The Stage

Otago Witness, Issue 3911, 26 February 1929, Page 70

The Stage

DATES PENCILLED. HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE. February 27 to March 15.—Midnight Frolics Company. March 16 to 27. —Vanbrugh-Bouclcault Coy March 30 to April 20. —Allan Wilkie Shakespearian Company. THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL. By Pasquik. Frank O’Brian’s Revellers, now in their fifth week at the Princess Theatre, are a clever combination, md the snappy items which make the show follow one another with no delay. Frank O’Brian (Ginger),. the main comedian, appears in song, sketch, and dance, and always with wonderful success. Joe Hudson is another comedian, and he and Ginger figure in most items on the programme, and keep things going with great zest. Vasco’s ’Varsity Boys’ Jazz Band plays many fine selections. Janice Hart, Marie Ward, Mabelle Morgan, Bert Lee, Gordon Noryille, and Ernie Brooks also supply pleasing. items. Special mention should be made of the work of the ballet girls.

Frank O’Brian’s will continue at the Princess Theatre for a week or two. The appearance of the ConnorsPaul Revue Company has been postponed in the meantime.

The Dunedin season of the “Midnight Frolics ” Revue and Pantomime Company will open at His Majesty’s on Wednesday night. Headed by the celebrated Clem Dawe and Eric Edgley, and including Gregory Ivanoff, Lilian Crisp. Oscar Beck. Gertrude Cremer, William Perryman, Phyllis Amery. Les White, Doris White, and others, the company is strong in comedians, dancers, singers, and artists of all-round ability. There is also a brilliant jazz band of 12 performers, and in this connection several musical and dance novelties will be presented for the first time in Dunedin. Mona Magnet, an English musical comedy artist recently joined the Frolics, and her eccentric and novel contributions are a special feature of the programme. His Majesty’s Theatre was occupied for three nights last week with the screening of the official Sydney Eucharistic Conference film. Many phases of the numerous functions have been filmed, and altogether the picture is a remarkable production. Alexander Brailowsky, the famous Russian pianist, will give his first recital in Australia at the Sydney Town Hall on Saturday, May 18. New Zealand will be visited in due course.

Erica Morini, violinist, who will also tour Australia and New Zealand under engagement to Mr E. J. Carroll, will give her first concert in Sydney on Easter Saturday.

“The Patsy” has broken all Australian records for long-run comedies. “Peg o’ My Heart,” which was in the lead, with “ The Cradle Snatchers ’’ mose up. has been simply eclipsed, and still “ The Patsy,” continues at Sydney Criterion. “ The reason of its popularity is not difficult to find.” says a Sydney critic. “It is a perfect little comedy, played by a perfect cast. Its strong appeal is to young and old, because of its naturalness and simplicity, and because its characters might be found in any family.” A special J. C. Williamson vaudeville act is to be incorporated in the scenic productions at the Regent Theatre at Wellington, Auckland, and Duned-n respectively. This is Gautier’s dogs, which perform an extraordinary turn, displaying an intelligence almost uncanny. Theatre-goers will doubtless remember their house-building and bricklaying scene, in which these clever animals loaded and hoisted bricks, wheeled them to the “ foreman”’ on duty, and performed comic and acrobatic feats worthy of a well-trained troupe of human beings. This novel act will be presented first in 'Wellington on Friday, March 1, and at Dunedin on March 15. Fuller’s have 12 theatres in Australia and 7 in New Zealand, and only three are leasehold.

The New Zealand favourite, Nellie Bramley, and her company have made a Queensland record. They have beer, running in Brisbane just on a year, and are going stronger than ever. Cecil Kellaway, one of the most refreshing comedians playing under the J. C. Williamson banner, will return to Dunedin with “ The Vagabond King.” He was last here with “ Tip Toes," and before that with Marie Burke in “ Frasquita.” Arthur Stigant is the other leading comedian in this big Williamson shew. The Allan Wilkie Shakespearian Company will now first tour the North Island before coming south. The South Island tour will begin at Dunedin on March 30, and after visiting some of the smaller towns, the company will go to Christchurch to open on May 4 for a three week’s season, during which about 18 of Shakespeare’s plays will be presented.

