THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3987, 12 August 1930, Page 64

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL.

By

Pasquin.

Irene Vanbrugh, so well remembered here, is appearing in London in Molnar’s “The Also in the cast is Colin Clive, who was Captain Stanhooe in the long London run of “ Journey’s End,” and takes the same role in the talkie version. Maurice Moscovitch, well remembered here, has been playing in “ The Outsider ” in Hollywood. His son, Noel Madison, is doing well in the talkies. v William Faversham, a noted New York actor who had been playing rather unsuccessfully as far as public patronage was concerned, in Australia, passed through Auckland on his return to America by the Niagara last month. A one-woman show —character “ impressions ” by Ruth Draper, an American —drew approximately £350 a night to the Vaudeville Theatre, London —a total of about £ll,OOO for the month’s season. This is said to be a record for the earnings of a stage artist in London over that period. The proposed New Zealand tour by Florence Austral has been abandoned. Helen Gane. of Christchurch, has been appearing in Sir Nigel Playfair’s revival of “ The Beaux Stratagem ” in London. In this Restoration period comedy. Miss Gane essayed the role of Dorinda, and greatly pleased the critics.

Gladys Aloncrieff has signed a new contract to sing at a Melbourne picturehouse before a picture starring John MacCormack, the tenor. She may also sing in vaudeville for Hugh D. Macintosh at the Mlbourne Tivoli. Her company, lately playing revivals of “ The Merry Widow' ” and “ Katinka ” has been disbanded.

Mr Richard Webster, Hastings, a recent arrival from Australia to try his luck in London, has been engaged to understudy Mr Robert Holmes in “ Petticoat Influence,” the latest presentation at St. Martin’s Theatre, with Sir Nigel Playfair and Miss Diana Wynyard in the cas>t (writes the London correspondent of the Otago "Witness). Mr Webster considers himself fortunate to get an engagement so soon, especially as business theatrically is not universally at its zenith. He hopes that this engagement will lead to something better in future productions under the same management. It maj' be recalled that Mr Webster left New Zealand in 1922 with Marie Tempest’s company, and remained in Australia, mainly with the J. C. Williamson management, until coming to London in March last. Allan Wilkie was billed to produce “ Governor Bligh ” or “ A Tale of Old Sydney,” by Doris F'"'-’'"’ ’ . - Sydney, on August 2. Miss Jones wrote “ The Flaw ” for the late Emelie Polini a few years ago, and saw it produced successfully by her and Frank Harvey at the Criterion. She is a keen student of history, and has soaked in the atmosphere of. tb.e times of Bligh and the military spirit of that age, and the old fellow’s tuesles to make good settlers of early incomers from overseas.

Nellie Bramley is still appearing in Sydney, and is with her company presenting a fresh play every Saturday. The leading man in the company is now Campbell Copelin. George Cross is the producer, and he also takes important parts in the various plays. Miss Bramley’s sister, Marguerite Adele, her husband, and Elsie de Tourret, a New Zealand girl, are members of the company.

One Sydney' suburban picture house sends a service bus all round the outlying districts to pick up all its patrons who have booked seats, and after the show they are taken home again. You book your seat by ’phone and tell the management where you live, and the'y do the rest.

Direct from a series ’of musical comedy revivals, such as “ The Country Girl ” and “ The Belle of New York,”.Marie Bremner and Sydney Burchall have now stepped into the stellar roles of the Hamerstein spectacle, “ New Moon,” staged by Messrs J. C. Williamson in Australia. In support of Miss Bremner are such well-known people as Leo Franklyn, Sydney Stirling, Leo Darnton, Bernard Manning, Herbert Browne, Marie le Varre. Sylvia Miller, Robert - Hepburn, and others well known in musical comedy, drama, and revue.

Sir Philip Ben Greet, who has just returned to London from a 35,000-mile tour in America, is about to start his forty-third annual English tour,, playing Shakespeare at schools and colleges in and out of doors. It is best to tell the truth at once (writes Alan Parsons in the London Daily Mail). Mr R. C. Sherriff has not written another “ Journey’s End.” The manuscript of his new play, “ Badger’s Green,” produced at the Prince of Wales Theatre, is never likely to become a public treasure. “ Badger’s Green ”, is just a rustic little comedy, of simple theme and unpretentious humour. On the other hand, there is considerable virtue in the simple and unpretentious; and the current catchword that Mr Sherriff has no sense of humour is wholly and abundantly falsified. A happy ripple of laughter punctuated every other speech throughout. “ Little Accident ” is the play that shocked Sir George Tallis when he saw it in London, though it was produced by his own management. He insisted on some rather homely cuts being made in the nursery scene at the end to spare his blushes. Over there Cecil Haines played one of the girl parts, and an American star played the leading man’s part, which will be undertaken in Sydney by Gus Bluett. The “ little accident ” is an unexpected baby that turns up and claims the bridegroom as father on his wedding day, but all ends well. Edith Taliaferro is the star this time, and Ethel Morrison is the heavy support.

“Mr Cinders ” is keeping its end up, but one can'say no more (writes the Sydney correspondent-of the Auckland Star). It has not set Sydney on fire. Elsie Prince puts her gay little heart into her work, and Hindle Edgar is becoming a popular comedian, and everybody else is pleasant, and there you have it ! The plot is about as absurd as a musical comedy plot can be, -Mr Cinders being a male Cinderella, while Elsie masquerades as the maid, but is really the daughter of a millionaire. Kath. Fallow, one of the Fallow twins, does single dances on acrobatic lines, and is filling the place that should have been filled by Reita Nugent, had she considered it worth her while to leave London and revisit her native heath. Originally she was to have come, then changed her mind. Every day now sees more kinemas reengaging the orchestras which they dispensed with when the talking film boom introduced canned music from the United States, states the London Daily Mail. Canned music threw out of work more than 1000 musicians in London, and many more in the provinces. A considerable number of them, however, are back in the kinemas again, and, now that the filmgoing public is definitely demanding real music, it is anticipated that within a few months they will all be re-engaged. George Livick, better known as George Bentley, died recently in Melbourne from the effects of an accident received when touring Queensland towards the end of last year._ He fell into a turntable pit while taking a short cut from a railway station, and sustained injuries which resulted in his death last month. The late Mr Livick had often delighted audiences with his ready wit and keen sense of humour. He took part in the original presentation, some 31 years ago, of “ Belle of New York,” in Her Majesty’s Theatre, Sydney. He had filled the roles of comedian, actor, stage manager, and actor-manager, and had acted in practically every capacity required behind the curtain.

Mr Lee Schubert, the American producer, has decided to produce in NewYork shortly, “ The Last Enemy,” written by Frank Harvey, -who will be remembered for his dramatic work out here opposite such stars as Emilie Polini, Aluriel Starr, and others. Air Schubert has also taken to his managerial heart a play by an Englishman, “On the Spot,” which he describes as the best American gangster play he has ever seen. It is written by an Englishman who had been in Chicago only for a few hours, blit evidently long enough, to secure material for a thriller that has "attracted the attention and praise of a producer of the calibre of Mr Schubert.