Stage & Screen

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11435, 3 February 1923, Page 15

Stage & Screen

.Theatrical Pars and Movie Notes.

THE STAGE OPERA lIIH'SE BOOKINGS. Jau 27-Feb 17 Comic Opera March 7-10 N.Z. Diggers March 2P-29 “Sentimental Bloke'" Easter Williamson Company The joy of tho week has been the welcome reappearance of two warm iavourites in the persons of Miss Maud Fane and Mr W. S. (‘■Billy”) Percy, together witii a splendid caste, in the J. C. Williamson produeton of “A -Night Out," a musical comedy adapted from the French. Miss Maud tane. as Marcelle, was at her best, and she was encored again and again. “Avalon” and ‘‘Won’t We Have Fun” have already become popular. As Pinglet. the henpecked husband ("In the bath I look like a piece of Gruyere cheese”), Mr Percy warn seen at his best. He made the most of every point, and scored one of the most brilliant successes of his successful career. Hie infinite variety is generally acknowledged, and his popularity increases as acquaintance lengthens. And only of true artists can this be said. The company is a strong one, and the production and music all that one could desire. To-night “A Night Out” will be staged for the last time. It was at first intended to give a matinee performance to-day (Saturday), but in view of the M.C.C.-New Zealand test match the management thought it would not be quite “cricket.” and considerately abandoned the proposal. This graceful act will 1 doubtless be remembered. On Monday night ■‘Ob. Lady. Lady.” one of tho great successes of London, New York, and Australia, said to be a “regular scream,” will be staged for the first time. There is a particuarly strong caste, and some sensational dances and attractive ballets.

Mr J. Farrell is business manager of the J. C. Williamson Company on its tour of the Dominion, and his many friends in Wellington and surrounding districts are pleased to note that he has completely recovered from hie recent indisposition. Mr Scott Colville—who by the way had ft rather bad bout' with an old enemy white at'Wellington, but has now rwoovered —has gone sinflh with the Lee White-Clay Smith revue company, of which he and Mr Charles Bonner are joint business managers. At His Majesty’s Theatre there have been large and well satisfied audiences, and with high class vaudeville and musical comedy the management have placed a most delectable bill-of-faro before their numerous patrons. Included in a splendid programme are Walter> George and his Sunshine Playerv in tale anyiept and modern EgjjjH in -two episodes, ■•‘The Scarab,” with all the latest and .most captivating musical numbers, rare comedy scenes, astonishing dances, and a hundred and one novelties and surprise®; Harry North, “the concertina swaggie” ; Ruth Buck nail, Australia’s own prima donna; the Hilo Trio, Hawaiian musicians and dancers; Lea Bau Malagas; tne Andros, the funny man with the fiddle and the boy ventriloquist. For the usual change of programme on Monday anti for coming changes Manager Burton has some pleasant surprises in rtore.

Howett-Worster, who plays Sir Willoughby Rawdon in “A Southern Maid,” which Oscar Asche produced for J f‘. Williamson, Ltd., at Melbourne Theatre Royal, has taken to horseback riding, and finds the exercise exceedingly exhilarating, as well as useful in keeping him fit, in connection with rehearsals for “A Southern Maid.” Mr Honett-Worster is to be seen every morning, ..from ball-past seven to nine o'clock, on the -heautiful tan riding itmrse afong'Alexandria avenue on the hank of the Yara. He is delighted with his role in “A Southern Maid.” “One of the best I have ever played,” he said. “I like it almost as much as Danilo in ‘The Merry Widow.’ ” Benno Moiseiwitseh, the famous Russian pianist, who will early this year return to Australia for another tour under the J. and N. Tait management, wa." recently hailed in Paris as one of the greatest of all Chopin players. The verdict, which was the unanimous opinion of the critics, was humorously summed up by a writer in one of the smartest weeklies when he said: "Chopin has Had to turn in his grave many times, but that brilliant Russian, Benno Moisciwitsch, gives him no suclt cause. As an exponent of Chopin, he is supreme.” “Australia is ths place for me.” In these words that great Australian, Oscar Asche, summed up his contentment in being back in his native country. “f love the wide, open spaces, and the outdoor life,” said Mr Asche. "As soon as ‘A Southern Maid’ is produced I shall spend all my time, when T am not in the theatre, in the country.” To indulge his love of the out-of-doors when he was in England, Mr Asche purchased a woifilerful little farm in the CotswoJd Hills, in Gloucestershire. Every week-end was spent there. Leaving the theatre after the performance in his Rolls-Royce car, he would speed away to the farm in the hills, and would be ig by 3 or 4 o’clock. The farmhouse was about qOO years old, and had an interesting history. Ib is built of stone, with the roof of stone tiles. The beams throughout are of oak, some of them with the bark still remaining. The attic is a wonderful room. To he in it, Mr Asche says, takes one back to history. Even the barn and stables are of old oak. Some of the furniture in this wonderful old farmhouse dates back to 1647.

