“FIRST A GIRL”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 85, 9 April 1936, Page 10

“FIRST A GIRL”

HILARITY AT PLAZA JESSIE MATHEWS STARRED I | There is plenty of scope for humour in the theme of the latest British comedy musicale, “First a ' Girl,” starring Jessie Mathews, commences on Saturday at the I Plaza Theatre. Tv hen a down-and-out actor and a down-and-out shop assistant find themselves without a penny against the world any chance to earn a few penInies is belter than none, and when the I actor, who is a female impersonator, gets a contract for a small turn in a I music hall, things do not look so hopeless. L nfortunately he contracts a cold [at the critical moment, so Jessie nobly I conies to his aid, and impersonates the [female impersonator. Much to the sur- | pr;>e of both parlies, she is a great success, and is given a contract to appear in continental centres. As is to | be expected, the actor and his “boy ’’ | friend have a very hard time endeavI (Hiring to keep their secret, and manage io escape from a number of embarrassing situations, but fate eventually catches up with them. Complications occur when Jessie falls in love with a young society man and wants to throw off her disguise. Honnie Hale, as the actor, provides much of the coinedv. and Jessie Matthews has the opportunity of doing some excellent dances and singing some attractive songs. Some of the sellings are extremely lavish and spectaeiilar, and the stage numbers leave little to be desired. The supports contain interesting newsreels and cinemagazines. Lillian Hellman, now one of America s foremost playwrights, who adapted “The Dark Angel” and “These I hree,” has been signed to a three- > ear contract by (Samuel Goldwyn. Tbe terms of the agreement call for two I original screen stories per year. Miss ' Hellman’s contract with Goldwyn is ex- , clusiv-e. and the producer’s permission is required for her writing services I for any other studio. Hidhard Dix and Karen Morley , have been assigned to the leading roles ■ in “The Devil Squadron,” which will present a novel twist in aerial drama.

MOST EFFICIENT PRODUCERS OF PLAYS. I MISS JOSE COLLINS TALKS. I Telling in the Sunday Dispatch of producers of plays in which she has appeared, NLiss Jose Collins, of “Maid of the Mountains” celebrity, says: —Sir Seymour Hicks was the first of my producers in England, and he will not mind my saying that he was not the most patient. But how extraordinarily efficient! Everybody says how strict Seymour is as a. producer, and how frightened they are of him. 1 was terribly frightened at first, but L learned a lot from him. Next came Oscar Asche, a dominating personality. He produced “Alaid of the Mountains’’ and “Southern Maid.” He was wonderful to work for, but I always felt he allowed colour and scenery to run riot. His crowd work and colouring were magnificent. His main idea was to please the eye. And how well he did this in “Kismet,” “Chu Chin Chow,” and “ Frasquita ”! Then Sir Charles Hawtrey. What a loveable personality he was! He got results from people by telling them they were doing everything right. And then he took the artists quietly aside and told thorn how to improve their acting. Sir Charles loved a. gamble. And he loved to help his friends. Often he would sav to me : “Baek so-and-so in the 2.30 race, and I think your acting is woflderful.” Strange to say, he rarely lost. I think he must have coaxed something from the horse’s mouth. When he did win he invariably sent me a. case of champagne to drink to his good luck. I learned a lot about acting from him, especially on the comedy side, just as I learned technique from Seymour Hicks. Mr. Matheson Lang produced me in “Catherine.” He is roost ingenuous to those who do not know him, but the older artists realise that you start acting from the first day he rehearses you. This goes on for days, and you have no indication how you are doing. Then he comes up and says: “You are marvellous, but don’t you think you had better inflect your • voice this way or that?” He made the lines sound so much better. I learned a lot about acting in tragedy from him.