"WHITE HORSE INN"

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22825, 9 March 1936, Page 3

"WHITE HORSE INN"

FORTHCOMING PRODUCTION The box plans will be opened to-mor-row morning at 9 o'clock at the D.I.C. for tlie approaching presentations of the J. C. Williamson Ltd. musical production, "White Horse Inn," the brief season of which will be inaugurated by a gala performance at His Majesty's Theatre on Saturday night next. "White Horse Inn" is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular musical plays the Englishspeaking stage has ever created, and it could not possibly be toured through New Zealand without two complete revolving stages and other duplicate sets of effects. Playgoers can rely on peeing a production that is in no way inferior to the presentation at the Coliseum. London. The one feature that the Coliseum had to offer which surpasses the resources of local theatres is the greater extent of stage space available for representing the vistas of Austrian Alps in the background. Yet from one point of view that advantage was really a disadvantage, for the immensity of the scenic effects emphasised the narrowness of the strip of stage near the footlights on which the nctors and the chorus have to carry on their business. The stage settings give an ample impression of distance by very simple means, and the whole effect is kept in better proportion. The production here will be an exact replica of that which created a profound sensation in Sydney. Miss Romola Hansen has achieved her best success in the role of Josepha, eclipsing even her brilliant representation of Sonia in "The Merry Widow." Alfred Frith, the comedian of "Coin' Up," and Don Nicol, who last appeared hove with the J. C. Williamson Musical Comedy Company, both create much merriment in their respective roles, and Alban Mark' and the English actress Miss Marie Conan are outstanding figures in "White Horse Inn." Mr Herbert Browne and Miss Mariam Lester have delightful musical numbers allocated to their roles, and Colin Crane is said to be brilliant in the role of the Emperor Franz Josef. The cast, which is a very long one, also includes Charles Albert, Loanrie Battye and Leah Miller.