Following the “Forty Thieves” pantomime at Melbourne King’s Theatre, will come England’s notable comedy star, Lawrence Grossmith, who will make his first ajmparance in “Captain Applejack,” not “The Silver Fox,” as was previously announced. ‘■lt’s a big thing to say,” remarked Oscar Asche, “but tho production <>! ‘A Southern Maid’ at Melbourne lhcatrc Royal is better than the London production. This may seem rather strange, as I produced tho play it Daly’s Theatre, London. But the fact is, candidly, that til© Melbourne cast is, taking it altogether, infinitely superior to the London cast, V\ artists like Gladys Moncrief, Claude Flemming, Howett-Worster, Arthur Stigant, and others, the possibilities are all on tho side of an absolutely perfect performance. I don’t thin’k T could have got a finer cast anywhere. ‘A Southern Maid’ is a great show.”

Appended j* the east of “A Southern Maid,” which Oscar Asche pro-

duced for J. O. Williamson, Ltd. at Melbourne Theatre Royal lash Saturday night:—A. Howett-Worster as Sir Willoughby Bawdon, owner of San Paolo plantation ; Arthur Stigant as Walter Wex, manager of the plantation ; Reginald Purdell as Todo, proprietor of the Cafe del Santiago; Harry Hilliard as Lord Toshington; Robert Chisholm as Sebastian, a citizen of Santiago; Claude Flemming as Francesco del Fuego; Betty Lingard Us Lady Julia Chichester; Mione Stewart as Juanita; Nellie Payne as Chiquita; and Gladys Moncrieff as Dolores. There are three acts. The first takes place in the Market Square, Santiago ; the second in the Cafe del Santiago : the third in the Orange Grove, Santiago. The season of the J. and N. Tait pantomime, “The Forty Thieves,” is nearing the end at the King’s Theatre, Melboure. The pantomime will probably be presented in Geelong, Ballarat, and Bendigo on the conclusion of the King’s Theatre run. Meanwhile, the big show is drawing crowded houses at twelve performances per week. Mello, of Mello and Mello, who present a remarkable comedy-acrobatic turn in “The Forty Thieves,” at Melbourne King’s Theatre, at the age of sixteen years held the world’s championship for tumbling, turning a double somersault from ground to ground. There are still few acrobats qr athletes who can rival hi® feats in somersaulting and hand-balancing. Every day Mello puts in a couple of hours’ practice, even w-ben —as at present—he is ‘ giving two performances per day in the J. and N. Tait pantomime.

Since the statement was published that Oscar Asche had arranged that in the cafe scene in “A Southern Maid.” at Melbourne Theatre Royal, the refreshments served would be real, including the whisky and soda, wines, ice cream, and coffee, the J. C. Williamson, Ltd., management have been inundated with inquiries as to whether there are any vacancies in the company to appear in this production. .One applicant for a place wrote: “This is real stage art at last. Fancy quaffing a flowing bowl—whether it be wine or Deer —whilst the people sit in front with dry tongues; a®-is proper for good citizens* after - six’O'clock 1 This would be the life for: me.”, Lawrence Grossmith’s brother, George, was a lieutenant in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve during tho war. At one time he was sent to inspect same armoured cars at Coventry. He became very popular with the younger officers during his duty visit, on aorount of his merry; spirit and excellent fooling. Later a wire went from them to the Admiralty: ' “Your inspector most efficients, next time may we have GabyTtaslySPi ' Emelie Polini’s revival of “Eyes of Youth” is having a wonderful run in Sydney, at the Criterion Theatre. It will be followed in due course by the first production in Australia of “The Flaw,” by Emelie Polini and Doris Egerton Jones (Mrs Callahan), of Adelaide. The play is said to have a thrilling plot, with a startling denouement. In an article in the current issue of the “Curtain,” the writer says:—“The actors of to-day may not be so good as they might have been because of lack ot practice. What actor or actress at the present moment has the opportunity of playing many parts? Should a new player be fortunate enough to he cast in a successful play, then he may have to act the same part for one or two seasons, with the consequent result that he becomes stamped as a certain-part man. And so in the future the producer will generally cast him only in parts similar to the one which he has already played. Should his first appearance on the London stage happen to be in a silly-ass part, then you may be perfectly sure that always in future he will he offered silly-ass parts. How, then, can he learn? How enlarge hie career? How become all that he might have been?” “The Forty Thieves” pantomime at Melbourne King's Theatre has so far broken all pantomime records in Melbourne. Though twelve shows per week are being given, hundreds ot disappointed people have had to be turned away from eve*y performance. This has been called “the children’s pantomime,” for J. , and N. Tait have so framed their prices that children can see it for sixpence. Having been closed since August Bth, when its owners, the Melville brothers, made up a quarrel which had kept the Lyceum Theatre, Strand London, shut for some months, the Princess Theatre, Shaftesbury avenue, W.C., is to be offered by auction. It is generally understood that the sale of this theatre, which was huilt for Messrs Walter and Frederick Melville, was a condition of the renewal of their friendship.

