PLAYS AND PICTURES.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17994, 12 April 1930, Page 17 (Supplement)

PLAYS AND PICTURES.

Theatre Royal. April 15—E. J. Gravestock (Alexander Watson). * Alexander Watson Recital. At the Theatre Royal on Tuesday Mr Alexander Watson will * give his Hamilton recital. The programme chosen for the recital includes selections from Sir J. M. Barrie’s famous story “The Little Minister,” with'its quaint characterisation, laughable incidents, and stirring events, which was one of the outstanding features of Mr Watson's last tour. The second part of the recital is devoted to works new to Mr Watson’s auidences, including “The Listeners” (Walter de la Mare), “The Worlds Workers” (“The Millionaire" and “The Actor”), by Harry Graham; “Laughing Ann" (A. P. Herbert), and new selections from A. A. Milne’s delightful books, “Now We Are Six” and “When We Were Very Young.” Reginald Dandy With New Name. John Garrick, who appears in the film, “ Married in Hollywood,’’ at Cambridge Town Hall, is identical with Reginald Dandy, who played the hero, Jim, in “ Rose Marie ’’ in New Zealand. When he entered films he changed his name to avoid confusion with Reginald Denny. William Faversham in Australia.

William Faversham, the famous actor playing in Sydney in “The Prince and the Pauper,” under engagement to J. C. Williamson, Ltd., was born in London, hut he has achieved his greatest successes in America. He originated many famous characters, and was Romeo to the Juliet of the great Maude Adams. Faversham s fame does not, by any means, rest entirely on classical roles, however, for he is known far and wide for his performances in “The Squaw Man,” which he has revived from time to time, “The Prince and the Pauper,” “Under the Red Robe,” “The Hawk, “The Silver Cord,” etc. Another drama which achieved great popularity when he appeared in it was “Leah Kleschna. Mr Faversham spends all his holidays at his English home, “The Old Manor,” Chiddingfold, Surrey. Frank Harvey’s New Play.

Frank Harvey’s melodrama, “Cape Forlorn,” which is a story of love, intrigue, fraud and tragedy in a lonely lighthouse off the New Zealand coast, has received favourable notice from the critics (says a London paper). Frank Harvey, who was for 12 years a popular leading man in Australia and New Zealand, recently had his first play produced in London. Allan Wilkie’s Record Season.

An Australian paper says that Allan Wilkie's recent season in Melbourne, with old English comedies and Shakespearean plays, was the most successful he has ever had; he must have cleared £2OOO a week. Mr Wilkie has “carried on” against tremendous odds at times, and his many friends will be glad to hear of the success of his Melbourne season. He certainly deserves it. Evidently the talkie boom is ending, and Mr Wilkie is one of the managers reaping the benefit of the revival of interest in the legitimate theatre.

Understudy to Gladys Moncrieff. Lilian Crisp, who headed the Williamson Musical Comedy Company in “Whoopee,” “Lilac Time,” and "The Student Prince,” is now understudying Gladys Moncrieff in “Maid of the Mountains” in Melbourne. %

Musical Play Takes £IOOO a Wight,

“Silver Wings,” the sensational musical play which features an aeroplane crash, has begun very strongly at the Dominion (says a London paper). Colonel J. J. Gillespie, the new chairman of the Moss Empires, who are interested in the theatre, said that more than £IOOO was taken at each of the first two performances. The experts have been shaking their beads and saying that the Dominion is “too big,” and that it would have to go over to films. It is too big for some of the artists In “Silver Wings,” but not too big for the show as a whole. In fact, the stage is overcrowded when the full chorus of 82 is on it. It is said that the weekly salary « jist of the play is about £1250, and that the production cost about £IB,OOO. The aeroplane is not hired, but was bought outright by Messrs Clayton and Waller.

Revival of “Sally.” Josie Melville, who had been ill 6ince her return from England, is well again, and will be seen shortly in a revival of her old success “Sally,” in Hobart. •

Huge Profits from “Rose Marie.”