The fact that the iftth performance of “The Desert Song'” given on February 11 has induced J. C. Williamson, Ltd., to recall some long runs of similar plavs in Melbourne (says the Australasian). “The Student Prince ” ran for 19 weeks. “ The Maid of the Mountains” for 23 weeks, “Rose Marie” for 25 weeks and two performances, and “ Sally ” for 26 weeks. J. C. Williamson. Ltd., are confident that r< The Desert Song ” will still be running on March 5, when the 200th performance will be reached. In Sydney “The Vagabond King ” has passed its 100th performance.

Gloria Caruso, young daughter of the late Enrico Caruso, was to-day awarded two-thirds of the royalties, now estimated to approximate 1.000.000d01, from the reproduction of her father’s voice on Victor Talking Machine records, notwithstanding that by a decree of the Italian courts, Gloria was awarded only one-half of the New Jersey estate (says a New York message dated November 27). The re-

maining one-third of the estate was divided among Mrs Dorothy P. B. Caruso, Giovanni Caruso (a brother of the late tenor), Enrico Caruso, jun., and Rodolpho Caruso, two sons, under a ruling of a vice-chancellor. “ The Italian decree being necessarily valid at home,” the vicechancellor said, “ will be recognised and enforced here upon principles of international comity, save so far as it conflicts with our positive rule of law as to the distribution of an intestate estate to his infant daughter, for whom consent could not be given here, or abroad, to accept less than our law gives to her as her share.”

Virginia Perry, who was brought out from London to play lead in the Australian production of “ The Desert Song,” has returned to England. Her place has been filled by Marie Bremner, a Melbourne girl.

Lily Elsie, the London stage star, is seeking a divorce. Her husband is Major lan Bullough. The marriage took place in 1911. She retired from the stage, until last year, and is now appearing at the Globe Theatre, London, in “ The Truth Game.” . Greatest of all her successes was Sonia in “ The Merry Widow ” —the original London production at Daly’s Theatre in 1907. Lilian Braithwaite told members of the London Soroptimist Club at their weekly luncheon that the qual'ties required by a girl who wanted to become an actress were:—The courage of a lion; the hide of a rhinoceros; the endurance of an Arctic explorer; and a good home to which she could go when she was out of ai> engagement. “ Given these things,” said Miss Braithwaite. “ There is no reason why a girl should not make her living on the stage.” The latest London theatre papers to hand publish some charming pictures of Isobel Wilford (daughter of the Minister of Justice), who is playing in "A Damsel in Distress,” the lan Hay—P. G. Wodehouse comedy.

An unusual scene marked the second performance of “ The Play’s the Thing ” at the St. James’s Theatre, where on tiie previous evening the premiere had been roundly hissed by the gallery (writes a Sydney Bulletin London correspondent). Before the cut tain went up on the second evening Sir Gerald du Maurier, manager and chief actor, came in front and said that on the previous night the gallery had ruined the play, and he begged the ne> audience to tell him after the final curtain what was their honest opinion. They gave a more than generous measure of enthusiasm, and again he came out and thanked the “ dear ladies and gentlemen ” for their answer. Practically every critic in London had already endorsed the verdict of the gallery on the first night, and his appeal against the joint verdict is generally considered bad strategy. Du Maurier, who is personally very popular and a fine, straightforward fellow, had already received messages of sympathy from many colleagv and the ovation on 'ihe second night was a tribute to him in a disappointment. The play, which has been adapted by P. G. Wodehouse from, the French of Ferenc Molnar, did very well in America, but the elaborate attention of the censor has robbed it of any chance of a long run in London.

