The Stage

Otago Witness, Issue 3802, 25 January 1927, Page 72

The Stage

BOOKINGS. PRINCESS THEATRE. Fullers’ Vaudeville nightly. HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE. January 25-28. —“Is Zat So?” Company. January 31-February 5.—J. 0. Williamson Company. . February 15, I 1 ?,' 19. —E. J. Gravestock Concert Company. February 22 to March 3. —J. C. Williamson Company. March 5-10.—J. C. Williamson Company.

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL' NOTES.

By

Pasquin.

The Princess Theatre offered a firstclass entertainment last week. Hector St. Clair and his revue company’s latest show, “Hall Marked,” was fully up to the admirable standard set by his previous performances—a fact which was -fully borne out by the attendances. The vaudeville entertainers also had some good material to offer. There were the Two Daleys (comedians and musical entertainers), the Bronsons (in song and dance), and Frank Rogers (the negro ventriloquist). In addition to these there was also an interesting topical film. The “Is Zat So?” Company opens at His Majesty’s Theatre on Tuesday, January 25. Richard Taber plays the part of Chick Cowan, an aspiring lightweight, and something of a “bonehead,” with genuine humour and a subtle insight into the peculiarities of the character. His manager, Hap Hurley, is played by Hale Norcross, with just the right touch of superiority to contrast most laughably with the. humorous simplicity of his charge. Barrie Livesey, as the drunken Englishman, who is reformed by the two fighting men after he introduces them into his sister’s home as butler and footman respectively, makes up a capital trio of fun merchants. Besides the excellent work done by Richard Taber and Hale Norcross, fine character studies are given by Barrie Livesey, as. Mrs Parker’s brother, Clinton Blackburn, Daphne Baird as Sue Parker, the badly-treated wife of Robert Parker; Mary Ellen Hanley, as Chick’s girl; and Maude Carroll, as Marie, the typist with whom Hap falls in love. Santrey’s Orchestra, which will be the first of the Celebrity Vaudeville companies to be brought to New Zealand this year by J. C. Williamson and Mr Beaumont Smith, will open its Dunedin season towards the end of next month. The orchestra has just concluded a phenomenally successful season in Australia, and it represents the most expensive act of its kind ever booked for the Dominion. Associated with the orchestra itself are Anna and Harry Seymour* a clever pair who add greatly to the success of the show. Anna has been called the- most delightful and original comedienne to leave her own shores, and she has an able partner in Harry. Supporting acts will include Yost and Clady, clay modellers, who present one of the few acts of its kind in vaudeville to-day; Estelle Fratus, the human mannequin; Jean Barrios, famous female impersonator, and the Stavenays, novelty acrobats.

Dorothy Seacombe. the young Australian who went to England with Lawrence Grossmith, and who has since appeared in London with conspicuous success, played the name part in “Aloma,” a much-dis-cussed drama of the South Seas. It is also a picture under the title of “Aloma of the South Seas.”

Mr Alexander Watson, the famous English elocutionist, well maintains his and he is one of the few artists that can hold and entertain an audience throughout a whole evening. His repertoire is an extraordinary one, ineluding, as it does, practically everything that is known in the world of English literature. Amongst his new programmes for his forthcoming tour of New Zealand are selections from Sir J. M. Barrie’s famous story “The Little Minister,” and Charles Dickens’ own arrangement of Sikes and Nancy, being thrilling incidents from “Oliver Twist.” This masterly condensation provides the reciter with some fine opportunities for powerful characterisations of the famous characters of Fagin, Sikes, Noah Claypole. etc. Shakespeare, Browning,' Barrie, Dickens, and Kipling will figure largely in the famous reciter s programmes, whilst many new works will also be given, including some by Drinkwater, A. E. Housman, etc. Since his last visit to Australia Mr Watson has been continuously engaged on tours throughout Great Britain. May Beatty is leaving for France at the conclusion of “No, No, Nanette” season in Adelaide. She intends to place her daughter in school there, after which she will leave for America.

