A NEW PHASE.

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 17804, 31 August 1929, Page 17 (Supplement)

A NEW PHASE.

* PLAYS WITHOUT WOMEN. j i Unless we are much mistaken, a re- ■' markable phase is about to overtake the spoken stage (writes Fred Keeley • from London to the Film Weekly). We foresee an era of womanless plays, plays in which the men will play the only parts,, in which there will lie little or no sex ‘interest, and which will de- ; pend for their appeal upon their '. x'igour and virility. It is coining—in fact there are signs that it has already begun. At tho present moment there are a few plays in which there ore no i women at all. Of course, “Journey's ’ End" is the outstanding success of Hie - lot. . ’ “The Chinese Bungalow,” with ; Mathcson Lang in the star part, “Beau 1 Gestc,” and “The Last Hour,” arc a 1 few more “manly” plays. 1 In “Journey’s End" there are no ' women. In “Beau Gesle” women ap- - pear in the first act only. In the other plays the woman element is reduced to an absolute minimum, and the male i characters dominate the action. ■ 1

“The Desert Song” was given an enthusiastic farewell by a crowded : house at Sydney last week, the principals being showered with flowers and gifts. After a short season in Brisbane the record-breaking comic ■ opera will come to New Zealand. : Talkies Soon the only Entertainment. i “ 1 predict Hint, within twelve months, the motion picture business ; will be the only entertainment on the market,” declared Mr Stanley S. Crick, i managing director of Fox Movietone, ■ Ltd., speaking at a welcome home luncheon at the Hotel Australia, Sydney. i “ You will have the best artists of ! the world brought to your door and shown on the screen. This will be the . result of the Grandeur film, twice the ■ width of the ordinary one, and with | twice the sound production. | It Was a Bit Thick! I i Actor (on helng cast for several I parts in play) : “See here, suv’nor; I I don’t mind bein’ a butler and a detec--1 tive in the first act, and playm Count i Farini and the chief huntsman in the : second but when I have lo come od •in the third act as the Count and strangle the detective it’s a bit thick.” “Hiawatha” In London. The Royal Choral Society gave sixteen performances of “ Hiawatha ” in London in June, and on each occasion Hie huge hall was packed lo the ceiling. Over 1000 performers look part, with 24 solo singers, which included Anita Desmond, May lluxlev, Flora Woodman, Madame Styles-Alien, Elsie Suddaby, Thorpe Bates, Walter Glynn, Parr Jones, and Frank Webster (in New Zealand with “ Madame Pompadour”). Dr. Malcolm Sargent conducted, and Chief Os-ICc-non-ton, an Indian vocalist appeared. A ballet of 200 formed part of the production, led by Phyllis Beddels. The orchestra engaged was the New Symphony CU- ; chestra. r