The Stage

Otago Witness, Issue 3830, 9 August 1927, Page 72

The Stage

BOOKINGS. PRINCESS THEATRE. Fullers’ Vaudeville nightly. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. July 30 to August 19.—Allan Wilkie Co. August 20 —Jascha Heifetz. August 23, 24.—Choral Society. August 25.—Shakespeare Club. August 2G.—Scottish Society Concert. August 2 to September 2.—J. C. W. Vaudeville Co. September 19 to October S.—Competitions Society. October 20 to November 12.—Catholic Bazaar. THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL. By Pasquin. George Wallace and his clever company of revue entertainers continue to attract large audiences to the Princess Theatre this week. George Wallace himself is seldom off the stage, and his funmaking is always original and refreshing. He is one of the most natural comedians appearing in vaudeville to-day, and no audience can fail to be happy while he is holding the attention of each member. Marshall Crosby takes a big part in the entertainments, and Letty Craydon and the other ladies of the company and the Six Cuties ably assist. The Allan Wilkie Company has been drawing large attendances to His Majesty’s Theatre, and at the matinee on Wednesday last, when “A Midsummer Night’s Dream ” was staged, numbers had to be turned away. There was another large attendance at the evening performance. “ The Merchant of Venice ” was the attraction on Thursday night, “As You Like It” was staged on Friday night, and on Saturday the delightful pastoral comedy-drama “The 'Winter’s Tale ” was presented for the first time in Dunedin. Three performances will be given of this play. “ The Tempest,” “ Macbeth,” and other plays, including “Hamlet,” will follow. Captain Charles Nungesser, who was lost in a transatlantic flight, is wellknown in America for his appearance in Pathe’s film “ The Sky Raider.” To Heifetz, who has been styled the wizard of the violin, and who opens his New Zealand season at Wellington on August 11, with Christchurch, Dunedin, and Auckland to follow in that order, a new first sonata has been dedicated by Joseph Achron, the famous composer, whose brother, by the way, acts as Heifetz’s accompanist. “The Ghost Train,” which has proved one of the most thrilling of stage dramas, and which is relieved at appropriate intervals by adroitly interpolated scenas cleverly woven into the plot, will be brought to New Zealand next month, opening at Wellington on September 14. The Dominion tour will be under the management of J. C. Williamson (under arrangement with E. J. Carroll), and a comprehensive itinerary is now being arranged by Mr Bert Royle. the New Zealand representative of the Firm. When “ The Ghost Train ” was produced in London it electrified the theatre-goers of that great city. There are many tense scenes in “The Ghost Train.” The'height of realism is reached when the'ghost train is heard in the distance, while the frightened group of intending passengers shiver in the waiting room. The ghost train rushes by, the station room door opens, a white-faced figure is seen, a lamp flickers in the gloom, and tragedy follows. Rose Marie,” one of the greatest musical successes ever brought to Australia, will coino to New Zealand in October. It con tains beautiful music, many vocal gems, a well-defined plot, picturesque scenery, handsome and striking dresses—and the great totem pole scene, which is described as one of the most brilliant ever witnessed on the Australian stage. In this Stephanie Deste, and the Totem tiirls have achieved a success unparalleled in the history of Australian productions. , Maggie Moore appeared as Trilby and xlarry Roberts as Svengali in an entertainment called “The Trilby Burlesque,” at Melbourne Theatre Royal, rather more than 50 years ago. Many of the episodes were burlesqued (chiefly with a view to avoiding copyright difficulties), but others were taken seriously, and in both cases Roberts and Miss Moore showed greater ability than some of those who have had the leading parts in dramatic versions. On September 10, 1901, at Melbourne Princess, Miss Nellie Stewart appeared in "Blind Mian's Buff, or Her Own Way,” by that able American Clyde Fitch. A child part was billed in this way—“ Toots, Miss Doris Pounds.” Ever since Doris Pounds has been Toots Pounds. Recently Lorna anti Toots Pounds have been appearing together again in vaudeville in London.

The Garden of Eden,” adapted from the German play by Avery Hopwood, author of so many “ thin-ice ” American comedies, was produced in London recently Here is. one London reviewer’s criticism: “I consider it symptomatic of a dull foulness that has become too common in the theatre.. This play illuminates nothin'*; there is no veracity in it; it is vulgar in its virtue as much as in its vice; and >t offers an ideal of life to young and febrile imaginations which is mean and contemptible. It is the kind of plav that ought not to be written or performed.” Syd Chaplin, brother of “Charlie” arrived at Southampton, England, recently co.labor, ate with the Britis'h National Corporation in the making of a British film, and lias been engaged for 10 weeks at a salary of £30,000. Although it has not yet been decided what story will be filmed, it will probably bo a plav which has been on the Engli.-h stage for the last two years.

Oyer 500 voices were tried before the final 28 were chosen for the male students chorus in ‘‘The Student Prince” in Sydney. .

.The Auckland Music and Elocutionary Competitions will extend from August 22 to September 3. The entries, which total

well over 2000. include 26 school choirs anxl eight church choirs. “Not To-night. Dearie,” has succeeded “Getting Gertie’s Garter” at the Grand Opera House, Sydney. In thia Frank Neil production Marie la Varre, who has visited New Zealantl on several occasions, has a prominent role. Mrs Philipson, M.P., will not return to the stage, where she was popular as Mabel Russell, the musical comedy star (says a London cablegram). She says that, despite the attractive offers that have been made to her, she feels that her place is in Parliament. At Wyndham’s Theatre. London, recently, Seymour Hicks invited an audience of hairdressers to see his play, “ Mr What’s His Name,” in which he gives such a brilliantly amusing study of a man who has lost his memory and taken to bobbihg and shingling as a profession.

