AUSTRALIAN PLAYS

Waikato Times, Volume 96, Issue 15101, 23 November 1922, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN PLAYS

MR BERT BAILEY ON THEIR PRODUCTION. "I'm rather tired of the people who keep on asking why Australian plays arc not produced," said Mr Bert Bailey in Melbourne recently. "They must be very unobservant, -or have very bad memories. In the King's Theatre alone —and as theatres go it Is a comparatively young one—l can recall 22 Australian productions. I think that must be easily a.record for any single theatre. Personally J have appeared in 19 Australian plays, and 'The Sentimental Bloke' is the tenth I have produced."

The plays named by Mr Bailey as having- been staged at the King's include the following first productions In Australia (the names of the authors are given in parentheses):—"Homestead and Honour" (Mullarkey), "White Australia" (Bandolph Bedford), "The Winning Ticket" (Temple Ham-son), "Sunny Corner" (Temple Harrison), "My Mate" (Edmund Duggan), "The Bushman" (Jo Smith),

"The Girl of the Never-Never" (Jo Smith), and "The Man from Outback" (Bert Bailey and Edmund Duggan). The first "productions in Melbourne were.:—"The Native Borit" (Bailey and Duggan), "On Our Selec-. Hon" (Steele Rudd), "The Ninety-and-Ninc" adaptation, "Gran'dad Rudd), "McClure and Parson" (Steele Rudd), ■ "The Waybacks" (Henry Fletcher). "Mum Dawson. Boss" (Sumner Lock), "While the Billy Boils" (founded by Beaumont Smith on Henry Lawson's stories), "Possum paddock" (Kate Howarde), and "The Sentimental Bloke" (G. J. Dennis). There were four revivals: "Bobbery Under Arms" (Alfred Dampier's version of Rolf Boldrewood's novel). "Thunderbolt" (Ambrose Pratt), ■■liis Natural Life" (Leitch's version of Marcus Clarke's novel), and "The Squatter's Daughter" (Bailey and Duggan).

An accident, serving to illustrate I In; danger attendant on the setting-off of fireworks, occurred on Sunday morning, when a youth, the son of a 'well-known Wellington Harbour Board official, suffered a narrow escape from permanent injury. If appears that lhe boy had lit a firework of the "Roman candle" variety and was holding it out in front of film,'when, instead of exploding away from him. it suddenly (lew back and hit him under the heart. The boy was rendered unconscious for about live mimilos. lb: will probably bear lhe mark of lhe injury .-ill his life For warm sunny days lhe famous •52 Lavender" is wonderfully refreshing and fragrant, and appeals to ladies who appreciate a delicate perfume. There its unapproachable value in the T.B.N. Size new style, which is sold by Chemists and Drapers at 2/3 a bottl" '