Miss'Wilma Berkeley, of Melbourne, a cable message from London states, took the place of Aliss Jose Collins who was singing in the principal part of “The Greek slave, ■ in a performance at Glasgow. Miss Berkeley was an outstanding success. Richard Taber and James Gleason wrote their comedy, “Is Zat So?’’ which commences its Dunedin season on Tuesday, Janaury 25, when they were “disengaged.” They acted each scene with their wives also “disengaged,” and. satisfied themselves that'they had a winner. Mary Ellen Hanley (Mrs Taber), suggested so many of the love pieces to the authors that they called the heroine Hanley, and let her ‘play it in New York. She will also play it here.It was Mrs Taber who changed the selling of Is That So?”-to “Is Zat So?” Written at a trying time, financially, for her' husband and herself, she admits that she was a little superstitious. “Is Zat So?” has seven letters, she says. _ the same number as in “fortune.” As in the instance of “White Cargo,” “Is Zat So?” was hawked from manager to . manager who turned it down cold. ‘White Cargo” was saved by a young man named. Earle Carroll, who invested his mean savings and put the play and himself on the theatrical map. “Is Zat So?” got its chance through Earle

Booth, who has received astonishing dividends and the satisfaction of his name on programmes all over the world.

The idol of the “Is Zat So?” company is Bruco Walker, the small boy who plays the role of Jimmie with great success. He has all the confidence of a finished actors and the personality too. Bruce Walker is.the son of Martin Walker, who came out with the Vanbrugh-Boucicault Company from London.

Conjurer (to man from audience): “Open your hand and .you will find I’ve changed your pocket knife into a gold watch—now I’ll change it back again—” Man: “Don’t worry, -old sport, this’ll do me!” ~“A year before he died Liszt gratified my ambitions and took b0..t0 lunch with Wagner.” This statement is solemnly made in an article signed by Bachmann in public print. It will be realised how difficult the feat was when it is recalled that Liszt died in 1886 and Wagner predeceased him in 1885!

Seymour Hicks told the following incident, which occurred during his last tour of Australia, at a luncheon tendered to him by the Sunderland (England) Rotarians: — “At the Town Hall, Melbourne, I met 300 gentlemen in chains —(laughter)—you know what I mean—chains of office, and the Mayor spoke for an hour about me, finishing up by saying: ‘Need I say that' I introduce to you, with the greatest pleasure, this famous and well-known man. Mr Seymour Tich.’ ”

It is said that nearly 100 per cent, of the artists employed by Fullers are Australians. Mr Harry Nicholls, the comedian of Drury Lane fame, died recently at Birch Grove, Acton; aged 74. He was one of the camp of old warriors who served under the banner of “Augustus Druriolanus” from 1850 to 1893, in pantomime and autumn drama. Harry Nicholls is best remembered at Home for the admirable manner in..which he represented what was then called the “comic relief” of Drury Lane drama, and for his partnership with Herbert Campbell in the old topical duets of Sir Augustus Harris’s “Grand Christmas Annuals.” He was a splendid inpersonator of Cockney young men, rich and poor, but away from Drury Lane he played in everv conceivable form of stage play, and at Royalty, in 1900, anticipated Robotism in a gruesome mixture of comedy and tragedy, “The Electric Man.” *

A cable message from London states that the play entitled “Open Spaces,” by Mr Harry Tighe, of Sydney, which is being produced in a London theatre, is regarded as remarkable, inasmuch as there are only three characters. There are four acts, and the scene is laid in Australia.

At a recent production of Puccini’s opera, “Madame Butterfly,” in Prague, the title role was sung by a Japanese singer, Mme. Teko Kiwa. It is stated that Channing Pollock has set a picture value of £30,000 on his latest drama, “The Enemy.” Already £20,000 has been offered, but Pollock insists that the film rights are just as valuable as those of “The Fool,” for which a larger sum was paid. It is noteworthy that many of the big stage successes. when transferred to the screen, have been altered almost beyond recognition, so that, in most instances, capital sums are paid merely for the idea. Dorothy Gish, the actress, was ordered out of Hyde Park while being photographed for the-JBritish film “London.” The incident occurred last August during thq making of the film. One scene in “London” demanded that Dorothy Gish should stand by the railings of Rotten Row, watching the people who passed on horseback. For this purpose British National Pictures secured a permit from the Office of Works. A person who was described as a “dowager with a dachshund” saw the film people at work, and complained to a police inspector that two wire-haired terriers , being led by Miss Gish had sought to attack the dachshund. It is said that the inspector approached the film people and asked them to leave. Clauses in the official permits say that filming can be carried on only with the sanction of the police, the park authorities, and the military authorities, so that an Office of Works permit maybe overruled by a policeman, a park ranger, or a soldier. z

Two American film actresses were commuting. “Say, Maidie,” observed the beautiful blonde. “I heard a kind of rumour that you’d married again. Who 'was it this time?” < “Why,” replied Maidie perplexedly as she reached for her . handbag, “. . . half a shake, I think Ive got his card in here somewheres.”

