STAGELAND

Southland Times, Issue 19457, 22 January 1925, Page 9

STAGELAND

OF PLAYS AND PLAYERS

(By “Playgoer.”)

Next Monday will see the commencement of the Invercargill season of the Nellie Bramley Comedy and Dramatic Company, which for many months now has been playing to packed houses all over the North Island and in the northern portion of this island. The repertoire of this talented company includes the following:— “Fair and Warmer,” “Peg o’ my Heart,” “It pays to Advertise,” “The Lion and the Mouse,” “The Third Degree,” “Daddy Long Legs,” and “Sunday.” The Invercargill season is limited to four nights, a fact which local theatregoers will no doubt regret after having seen one of the plays. Theatrical fare of the quality presented by the Nellie Bramley Company is all too scarce in Invercargill, and capacity houses may be anticipated. “Fair and Warmer,” which will be put on at the Municipal Theatre next week by the Nellie Bramley Company, must rank as one of the most amusing comedies ever played here. The story concerns the problems of two young couples, not long married, who are gradually getting out of touch with each other. One man is a “Model husband,” who almost drives his wife to the divorce court by his slavish devotion, while the other, though equally true, holds that to keep his wife’s affection he must keep her guessing. He does so. Then things happen and rapidly. The best scene is undoubtedly the cocktail scene, where two of the leading characters get hopelessly drunk in somewhat suspicious circumstances. It is here that Miss Bramley, and Mr Arthur Cornell give full play to their comedy powers, the result being that the audience is convulsed with laughter. The acting of the other members of the company is also on a very high plane, and this play has earned the company great praise wherever it has been performed. Invercargill theatregoers will welcome the return of Miss Bramley after an absence from this city of some years. Bert Ralton’s Savoy Havana Band, a party of nine syncopation artists, has been creating a furore in the four centres during the lasfc month or two, travelling with one of the big firm’s vaudeville companies. After the Wellington season concludes, in a week or so, it is understood that the company will break up, and that the Havana Band, which is from the Savoy Hotel ballroom in London will, with one or two of the other star turns of the vaudeville combination, make a comprehensive tour of the principal large towns, including Invercargill. When in Christchurch the Havana Band gave two cabaret dances, which proved tremendously popular, the hall being packed each night, and it is to be hoped that if this star jazz combination comes here a similar course will be followed. Such a step would be well warranted, for Invercargill dancers have few opportunities of circling the boards to music of the type supplied by Bert Ralton. The Humphrey Bishop Company is having a successful season in Adelaide. The New Zealanders, Ngaire Phipson and Dan Flood, are proving very popular. There are 786 dance halls in New York, and the total attendance is estimated at a little over 6,000,000 persons. This is undoubtedly a dancing age! Miss Ada Reeve left Sydney recently for London, where she will open in a new production this month. She hopes to bring another “Spangles” company to Australia later in the year. The “Sally Company, headed by Josie Melville, is playing ‘‘Good Morning, Dearie,” in Melbourne. George Gee has rejoined the Company after his surprisingly sudden return from England. For the Christmas season Irene Vanbrugh'' and Dion Boucicault produced “The Truth i About Blayds,” a Milne comedy, in Melbourne- The successful season closed with a revival of ‘Trelawney of the Wells.” I Beatrice Holloway and Robert Greig are i at the Rialto Theatre. Manly, Sydney, their ' latest offering being “The Fortune Hunter.” . Also at Manly are the Huxham Serenaders, ; who include Madeline Knight and Renn j Millar. Nance O'Neill gave her second play in the 1 Greek Theatre of Berkeley in “Hamlet,” ; with herself in the title role (says a San Francisco paper). The performance attracted a large audience and the star surprised even her most ardent admirers. William Cavanagh, who is playing juvenile lead with “Me and My Girl,” around the English provinces, is an Australian who has not been in England for any great length of time. “As an actor he is excellent and he also excels in swimming and high diving” (says the London Era). Mr Cavanagh was recently a member of the chorus in “Sally” in Australia. Miss Marie Ney. the ex-Wellington girl, recently made her appearance at the Old Vic in London in ‘'A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” The London Era says of her performance:—“Miss Marie Ney’s Helena is almost a complete break with the stocky, half-hearted traditional way of playing the part, and is really a great triumph for a young, almost unknown actress. Her Desdemona was excellent, though the character is not a very fruitful one, but Helena was rich in creative and high-spirited comedy.” Of Bert Errol, the female impersonator appearing at Wellington just now, the Australasian says:—“We have seen female impersonators who looked like women, but not many who sounded like them as well. Mr Errol can produce a voice that is not only a convincing but in the well-known waltz song, “Il Bacio” a very flexible and well-used soprano. In his less ambitious songs he achieves surprising effect by interposing an occasional remark in his natural speaking voice. He makes up as a large, handsome woman, with well-thought-out little mannerisms, and his costumes are tasteful and beautiful.” Mr John Galway, of the Nellie Bramley Company, who open their Invercargill season on Monday, specialises in “dude” parts, to which his natural dapper style and alertness lent themselves to a clean-cut characterisation. “Silly ass pttrts,” said Mr Galway resignedly, “but it. takes all sorts make up the world” Miss Sylvia McNair, of the Nellie Brainley Company, is keenly enjoying her trip through New Zealand, the extensive itinerary of the company enabling her to see so much of its scenic beauties. Miss McNair is an Australian, but has done much tri • 1ling abroad. She is generally called on to take “mother” parts, but, like her fellowworkers, she can fit itito any part demanded of her. The Gulliver Vaudeville Circuit (England) paid a dividend of 50 per cent, for rhe year. Evidently vaudeville conditions are hot so bad in England—for the companies. at any rate! —as some would have us believe. Some £90,000 was carried forward. Mr William Russell, who is personally directing the tour of the Nellie Bramley Company, will be in Invercargill for the production of “Fair and Warmer” at the Municipal Theatre next week, a comedy that is one long succession of laughs, and should be much appreciated by audiences looking for wholesome entertainment. Mr Lewis Manneririg has organised what is described as a “Pinero Repertory Company,” to play four of Sir Arthur Pinero’s plays during a long tour of England. These are: “Trelawney of the Wells,” “Dandy Dick,” “The Notorious Mrs Ebbsmith” and “The Magistrate.”