“ 'Wilxl Cat Hetty ” is the fearsome title of the Savoy’s next play.

Josie Melville is the smallest of the six little Mormon widows in the musical comedy “ Lady Luck.” in London. The well-known Madge Elliott is the tallest. They start and finish the line. In reply to Alexander Bakshv's analysis of his plays in a book entitled “ The Theatre Unbound ” the immortal Bernard Shaw writes discussing his theories of play craftmanship:—“ You will understand that my plays are not constructed plays: they grow naturally. If you ‘construct ’ a play—that is, if you plan your play beforehand, and then carry out your plan, you will find yourself in the position of a person putting together a jigsaw puzzle, absorbed and intensely interested in an operation which, to a spectator, is unbearably dull. The scenes must be born alive. If they are not new to you as you write, anxl sometimes quite contrary to the expectations with which you have begun them, they are dead wood. A live play constructs itself with a subtlety, and often with a mechanical ingenuity that often deludes critics into holding the author up as the most crafty of artificers when he has never, in writing his play, known what one of his characters would say until another character gave the cue.” Figures recently assembled show in an interesting way the extent of the home colony of the film stars in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles. The investments of the players in this suburb now total more than 10,000,000d01, roughly £2,000,000. The most expensive estate is owned by Harokl Lloyd and his wife, which will be valued at nearly 2,000,000d0l (£400,000) when all the improvements on £he property are completed. Second on the list is the estate of the late Thomas H. Ince. The hill-top home of Fred. Thomson and Frances Marion is valued only a little less than this, while the residences of Douglas Fairbanks, Tom Mix, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Marion Davies, Corinne Griffith, anxl Pola Negri are among the more pretentious. Yet none of these are gaudy in their splendours.

Tn Sydney it was said to be remarkable that Billie Lockwood could mimic Judith Anderson so closely as to be acceptable in her place in “The Green Hat.” Miss Lockwood acknowledges that she is a mimic; many others who are no more than that think that they are wonderful actors or actresses. A large part of what is now called acting is only mimicry (says “First Nighter ” in Melbourne Argus). In observing the work of three musical comedy actresses who were boomed in Australia in recent years it was clearly to be seen that Miss Blank imitated Dorothy Brunton, and Miss Dash and Miss Doublebank imitated Miss Blank. They had little to give except what they had derived at first hand or at second hand from a clever actress who had worked out a style for herself. Another musical actress of some note in a rather different style owes a great deal to early imitation of Florence Young. She has other natural and acquired gifts, but there are still many echoes. WING WHISPERS. -By Peter Pan. WELLINGTON, August 4. Dear Pasquin,—After the phenomenally successful season of the Allan Wilkie Company, the Grand Opera House now resounds to the unbounded enthusiasm of lovers of vaudeville: of course, it is first-class vaudeville, with the hallmark of Williamson’s selection, and each night since the opening of the season on Saturday last the audiences have been large and approving. Dick Henderson, the English comedian who made Royalty laugh, and who has been before Royalty by command, is an artist who does not depend upon make-up for his humour. He presents a clean, neat little act, and his comments upon things in general are always amusing; he is a warm favourite, and his mannerisms get him many laugh's. The dancing brothers Zenga are a treat to watch, and Phil Rich, aided and abetted by an American girl who was a beauty contest entrant in the States, puts on a rollicking turn in which he essays the role of an old man with young ideas; Colin Crane and Marie Lawton delight in songs, and Stella Lamonde is a soubrette who puts across a couple of songs neatly: Belmont’s Canary Opera is a surprise, and the rest of the programme includes a wonderful and sensational act by the Lee Sisters, and by Valencia, a Spanish daredevil on a rope. The season concludes all too soon on Saturday night. Carter the Great, the illusionist who is no stranger to New Zealand, commences a tour at the Grand Opera House here on August 19, assisted by a sterling vaudeville company. Carter is bringing with him this time a live elephant; the last time it was a lion, and he is credited with travelling with 31 tons of magical accoutrements and a large number of assistants. He is to introduce several new acts wth the ad of a Chnese girl and other ladies.

The triumph of Alexander Watson is indeed complete; he is still delighting large audiences, anxl there seems no limit to his acquaintance with the classics and with nmdern authors. He has an enormous repertoire, and his facile technique makes of each study a thing to remember. Tonight he is giving a Kipling-Dickens programme, and on Saturday night will present his final offerings from Dickens, Kipling, Barrie, Mark Twain. Shakespeare, George and John Drinkwater. The National Repertory Theatre Society is hard at work now on “ First Blood,” by Allan Monkhouse. The performances will take place on August 13. 15, and 16, and the cast, will include Misses Thyra Baldwin, Louise Hall, and Mrs G. E. Hunter; the males will be W. S. Wauchop, Vivian Rhind, lan M'Ewan, E. S. Baldwin, and R. E. Pope. Mr Harisou Cook is again producing. The final performance of the Robert Roberts Bon Bon Revue Company* was given in the Fuller House last night, and a large audience bade a regretful farewell to the favourites. To-night Clem Dawe and the Midnight Frolics return, and arc assurexl of a bumper house. Two Wellington dancers, Joan Beere and Jack Morris, pre at present meeting with some success in London, anxl are putting on. a dance turn at a fashionable cabaret. Miss Beere, who was an apt pupil of her aunt, Miss Estelle Beere, in Wellington, has taken the name of Desiree, anti is evidently staying in London for further experience in matters terpischorean. She anxl Mr Morris have appeared here with conspicuous success, and should «o far in their profession.

'I he next Williamson offerings will he Ihe Ghost Train' and “Rose Marie.’