House fire. It is doubtful whether Mr. Alec Regan and Mr. Roland Stafford, who with Air. Dawe mado the wonderfully popular trio during the last visit, will tour New Zealand this time, but an undoubted attraction should he a jnz/ baud of 12 performers. Other new members of tho company are Miss Lilian Crisp, recently with the J. C. Williamson Gilbert and Sullivan Company, Mis 3 Gertio Cromer, a young comedienne, and Mr. William Pcrryrnan.