THE THEATRES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3869, 8 May 1928, Page 24

THE THEATRES.

SUCCESS OF NEW ZEALANDERS. ISABEL WILFORD AND HELEN CANE. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, xMarcii 21. The presentation, at the Prince of Wales’s Theatre, of “Square Crooks” has special inteerst for New Zealand readers because Miss Wilford has a leading part, which she plays with appropriately simple charm. This new play centres round two men erooks who have turned over new leaves, and have become respectable citizens, but the police still fee) it their duty .to keep an eye on them. Their downfall is nearly brought about by the wicked ways of other crooks who are still unregenerate. The play is a good comedy by J. P. Judge, and there is an excellent curtain every time. Laughter alternates with thrills and awkward moments. There is plenty of smart back-chat, which is hurled over the footlights in slick manner by Mr Bernard Nedell as Eddie Ellison. ■He gets his lines off to the tick every time in approved American style, and his performance as the leading reformed character is of a high order. Others in the cast are Olive Blakeney (the sharp-tongued wife of Eddie). Isabel Wilford (who has a pleasing part as Jane Brown, and who is on the stage nearly all the tiile, doing everything nearly, from folding up bedclothes to being in love with the second of the “ Square Crooks,” Larry Scott (played by Gerald Pring), John M'Nally (as Mike Ross, a crook who has committed a murder, and .is prepared to murder others in his desire to gain possession of a stolen pearl necklace), Clare Greet (as Bridget O’Rourke, a good-natured Irish landlady who looks after her reformed lodgers), Philip Carlton (who plays Hennessy, the detective).

The story is good, the comedy is good, and the play ought to run for months. If it doesn’t the reason -will be that there is almost a surfeit of crook plays at the moment. “ Square Crooks ” has had an excellent press, and the acting of all members of the company is praised. Indeed, surprise is expressed that the company managed to get so much freshness and charm into the hackneyed game they had to play-—a kind of hide-and-seek oyer a stolen pearl necklace in an east side New York flat between the inevitable “ crooks ” and the inevitable Irish detectives.

Briefly told, this is the story: Both the two “ crooks ” were young men who had determined to turn over a new leaf. One of them, Eddie, had married a nice goodhearted girl named Kay. The other, Larry, was paying court to Jane, a telephone operatress, staying with Eddie and Jane. She, like both her hosts, had been recently “canned,” that is to say, had * got the gate,” or been “ given the air.” sr, in other words, had been discharged. The pearls had been stolen from Eddie’s master, so that Hennessy, his detective foe, was certain to “ put it on him.” To make matters worse, Larry turned up to breakfast with the pearls in his pocket. They had been stolen by a friend who had been so inconsiderate as to die the evening before. The only difficulty was to get them back to their rightful owner. But for the time being Hennessy was too quick. How they eluded him, and the new use to which the carpetsweeper was put, and all the excitements that went between breakfast and supper would spoil in the telling. “THE GIRL WHO TOOK HER CHANCE.

The above is the introduction in a London morning daily to some extensive notes regarding Isabel Wilford. The writer says:—

‘ Behind the announcement that Isabel Wilford has one of the principal parts m ‘Square Crooks’ lies a little story of a girl who got her chance and took it. She was Tallulah Bankhead’s understudy in ‘The Garden of Eden.’ Few have heard of her. Still fewer had seen her act. Then one night her chance came. Bankhead could not appear. Isabel Wilford went on, and the audience cheered. That part of the story you have probably heard before. Fleet street echoed with her success, and ran front-page stories about hei. When Clayton and Waller followed ‘The Garden of Eden ’ with ‘ Sauce for the Gander,’ they rewarded her with a part, a small part, but nevertheless a part. She did the job well, and by this time other managers were displaying an interest in her talents.

"An offer came of a comparatively big part in ‘ Square Crooks.’ Now she is two rungs up the ladder, yet if Tallulah Bankhead had appeared as usual that ntal night in ‘ The Garden of Eden ’ Isabel Wilford might still be languishing in an understudy’s dressing room! ” TALENT FROM CHRISTCHURCH. . “ The Fanatics ” ran for. a long time m the West End, and was perhaps the most discussed play of the moment. It is all about sex problems, and the world w-ould be a queer place if the queer ideas of some of the young people—e.g., of the brother, the sister, and the lady friend—held sway. The author is Miles Malleson, who took refuge behind the ravages of the Great War to introduce from the stage some extraordinary and unfeasible ideas, most of which are voiced by a young man who has returned from the front. He preaches the gospel that marriage as a prospect should be tried and found satisfactory before becoming a boring actuality, and he martages to impress his young sister with his views. “ The Fanatics ’’ typify a section of the younger generation, together ’ ” “You may not agree with the play, but at least

- •‘•i.. . ■ . su. n was the injunction to the public when it was produced. So most broadminded theatregoers did go, and found plenty to talk about afterwards.

Since the beginning of the year the play has been on tour, and a New Zea-lander—-Miss Helen Cane (Christchurch) -—has been with the No. 1 company. It has had a good run in the chief provincial centres, and the company is now Playing m ana «round London. Miss vane has the pare of Gwen, the sister,

ulaying lead to Paul Jansell, as John, the bi other, filled with unorthodox views. Both parts are, of course, interesting to those portraying them, for the characters have big problems to expound. Miss Cane does extraorcunarily well for one so young, ohe has a most pleasing presence, calm dignity, and a beautiful speaking voice; she acts as one quite mature, and gives promise of going from success to success. Her future will be an interesting one to watch. a M- st ’^ ent , of tlle famed Kate Roi ke, Miss Cane does an excellent coach ft,«+ y an , <l Jt ls common knowledge that this well-known actracs is greatly pleased with her talented pupil from New Zealand. She will remain with the present company til] the end of April £v r PHv h . She join . tbe Batb ReperHer initial experience was with the Repertory Company at Hull favourable W ° r < WaS the ? üb^ect of much favourable and encouraging comment. THE BANGING OF BERKELEY. “Listeners,” the melodrama which pleases most people who like excitement advertised outside ?n a M M Ve ‘T^ y - T he censor b as listened to Listeners,’ the one Berkeley play not banned,” says one large poster “Bann^ r of t R iS i a, ? oth^anno^eemen t = banned bv f tlm e fii y ’ Dawn ’ has been oannea by the film censor; ‘Machines’ has been banned by the 8.8 C • ‘ L*sand see it a befo Ce \r ne * rly banned -’ Rush see it befoi e Montenegro intervenes.”