THE STAGE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11251, 1 July 1922, Page 10

THE STAGE

Mr Charles Berkeley, who is heralding the record-breaker, "The Maid of the Mountains'* (Wellington opening tonight), throughout New Zealand, and who was also associated with its Melbourne run, gives an interesting list of the records achieved i by other famous musical performances in Melbourne, in which ‘ The Maid" eclipses all others by a big margin: “Floroaora/' 16 weeks; “Going Up," 15 weeks; “Forty Thieves/' L 4 weeks; "Katinka," IS weeks* “Our Miss Gibbs," 12 weeks; and last, but not least, "The Maid of the Mountains," 2il weeks. I honestly believe says Mr Berkeley, that "The Maid" could easily have added another two months to its already phenomenal run, for up to the final performance the plans arrived back from the box office nightly fully booked, not one seat being returned for sale at the doors, with the exception of the gallery, which had to be opened up nightly at 5 o'clock to relieve the congestion of waiting crowds. Arthur Stigant, whose dialogue with Gladys Moncrieff (as Governor and captured brigandess) is said to be one of the brightest hits in "The Maid of the Mountains," is an actor whose humour never seems to grow stale. He puts a delightful freshness into his courtship of the so-called widow (Mione Stewart) and his passage-at-arms ■with Gladys Moncrieff.

Wellington is awaiting with much interest the appearance of Mies Mione Stewart in "The Maid, of the Mountains/' Miss Stewart lived for years in the .Dominion, and will be remembered, as the daughter of Mr Richard Stewart, who piloted many successes for the firm through New Zealand. This charming little lady has more than fulfilled the great promises that were perdicted for her, and her work in “The Maid" shows many touches of brilliant comedy. The stage jottings for "The Maid of the Mountains" involved an enormous amount of labour. "Indeed," said the head of the mechanical staff, "we have used a mile of canvas and nearly a ton of paint." The first act is the brigands stronghold in the mountains, and includes an immense amount of build-up material representing tn« huge cave in the mountain-side, with piles of boulders and giant rocks flanking it, and a deep ravine in the centre, the latter necessitating cutting away the. greater portion of the 6tage. The second act is the courtyard of the castle of Santo, whicn is also of elaborate construction. The third act is on an island. The production is an enormous one, and requires throe times the ordinary staff to%erect and remove it.

The success of Gladys Moncrieff, whose stago career has reached Tcs pinnacle in ‘The Maid of the Mountains, has acted as a stimulus to girls not only in Australia, but in New Zealand, where there are numbers anxious to embrace a stage career. Miss Moncrieff's success,, which has been achieved, by sheer ability, has plainly indicated that there are plenty of opportunities on the Australian stage. This is the cast of the Original Abbey Theatre Company in "The White-headed Boy," at the Melbourne Theatre Royal: —Joan Sullivan, as Hannah; Maureen Delaney, as Mrs Geoghegan; Nora Desmond, as Kate Geoghegan; Margaret Dunne, as Jane Geoghegan; J. A. O'Rourke, a© Donough Brosnan* May Fitzgerald, as Baby; Mario O'Neill, as ‘ Aunt Ellen; Sydney Morgan, as George Geoghegan; Arthur Shields, as Denis Geoghegan; Gertrude Murphy, as Delia )uffy; Harry Hutchinson, as Peter Geoghegan; lArtbujr Sinclair, as John Duffy. There are three acts in thU rer markable comedy, which is said to prei sent the finest character acting ever seen | on the stage. • George Gee's dressing in "A Little ! Dutch Girl" at Melbourne’ Her Majesty’s is an illustration of the comedian's thoroughness in detail. In his eccentric dance, 'Tired/' he comes on dres6od in an old, dusty dinner suit, with every appearance of his having walked miles along hot country roads, and his antics in this dance are unforgettable. Mr Gee : was asked whether he practised his dance !or took other measures to keop "fit v " in i view of the great deal of physical energy ho had to expend at every performance. His reply was that he really did not require anv more exercise than the dancing he performed in the production. "As regards dieting and exercising to keep fit," lie replied, "I haven't the opportunity to get fat. My dancing keeps me thim Sometimes I really wish, that l could go into the country, and have a real good rest, so that I might be able to put on weight and see myself without the aid of a magnifying glass/' It is over two years ago that Emoue Polini, after her marriage, Tetired with her husband. Lieutenant Ellis, into private life. Since her return to the stage in "My Lady's Dress," Miss Polini has secured & firmer hold than ever <xn the affections .of playgoers, and her Sydney season in Nthis play was in the nature of a prolonged triumph. Before very long, Mica Polini will be back In Melbourne, where she made her first Australian appearance, and playgoers will have the opportunity of seeing her in "My Lady's Dress, in which she is said to have achieved her biggest success. Associated with her will be that popular leading man, Frauk Harvey. Maire O’Neill, who is the leading lady of "The White-headed Boy," makes an unforgettable picture of Aunt Ellen in the whimsical comedy. This character eho has played almost without a break for six years, and. it might bo thought that excessive familiarity with the role would tend to make her mechanical in it. But this is not so, for the actress delights in her part, and never falls short of her best. Maire O'Neill is a sister of Sara Allgood, famed throughout Australia for / her '‘Peg o' My Heart," and now appealing with success in London

The Uugliah principals to appear in the J. C. Williamson revue, "The Peep Show," include Kathlyn Hilliard, a talented soprano, who has been ploying the lead in "The Beggars' Opera/ which has been running at the Lyrio Theatre, Hammersmith, London, for over two years. The J. C. Williamson, Ltd,, production of "A Night Out," at His Majesty’s, Sydney, continues to score heavily with Press and public alike. The "Sunday Sun," for example, expressed the opinion that "Sydneysiders would rogarj the disbandment of "A Night Out" with more dismay than the disbandment of the Verbrugighcn Orchestra/' The "Sunday Times" described bow it "excited a crowded house into convulsions." The "Sydney Morning Herald" said; that it “was produced to uproarious laughter," and described it as "most hilariously joyful." "A Night Out" ran for eighteen weeks in Melbourne, and it will be interesting to see whether this record will be broken in Sydney.

Bert Crawford, of the Humphrey Bishop Company at Melbourne King's Theatre, woo nos created something of a sensation with his wonderful drumming, was bom in Auckland and'first learned to play the drums when lie joined the New Zealand forces during the war. He was sent to Samoa, anu on being invalided back, became a professional drummer. It is a great credit to Mi* Crawford's perseverance and ability that in such a comparatively short time ho lias become the foremost jazz drummer in this country. He has toured all through the Far Elast with Die Humphrey Bishop Company, and many t»f his weird instruments were gathered in out-of-the-way places in the native quorate of China and Japan-