Laurence Oliver was the fortunate young man selected to play tl.e name part in “ Beau Geste,” now playing in London. Basil Dean seardhed the entire profession for a manly young fellow with good looks, charm, and personality. Alas! so many of the young actors of to-day have mincing steps and lispim- voices. Lewis Casson found the same trouble when he wanted to cast “Macbeth.” Manly young actors in England are ra says a leading dramatic critic. “The stage seems to be recruited from the ranks of those who would make good male mannequins,” he complains. “ They cannot make love with ardour and sincerity. Love scenes nowadays are often accompanied by giggles from the gallery.”

Cantain Reginald Berkeley, who was educated and practised law in Auckland before he went to the war, has had a new play produced in London. “The Lady With the Lamp.” which has been running for weeks at the Arts Theatre C’ub, has been hailed by the critics as a play worthy to rank with Drinkwater’s “ Abraham Lincoln” and Guitry's “Pasteur.” Berkeley has taken the life of Florence Nightingale as his theme, and gives a definite and vivid picture of the inspired creature, says a London critic: “He lias made a magnificently stirring, but often gorgeously ironical, drama out of the life of Florence Nightingale, not the legendary ineffectual angel, but Mr Lytton Strachey’s Eminent Victorian. It is an almost adequate measure of its quality that ,one instinctively compares it with ‘ Sain Joan.’ In three hours he makes a great legend come to life, and makes it the legend of woman’s emancipation.” “The play affords Edith Evans,” 'says the Observer, “ her best part outside of the range of artificial comedy. Her portrait of Miss Nightingale s perfect from its first girlish acceptance of the larger duty than marriage to the final irony, when Britain honours her with the Order of Merit and the wander-witted lady of 87 murmurs, 'Too kind,’ only vaguely comprehending the significane of the ceremony that has been enacted before her.”

WING WHISPERS.

By Peteb Pan.

- WELLINGTON, February 21. Dear Pasquin,—The Vanbrugh-Bouci-cault season has commenced, and what a fir.,t-night success it was! A packed house, a well-dressed audience, and a play to captivate. “ All the King’s Horses ” was the vehicle for the delicious art of Miss Vanbrugh, in the role of Mrs Everitt, the wife confronted with the lurid past of her husband, and using her knowledge of a previous mistake as a lever to secure results for her own children. It was admirable acting, as simple and natural as breathing to a woman of the

finesse of Miss Vanbrugh, and it has been delighting large houses ever since. The cast is very sound. Mr Boucicault is superb in the role of Everitt, who has to capitulate over careers for his son and . daughter when his wife forces on him the fact that his affair (and its consummation) is public property as far as she is concerned. It was an artistic ev v nt, and further plays are being booked for rapidly. Alfred O’Shea charmed a large audience in the Town Hall on Monday night, and sang the songs his hearers liked. He charmed with his lyric sweetness. The concerts was in aid of Catholic schools in Wellington, and the programme, therefore, contained numerous Irish ballads that sent the audience into raptures. Mr Leon de Manny gave violin solos, and Miss Theo Halpin was loudly applauded for her piano solos. The Wellington Players are presenting scenes fron well-known works next Thursday night in the Y.W.C.A. Hall. “The Merchant of Venice ” will be the first attempt of the Players at Shakespeare. Miss Elizabeth Blake will supply the connecting links between the scenes. Tchekov’s “ The Bear,” a one-act farce, will be played; also W. W. Jacob’s “Love Passage,” a typical Jacob’s comedy.

Claude Tanner, who recently returned to Wellington from abroad, is to give a recital here shortly. Since he left NewZealand to study overseas, Mr Tanner has been at the Royal Academy of Music, London, where he was successful in gaining the degree of licentiate, and a certificate of merit with honourable mention. For three years he was sub-professor of the ’cello, which instrument he plays d’vinely. Mr John Bishop will play accompaniments for Mr Tanner. No diminution in the popularity of Mike Connors and Oucenie Paul at the Fuller House! This week added interest is given to the League of Notions programme bv the appearance of some tiny tots, wlm have won competitions inaugurated by Miss Paul. The show goes with its usual vim and gusto, and the Wellington season, now drawing to a close, must rank among the most notable of Fuller successes.