LONDON GOSSIP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23005, 5 April 1938, Page 15

LONDON GOSSIP

TALK /OF NEXT WAR MR RAID WARDENS SOUGHT NOEL COWARD'S FIRST NIGHT NEW AMERICAN AMBASSADOR [from OUlt OWN correspondent] / LONDON, March 10 For the first time in 20 years, talk of va r was taken to heart this week in London and throughout the country. Previously, "the next war" had been merely a topic of conversation. But jjorr Hitler's march into Austria, the air raids on Barcelona, the Polish threat to Lithuania and Sir Samuel Hoare's appeal for 1,000,000 air raid wardens caused an extremely serious view to be tnken of the/position. Only a few months ago, a request for air raid volunteers was met almost casually. This week it was different. Q'he Englishman, whose nature it is to fhirk all things savouring of military duty when he can find an appropriate excuse, showed that, conversely, lie is not . backward when lie is convinced that action is necessary.

Volunteers flocked to local centres in London and throughout the country. There was a definite movement toward territorial enlistment. Impetus was given, in addition, by realistic illustrations in the daily papers advising householders of measures which should be taken as a'precaution against gas. Discussion over Foreign Policy Toward the end "of a week lull of alarms and excitements there was a gradual abatement of war-scare fever. It then began to appear that Sir Samuel had astutely selected an appropriate moment to buijd up the ranks of air raid wardens, that the City—where market prices have been slack and the atmosphere glum for months past —was recovering from its latest fit of the jitters, and that, anyway, there was not going to be a war, at least not just jet. Interest then began to swing round to the Socialist, Liberal and other o]>position sections who were preparing to tpcak their minds plainly at the weekend about the Chamberlain policy, a nVject of bitter dissension. Meanwhile London's life .lowed on, and one of the non-political events to urouse widespread interest was the first Eight of-Mr. Noel Coward's new "Opcrette." There were some who remembered another o'.casion of national excitement when Mr. Coward produced a new play—"Cavalcade" Celebrities Witness "Operette"

For "Opere'tte'' there was one of those glamorous first nights which Lonccn is said to do.far better than any other capital, including i'aris and New iYork. The audience was packed with celebrities of every kind, socialities mingling with stage and screen stars. ■>: The piece dealt with the carelree days of London somewhere about 11'06, when Piccadilly still had hansom cabs and women had wtfsp waists. It was received in the theatre as the majority of plays are received in London • 011 the first night—with rapturous applause. It was the reaction of the critics which proTided much of the subsequent interest. Some applauded incontinently, some *ere tactful.Others said what they really thought.

of the. latter type wrote: "MrNoel Coward is a young man with a brilliant past before him. He has won bo many glittering prizes that ho apparently imagines'he has only to stretch out a languid hand nml take the rest of thorn from the shelf. Those of us who had vaguely hoped for something more than mere cleverness from this intolerably clever young man had our minds set at rest when 'Operette' was produced at His Majesty's Theatre. This charming, . whimsical, pretentious snd utterly -empty piece of work is merely another proof that .Mr. Coward has gone on talking so long tluit he : has forgotten the need of something / to say." / Mr. Joseph Kennedy in London ,'Tho arrival of a new American .Ambassador in London is naturally the f subject of comment from many angles. ' Coming ;it a moment when the AngloAmerican talks are a chief topic of conversation in the two countries, Air. .Joseph Kennedy was inevitably a centre o| attract ion when lie took over the American Embassy in Princes Gate. At the same time, it is no exaggeration to say that the subsequent arrival of his wife and five of nine of his child* ren caused almost as much attention •**}■ be turned toward the Embassy as ms own. The children's ages range from IS to 6. It is r orecast. that the Embassy will - pe turned into one of the jolliest homes m London/ Both Mr. and Mrs. Ken- ' ?? f l v are devoted to the family. Mrs. ■Kennedy is so ynunc in appearance that many people confess to mistnkinti her for one 0/ her eldest daughters. Extra -Servants have been engaged with a nurse and a governess to look after the -lounger children.