WORLD OF THE THEATRE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20359, 17 July 1934, Page 10

WORLD OF THE THEATRE.

Woman’s Field Therein is Widening. MULTIPLICITY OF ROLES. It lias been said that women have risen to greater heights in the theatre than in any other of the arts or professions, and there is little doubt that this is true. The great actress has not only proved herself glamorous and powerful in the theatre, but in the world outside the stage door as well. Ever since the days when women first took part in theatrical plays they have swayed the crowd. Actresses have probably a larger share of the scroll of fame than the women of any other walk of life; they even run queens a close second for pride of place at the top of the list of immortality. One can go back as far as the Emperor Justinian to find actresses swaying popular opinion and influencing the rule of thoir country. Since then some of the greatest personalities or the ages have risen from the ranks o I actresses, have taken part in history, and have left their names a byword with people who do not even remember the years during which they lived or the plays in which they made their mark. Because of their royal patronage, like Nell Gwyn, their beauty, like Lily Langtry, their histrionic ability and personality. like Sarali Siddons, Bernhardt, Duse, or Rachel, they have become familiar to generations of people who have no real interest in the theatre. To-day there is no dearth of great actresses, and this century already has names that will long be remembered—Madge Kendal, Marie Tempest, Sybil Thorndike, Elisabeth Bcrgner among many others. Modern Producers. But it is only comparatively recently that women have made names in the theatre other than through the medium of acting. With one or two exceptions, it is only the actress who has introduced her name to a wide public and even to history until the beginning of the century, and it is really only since the war that women have taken a Igeneral and active part in other affairs of the theatre. This is the phase of women's emancipation that has often been overlooked.

To-day ther© are many women producers, one of the most outstanding being Miss Auriole Lee. In repertory, especially, the woman producer 'is holding her own with her male rivals. During recent years there has been, a surprisingly largo number of women on the managerial and presentation side of the theatre Miss Horniman, Gladys Cooper, Lilian Baylis, Bita John, and Blanche Littler, to mention only a few. Miss John lias taken more ambitious strides in theatrical presentation than most people. She will be remembered especially for the comic opera “.Jolly Roger” and for the revue “Yours Sillcerely. ,, Miss Littler has co-operated with her brother, Mr. Prince Littler. ia the touring of such spectacles as “White Horse Inn.” “The Ball at the Savov.” and “Music in the Air.”

There is hardly a theatrical company—in London, on tour, or among the repertory companies—that has not a substantial complement of women on its staff (says a writer in the “Manchester Guardian”). Some of the greatest successes among women in the theatre during the past five years have been attained through scenic and costume designing. Doris Zinkeisen has been responsible for the decor of many recent successes, including Mr. C. B. Cochran's "Nymph Errant.’ Another woman designer whose fame lias spread abroad is Mrs. G. E. Caltlirop, who is responsible for the scenery and costumes in Mr. Noel Coward's “Conversation Piece.” women Playwright It is also safe to say that there are now more women playwrights who have achieved success than ever before. To mention only three women playwrights out of the large number, there are Dodie Smith. Gordon Daviot, and Margaret Kennedy. Miss Smith, the Manchester woman who writes under the name of C. L. Anthony, has written two of the most financially successful plays of recent times “Autumn Crocus” and “Service.” Gordon Daviot is the pseudonym of a young Inverness woman who used to be a physical culture expert. She has followed up her successful historical play “Richard of Bordeaux” with “The Laughing Woman.” Margaret Kennedy will always be remembered for “The Constant Nympli,” but Elisabeth Bergner’s acting has made “Escape Me Never” a memorable play. Then there is Elisabeth MeFadden, author of “Double Door”; Winifred Carter, another historical playwright, who wrote "The Queen Who Kept Her Head’’; Clemence Dane; Rose Franken. author

of “Another Language”; Dorothy Massingliam, whose death recently cut off a career which “The Lake” ‘and “The Soldier and the Gentlewoman” prophesied as brilliant—and a host of others.

The history of the theatre since the war will certainly be a history of the advance of women into a profession with which they had hitherto almost always been identified only as aetresses.