Mlle. Eve Lavalliere, formerly one of the best known . Parisian actresses, but who retired from the theatre some years ago as a sequel to an unfortunate'love affair, has finally decided to enter a convent. She is now- at Toulon awaiting final permission to enttet/ a Franciscan convent at Hyeres. Mlle. J Lavalliere has made several appearances on the London stage. She had been engaged to Harry 1’ ragson, the Anglo-French comedian who was murdered by his father on returning from his performance at the Alhambra Theatre in Paris. In 1917, at the height other fame, she disappeared from Paris and entered a Carmelite convent in the Vosges, but. the rule proving too strict in her fragile state of health, she retired to a cottage outside the convent walls, where she resided for some time. Returning to Paris in 1923; Allie. Lavalliere spent her days in distributing charity among the .poor of Mdntmarte. The proposition to-build a new Shakespeare memorial theatre at Stratford-on- • ■*? n g l and, to replace that burned in March last, is progressing steadily. A -site has been chosen on an island in the Avon River, and architects in all the English-speaking countries are asked to submit plans for' the theatre. A subcommittee has been appointed to select the plan from those submitted, and it is hoped that the amount required for its erection (£250,000) will .be subscribed from . English-speaking peoples. Contributions towards the fund have been received .from King Fuad of Egypt, the Ameer of Afghanistan, the King of Siam, and Shakesperian students in Japan. ; There was a time when the word “pantomime” did not mean an entertain-

ment, but a person—a posturer or ballet dancer. That was very long ago, when dumb acting was greatly in favour among the ancients. Dancers like those we saw recently in Madame Pavlova’s company (says the -Australasian) would have been called pantomimes; and part of the word remains in “mime” or “miming,” terms which are used to describe the expressive acting of the best modern ballet dancers. Spectacular pantomime, using the word in its modern sense, arose in England partly as a development of the masques O£ mvthological beings which were favourite Court entertainments in Ben Jonson’s tune, and of the simple musical plays called operas in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. At first pantomime was a light dramatic entertainment with songs and dances. One of the earliest in London, “The Loves of Mars and V enus, was chieflj’’ a dumb show, and seems to have been almost a ballet. Pantaloon and Harlequin were introduced from Italy, where they were* stock figures of comedy. Some members of the Maurice Moscovitch Company were singularly unfortunate during their journey from Wellington to Christchurch, their trunks having been broken into and iflothes stolen. Mr Moscovitch, himself, has lost two pairs of trousers and the waistcoat belonging to a suit he wears in one of the productions, as well as a number of shirts, collars, and ties; and supporting members have been deprived of boots, cigarettes, and other property. The goods were taken between the time of packing in Wellington and tin- <• packing at the Theatre Royal. The matter •has been placed in the hands of the Christchurch police, who are making inquiries. WELLINGTON WING WHISPERS. (By Peter Pan.) January 20. Dear Pasquin,—lf ever a play was a success in New Zealand, “Is Zat So?” is undoubtedly one of the winners. There is not a dull moment; the acting cast is one of the best, and the whole atmosphere of the piece is humour, and more humour. It had its premier at the Grand Opera House on Saturday night before an audience that expected something out of the ordinary, and got it. The crowd chuckled and roared with mirth—the situations are so funny. It has a boxing air, and one scene shows a boxing ring. There is nothing to take exception to in any part of the play’s development. It is spangled with slang, but it is crisp slang, smart and descriptive, and never vulgar. . It is good, straight, witty comedy, an antidote to melancholia, even in its last stages. The part author, Richard Taber, is in the cast, in the role of Chick Cowan, pugilist, while Hale Norcross, as the trainer Hap Hurley, is simply immense. The boxers are introduced in the guise of footman and butler in a Fifth Avenue house, where the male head is a waster, ill-treating his wife. It is the brother-in-law’s idea to keep in touch with the down-and-out fighter and his trainer, in order to learn something of the art of fisticuffs, so that Nemesis may come to the erring husband in the form of a well-placed punch that will finish matters. The domestic scenes in which the boxers figure must be seen to be appreciated. A glossary of the slang accompanies the programnite, and its illuminating style is much appreciated. The cast is one of highest capacity. Barry Livesey as the bibulous brother-in-law is out-standing, and a small boy, Bruce Walker, acts with rare efficiency for one so young. The audience nightly regrets the last curtain, for the comedv is so delightfully refreshing and unusual in its clean-cut humour. The love interest is triple, for boxer, trainer, and would-be pugilist fall for charming women—despite their reiterated intentions to remain celibate. The comedy will be heartily enjoy ed in the south, as is the case here and in Australia, where it was a real laughing boom.

