A NEW COMEDIAN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22743, 2 December 1935, Page 2

A NEW COMEDIAN

EXPERIENCE IN ENGLAND “ Roberta ” does not exhaust the comedy talent in the ranks of the Williamson Musical Comedy Company now playing at His Majesty’s Theatre. In its ranks is a new English comedian, who, if lacking in inches, is said to make up for it in humour. He is to expose his comedy wares as the guileless Yorkshireman, Timothy, in “ Our Miss Gibbs ” to-night and on Wednesday afternoon. This is Freddie Foss, a comedian who has played in every town in Great Britain from Plymouth in the south of England to Wick in the north of Scotland, and who claims Durham as his home county. Mr Foss was actually engaged in London by Mr Nevin Tait for a comedy part in the new musical comedy “ Yes, Madame,” a piece which was actually produced in Adelaide a few weeks ago with conspicuous success. Mr Foss says he has been associated with the stage practically the whole of his life. To look at him this would not appear to be a very lengthy term, but he eays it is longer than that—and he knows. His experience has not been restricted to musical comedy. He has played in comedy, farce, revue, pantomime and vaudeville, and yet has no desire to play either Hamlet or Macbeth, which is surprising. To show Ins standing in the theatrical world, Mr Foss says he played Stanley Lupino’s part in “ Sporting Love ” at the London Gaiety, and has played throughout the provinces in such musical plays as “Mr Cinders,” “Sons of Guns” and “He Wanted Adventure ” {a musical version of “Ambrose Applejohn’s Adventure ”). In this musical comedy he played Applejohn, the longest part he has ever appeared in. He is on the stage for 57 minutes on his first appearance, and has to talk and sing most of that time.

Then Mr Foss is facile in revue. He has played most of the Bobby Howe parts on tour, including those jolly revues “ London to Bagdad,” “ Who Said That?” “The Bogus Prince," “Happy Days ” and others. Mr Foss, who has visited Rotorua, is charmed with New Zealand, its lovely scenery and colouring, and its “ homey ” people. -