STAR OF “BALALAIKA”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 244, 14 October 1937, Page 3

STAR OF “BALALAIKA”

UNDERSTUDY’S SUCCESS FORMERLY A BANK CLERK | Roger Treville returned on Monday; to the leading part in "Balalaika,” | from which he has been absent two weeks on holiday, says a London paper. During his absence his role has been taken by twenty-eight-year-old ex-bank clerk Charles Fletcher, onetime Manchester Grammar School boy with a passion for amateur theatricals. Mr. Fletcher first played the part in February, when Mr. Treville: was absent for two days from illness.> At that time it was his first appearance as leading man in a professional production, though his fourth London show. Starting as an amateur in Northern towns, Ivft. Fletcher decided two and a half years ago to make the stage a whole-time job. Friends warned him against leaving a safe position, but luck was on his side, for his first engagement was as juvenile lead with George Robey in the Alhambra revival of "The Bing Boy” in 1935. From there he went to non-stop revue at the Prince of Wales’, and last December was engaged for a small part and as Treville’s understudy in "Balalaika.” When the show had been running only two months a hurried call for Mr. Fletcher went out one evening at six o’clock. Mr. Treville had throat trouble. There was no time for Mr. Fletcher to rehearse with the company—"no time to be ‘windy,’ either. I had to go on and do the best I could.” The best was very good—“it was grand to hear the applause at the end” —but not good enough for Fletcher. "I have a tremendous lot to learn yet,” he said, after his first night as lead, "and I’m taking singing lessons three times a week.”

Lily Pons’ starring film has had its title changed from "The Girl in a Cage” to "It Never Happened Before.”