“Katja” (pronounced "Cartia”), with Marie Burke, and a new comedian in R. Barrett-Lennard, is to be with us on Monday night, so it will be seen that the dust will have no time to settle in the Grand Opera House. Miss Burke will also be seen in “Wildflower,” a revival or which is being looked forward to. Cecil Kelleway, too, is in one of his famous comedy roles, and a new English comedienne Babette Odeal, is to meet us for the first time. Noel Dainton. a noted Lnghsh actor Herbert Browne (who has been here before), Thelma Burness (she "as here last as the modern flapper eyeglass n all, with Pauline Frederick in Spring Cleaning’), Frank Hawthorne, and other well-known artists are coming to help Katja” along, so it will be seen that a real treat is in store for theatregoers.

The fourth programme of the Midnight Frolics at Fuller’s is going bigger and better than ever Clem. Dawe and his talented band of entertainers have, certainly caught public fancy, for packed houses nightly asemble to enjoy their programme of clever nonsense. They too are a treat for southerners to look forward to. 1 have mentioned before the funmaking and burlesque proclivities of Clem and his brothers Eric and Les., while their sister Dorothy has developed a sure comedy sense that makes the family reputation still more to be envied. Dorothy's engagement to Gregory Ivanoff, the violinist of the company, was’recently am nounced in a contemporary, and the marriage is to take place on Friday. The marriage took place in Auckland recently (according to an exchange) ' of Alec. Wilson, the popular Williamson manager, who is conducting “Katia” throughout New Zealand, and Miss Eileen Lunn, a member of the company. Miss Dunn was here last in “Lilafc Time,” in vvl.uh she was one of the Three charming sisters. ° THE CENSORS OF NEW YORK. A renewed outbreak of nudity was a marked feature of the New York stage season just • closed (says a London writer). It attained such widespread proportions, and received so severe a handling from critics of repute, that the Mayor of New -York was obliged to revive his jury of citizens for censorship. , . . . . ' . ’. I This institution had its origin two years ago, when growing aggressiveness . of the niide on Broadway led to a citizens’ jury of nine being formed

with power to condemn plays or passages of plays that gave offence. It did a certain amount of good, and then faded away.. Ziegfeld continued to “glorify American girlhood” in the Follies; Earl LarroH outdid him in the Vanities; the Hotiman Girls romped through “A Night in Paris”; “Artists and Models,” which e l rts .. ar< ? brin £ in 8 to London; provided a dazzlingly bare background for Al Tolson, the great American comedian; and many another troupe dared, week by dotted t 0 Cr ° SS the Uue that ifc not eVeu

This year the play jury has been flouted so openly that public excitement compelled a renewal of the censorship just as the season closed. The jury condemned a , r . e y u e entitled “The Bunk of 1926,” in which fig-leafed nymphs paraded the auditorium Tempting the aisle-seat dramas lovers with alluring beck and nods.” Another revile, /‘The Great Temptations, was allowed to continue with thd exception of one scene, with the result that the play jury was assailed bv the mw.r bhnki ng, an eye to other questionable scenes that remained. The from which the piece lecgived its name, were described by one t S i the nakedest of all the walking ladies I have seen upon the stage,” but in of scandalised protests the beautiful temptations continued their nightly perambulations. ° J "l hich Y as e< } l,ed “ an awkward, mpertinent, and guilty charade,” was cleared of charges that it was disorderly, Tbe . Sllan g ka i Gesture,” a drama that placed to great business throughout the season, and vvffiieh wasr labelled by the critics a raffish parable” and “a granhic exhibition of depravity.” Two other popular plays that gave' the jurysome heart-burning were ‘‘Lulu Belle kind’ll aS ’ a » epiC > miscegenation and d Sm l’ and /'Cradle Snatchers,” ni’ietv on desc L rlbed as “a gaudy improFdvffi'” Both i kempt Cartoon ’ a raffish peSSI. oWeVe ''' “ rV,Ve<l ,hc 4meiinn,l Ury . system >” writes a leading anT\n k' eV ] e "' er ’- seems to be a mess? nKvi - d play-going, play-writing, and Enni^ nS ~ a i t ’ t r I t el?d of a d »lb soiled, impudent, and idiotic season.”