SUNDAY THEATRES IN LONDON

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20110, 31 March 1928, Page 15 (Supplement)

SUNDAY THEATRES IN LONDON

A TEST TO BE MADE A move is to be made by Andre Chariot, the London theatrical producer, to test the possibility of opening theatres on Sunday. As regulations stand at present, Sunday plays may be given only by a society which sells the seats before hand to its members, and no money may be taken at the doors. Stage hands, theatre attendants and musicians can be paid for their services. No salary can be given to actors and actresses, but they may receive an “honorarium." Mr Chariot intends to test the strength of the Sunday playgoing public with a performance of “Ice-bound" to a society he is organising. If the response shows an increasing demand for this form of entertainment he intends to confer with the Lord Chamberlain in an effort to secure a relaxation of existing regulations, particularly as regards payment of actors and actresses.

“I quite agree with those people who are opposed to a seven-day week -n the theatrical profession,” Mr Chariot said recently. “But at present there is more unemployment than employment, in the theatre world, and it would bo an easy matter to get together a special company for Sunday plays. Instead of giving a play only once, I would put it on twice each Sunday for as long as it would run. But ori this basis we should have to be able to pav the players’ salaries.”

Asked if he considered his movement the thin end of the wedge of regular Sunday opening of theatres, Mr Chariot said: “It all depends on the demand. If the public wants a thing it is for them to insist on getting it It seems ridiculous that a person can play golf on Sundays, attend the cinema go to restaurants and dances, see a eab.arot show, listen to the wireless, play cricket, football, or lawn tennis, or go for joy rides by char-a-banc, and yer, not be allowed to go to a theatre, -theatre-going, apparently, i s practically the only form of entertainment denied him on Sundays-"