THEATRE BUSINESS SUFFERS SLUMP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18522, 24 July 1928, Page 3

THEATRE BUSINESS SUFFERS SLUMP.

j EDGAR WALLACE IS ONLY SURE WINNER. ' LOXDOX. June 7. When the man- is found who can diagnose the malady of the London theatre business, he will be assured of everlasting gratitude. London theatres have never been in so bad a way as they are at this moment. Everybody is inclined to blame everyone else. Actors blame the producer and the author. The author blames the actor and the manager, and so on. And the meantime, business goes down and down. In this state of things, the most brilliant star sees in a long contract in Australia a gift that has fallen from heaven. He knows that he is going to shows that have been tried in London—and what will run for a long season in London in these days will run anywhere. A Classic Example. Seven shows were taken off in one night this week. The average actor is doing far more rehearsing than playing. “ The Road to Rome ” was one classic instance. Here was a play with an excellent cast, headed by Isabel Jeans. It was praised as the best for years by the critics. St John Ervine, the famous playwright, devoted a column in the “ Observer ” to praising it, and all the other critics agreed with him. It had been rehearsed for weeks and—in a fortnight it was taken off. “ Running Wild ” crashed after more than sixty actors had spent five weeks rehearsing it, and thousands of pounds had been spent on scenery and advertising. An Asche Failure. Oscar Asche headed the bill in a variety show named “Who’s Who?” and it ran for four days. Another show, “ Call Me George,” struggled on till the other night, when there was not a single person in the theatre for the performance. There are about seven or eight plays in London that are doing well. In the others, the managers look on it as a triumph if there is a £IOO house. The only author who can be depended upon to write a play that is sure of a run in these days seems to be Edgar Wallace. His latest play, “ The Squeaker,” is of night club life and crime—it is certain to have a long run. Prices are High. The real trouble with the theatre in London seems to be that it does not give value for money, according to the present day public’s idea of values. Australia gets its night at a show for something like half the price that England does, and the plays it gets can be depended upon to be, on 'the average, more entertaining. In London, theatre rents are higher, salaries are higher, and the risks are many times as great. Few Successes. The plays that are doing good business are “ The Trial of Mary Dugan,” which has been already seen in Melbourne; “Show Boat.” quite a serious ! musical play, beautifully produced (Marie Burke is playing in it); “The Squeaker.” the Edgar Wallace thriller; “ This Year of Grace,” a musical comedy ; “So This is Love,” a musical comedy; and “The Girl Friend,” in which George Gee is the big attraction. There is no new departure about any of these. They are of the type that always have succeeded.