“WHITE HORSE INN.”

Wairarapa Age, 23 January 1936, Page 2

“WHITE HORSE INN.”

J. C. WILLIAMSON’S GREAT PLAY. Owing to the phenomenal success of the J. C. Williamson production “White Horse Inn,” it has been found necessary to extend the Palmerston North and Hastings seasons. The dates of the Masterton season in consequence have been changed from Monday and Tuesday next to Thursday and Friday, January 30 and 31, with a matinee on the last •of these dates. The box plans open at W. G. Perry’s this jmorning. "White Horse Inn” was recently described as a gorgeous panorama of colour, melody and movement, gloriously surpassing all existing standards of entertainment. "A new feature which gave atmosphere to the play,” one critic wrote recently, "was the absence of the customary curtain which ascends and descends. This remained invisible all the evening. .In its place there were curtains harmoniously decorated in green to represent a wood, and it was these which swept together for a few moments to mask each change of scene. Fifteen such changes occur in the course of ‘White Hors© Inn. ’... . . a revolving stage is essential for the representation of ‘White Horse Inn.’ In ‘Dubarry’ an alteration of deep and shallow settings allowed a good deal of scene-shifting while the action was going on. But in ‘White Horse Inn’ every scene is a large scene, and the action before the curtains that represent ‘th© woods’ lasts only a minute. These interludes are simply tiny bridges of transition to carry on the dramatic movement while the circular piece of stage turns on its pivot, carrying all the scenery with it. If there were any in the audience on Saturday who wondered just how all this was done, their curiosity was set at rest in the last scene. In the foreground, the stationary principals and chorus sang a reprise of the more important melodies of the play, and, as each song was heard the scene associated with it swung boldly into view, bringing with it crowds of actors merrily singing and dancing.” The forward staff of mechanists, electricians and technical experts hhs already arrived here to prepare principally for the revolving stage, two of which had to be built for the New Zealand tour.