Mr E. J. Gravestock has made definite arrangements with Jean Gerardy, the famous ’cellist, to tour Australia and New Zealand, commencing probably in Sydney or Melbourne in April. M. Gerardy toured New Zealand some twenty years ago with remarkable success, and ever since has been held to be one of the greatest living exponents of the instrument. Mr Percy Kahn toured England and Scotland with the ’cellist as late as last year. Sir Charles Hawtrey was in fine form at the annual dinner of the Eccentric dub. He told a particularly good story about George Eawardes’e most remarkable victory on the turf with Santoi. Edwardes was. never known to broadcast racing lips amongst his friends, and grew very weary of the chorus “I wish you had given me the word, George.” The thousand and first man who congratulated him on the result of the race said, “I am very glad, George, for your sake.” Edwardes, who hid away a gpod store of cynicism, said, “Yon know, T am very glad, too—for the sake of the horse.” Mr Hugh J. Ward (says a Melbourne paper) apparently believes that the spirit of youth is best left to youth to interpret, no the company he lias assembled to play in “The O’Brien Girl,” at the new Princess Theatre ia, with but two exceptions, composed of performers in their early twenties. Some currency has been given to a statement that at the close of his New Zealand season in Dunedin Mr Allan Wilkie will disband his company to take a holiday of twelve months. When this statement, was brought to Mr Wilkie's notice be gave it an emphatic denial. It is bis intention to lay off for a month’s rest, hut the company will resume operations in Adelaide next, month. Late American papers to hand an- , nouncc the death at Chicago of Mr

Frank Bacon, the American actor, who created the title role in “Lightnin’ ”■ (played hero bv Mr John D. O’Hara), of which play he was part author. Some wily sayings from “The Silver Fox”: — A beautiful woman is a more expensive hobby than old furniture. A honeymoon docs interfere with a man’s job. To the pure all things are indecent. It’s cosier to decide on a husband than a silver fox. My wife didn’t show anything like so much indecision about me.

Women arc capable of dying from sudden joy. Truth and a woman at tho same table! There’ll bo blood on tho board, my friend. Mr Owen Nares has just created the character of Mark Sabre from the famous novel, “If Winter Comes,” with the stage version of which he started a tour this month In, an interview with Edwin Dyke, published in the “London Magazine,” Mr Nares 6ays: “The character of Mark Sabre is quite out of the ordinary, and presents a lascinating study. It will be a very difficult part to play, .but I am looking forward to it keenly. Some readers of the book seem to think Mark would have beer, a little tiresome to live with, but I can understand the sneaking sympathy for his wife, whose worst fault, after all, was that she was conventional. Of course, the book has achieved a phenomenal success, but I think the secret must he the great humanity of the story and of the chief character.” A notable feature of the J. and NTait pantomime, “The Forty Thieves,” at the King’s Theatre, Melbourne, is the remarkable performance of the Continental comedy acrobats, Mello and Nello, who made their first appearance in Australia. Mello and Nello succeed in obtaining that excellent mixture of oomedy and acrobatics cleverness that makes their turn not only clever, but exceedingly humorous. A good story was recently told in a London paper regarding Mello, who is of diminutive stature, but possesses remarkable strength. Mello was standing just where a ’bus stopped, and the sudden jerk threw a gentleman of the fourteen-stone variety from the steps. He would probably have been seriously hurt, but Mello put his strength to a severe test, for he just caught him, held him for a moment in the air, and placed him nipon his feet! to the amazement of the passers-by. The next day the “Daily Mail” came out with an elaborate account of the incident, and Mello was a sensation that night at the London Coliseum, where he was appearing.

A cable has' been received to the effect that Yera Pearce, Australia’s favourite musical comedy artist, opened most successfully in the title role of “Sinbad the Sailor” at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow. Included in the east are Rex London and his wife, also Miss June Mills. The latter, an exceptionally clever low-comedy woman, is Dame in the production. The pantomime has been presented on a most elaborate scale,With all the dresses provided by the eminent costumiers, Alias. Prior to the opening of “Sinbad,” Miss Pearce received a very wide measure of appreciation in the Scottish press. Speaking at Dunedin at the close of the New Zealand tour, Mr Allan Wilkie said that although from circumstances beyond his control the four months spent in the Dominion had, from a financial point of view, been far from satisfactory, he hoped to return to Dunedin in U>24;‘ when in addition to hip present repertoire he would present four new plays—viz.-, King Lear, The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing, and Coriolanu9. He paid a tribute to Miss Dorrington, who, at the commencement of the present tour, had faced the arduous task of interpreting 10 or 11 characters new to her, and which she had played with much ability. Miss Dorrington was severing her connection with the company, and was returning to America. Miss Hun-ter-Watts, whose, health, was completely restored, was resuming the leading roles.

Maudie Vera, of “The O’Brien Girl” Company, at the Melbourne Princess, has taken unto herself a yellow-crested cockatoo of mature years and sophisticated aspect. This feathered phonograph has a fin®, bold flow of Aussie “as she is spoke,” that is a never-fail-ing delight to its vivacious possessor. “I can’t understand all he says,”, says Miss Vera. “For instance, sometimes he will suddenly call out, loudly 1 , ‘a dollar heads,’ and then a moment or two afterwards, ‘ Yow.’ I suppose it is something he has picked up in the shop where I bought it.” Since the opening of “The O’Brien Girl” at the New Princess Theatre, Melbourne, Mr Hugh J. Ward has received hundreds of congratulatory letters from delighted theatregoers who have seen that delectable musical comedy. The writers are representative of all classes of the community, from artisan and girls in shops and factories to the leisured rich, thus showing the embracing appeal of Mr Ward’s first venture. Though never at any time since he launched out as an independent producer having any doubt as to his ability to provide just the sort of show Australians like, he is delighted at receiving so many expressions of approval of “The O’Brien Girl,” and deeply regrets his inability to reply by letter to the various writers.

Ireland Cutter, who plays the role of Billy in “The O’Brien Girl” at the New Princess Theatre, Melbourne, s«iw a good deal of the “Diggers” both in Ixmdon and when he was fighting with a British regiment in France. There is one in particular he is very anxious to renew acquaintance with, Sergeant Ferguson. “He was in the next bed to mine at the King George Hospital in Stamford street, London,” says Mr Cutter, “and he .used to lie there end tell me wonderful things about Australia, From what I have seen of this marvellous country, lie could have been a lot more enthusiastic about it without exaggerating. If ho is here I wish he would write to me. I hope all the cities we play will be as attractive as Melbourne. St. Kilda road is the most beautiful thoroughfare I have ever seen anywhere. We certainly have nothing like it in London. My wife (Maudie Vera) is crazy about Melbourne; she thinks it is just Paradise.”

“My committee was so impressed by the novelty and charm of the ‘Canoo Chorus’ in ‘The O’Brien Girl,’ at the New Princess Theatre, Melbourne, that I have been instructed to invite the ladies of the chorus to a river picnic at Kew, where the girls will have an opportunity to try their skill afloat in real canoes,” wrote the secretary of the Victorian Canoe Club-to Mr Hugh J, Ward this week. Canoeing through the picturesque willow-fringed reaches of the Yarra is good at any time, but to ship one of Mr Ward’s dazzling ’damsels to play the role of beauty in the prow I Oh, hoy ! As was predicted, Arthur Lucas, the handsome juvenile lead of “The O’Brien Girl” Company, at the New Princess Theatre, Melbourne, has made a hit with Melbourne flappers. Already he has received scores of requests for his photograph from tremulous young admirers, who cannot see any reason why “The O’Brien Girl” should monopolise him. The admiration is mutual, as .Mr Lucas is even more enthusiastic about the girl 6 than they are

about him. “I have never seen such feminine loveliness as I hav% since I arrived in Melbourne,” he said. “Wait till you see the Sydney girls,” a pretty little chorus girl who hails from the oyster city interpolated, determined r.ot to let Melbourne get away with all the beauty honours. And what about New Ze.iland-