Mr Oscar Hammerstein, the American theatrical magnate, is visiting Australia. He is part author of “Desert Song,” “Show Boat,” “Rose Marie,” “Wildflower," “New Moon,” and other comic opera successes. To an interviewer Mr Hammerstein expressed the opinion that Rose Marie” had been the most successful musical play ever produced. It had made a profit of £40,000 at Drury Lane, and in one year had enabled £20,000 to be put towards the reserve fund at the historic London theatre, compared with £2OOO the previous “ - Royalties amounting to £50,000 had been "paid to the four collaborators in “Rose Marie.”

Actors to Have Own Theatre. The draft constitution of the British Actors’ Equity Association has been circulated to a large number of members of the theatrical profession (says a London paper). Chiefly insisting on the need of unity to" improve the status of artists, the "memorandum sets forth further objects, one of which is “to acquire and hold a theatre and offices for housing theatrical societies, and to manage and carry on theatrical companies.” The proposals have been drawn up by an advisory committee, the members of which include May Whjtty (Dame May Webster), Mr Godfrey Tearle, Mr Brian Aherne, Mr Fisher White, and Mr Lewin Alannet'ing. Mr Godfrey Tearle told a reporter that the question for the profession in England was: “Will you adopt the trade union of the American Actors’ Equity Association?”

Moscovitch not Successful In America. Maurice Moscovitch’s “ Power” (“Jew Suss”) has closed in Philadelphia, .and will not go further. In other words, says the New York Times, it didn’t do so well over here. In London “ Jew Suss,” with Matheson Lang in the principal role, is one of the hits of the season.

Broadcasting of Civic Programmes. Mr. S. Tombs, manager of the Civic Theatre, has completed arrangements with Mr. G. S. Anchor to broadcast programmes from the Civic Theatre, commencing with “ The Broadway Melody ” next week. N.Z. Girl Lead at Drury Lane. A musical version of “ The Three Musketeers ” was staged at Drury Lane, London, last month, with Marie Ney (the New Zealand actress) as Milady, and Dennis King (an English actor who played the character for 42 weeks in New York) as D'Artagnan. The full cast is:— Milady Marie Ney. D’Artagnan Dennis King. Richelieu Arthur Wontner. Constance Adrienne Brune. Planchet Gene Gerrard. 2oe Moya Nugent. Comte de Rochefort . . Louis Hector. Aramis Raymond Newell. Athos Jack Livesay. Soldiers at “Journey’s End.” In the charge of Lieutenant-Colonel B. B. McLeod and Adjutant-Captain R. R. Dyce, trainees of the 30th Battalion marched from the depot .at Miller’s Point to the Criterion Theatre, Sydney, the other evening to witness the performance of the war play “Journey’s End.” “Journey’s End” is now in the last weeks of an exceptionally successful season of over three months in Sydney.

Record Run In London

Frank Vosper’s play, “Murder on the Second Floor,” whloh is to be done in New Zealand shortly by Leon Gordon, recently celebrated its 270th performance at the Lyric Theatre, London. With the exception of “Journey's End” and “Mr Cinders,” “Murder on the Second Floor” holds the record for London’s longest run at the present “time.. It has been produced with great success in Copenhagen and Vienna, and is now' being toured in Australia, and two companies are on tour in England. Although it was a failure in America’ the talking film rights were bought by Warner Bros, for £6OOO immediately after the first night in New York.

Gilbert and Sullivan as Talkie. It is said that Gilbert and Sullivan’s “ lolanthe ” is to be filmed as a “ talkie ” in America. American Actress Coming. Edith Taliaferro, the American actress, will open in Sydney shortly in “Let Us Be Gay.” Included in ihe company will be Ethel Morrison (Ettie Maginnity), formerly of Wellington, and later popular in Williamson musical' comedy. ..She has been appearing in America for some years. Faversham in “The Hawk.” Owing to William Faversham’s limited stay in Australia and New Zealand he is making quick changes during his season in Sydney. To-night “The Hawk” will succeed “The Prince and the Pauper,” which had a very successful season. News of Favourites. Herbert Mundin, who was principal comedian in New Zealand in “The Desert- Song,” has opened in London with “The Co-optimists of 1930.”

Minnie Rayner, who was here a year or two ago, is to go to New York shortly with “Symphony in Two Flats,” Ivor Novello’g play. - Ella Shields, cleverest of all male impersonators, and as popular off stage as on, is touring South Africa. Of course “Burlington Bertie” is in her repertoire. > Madge Elliott and Cyril Ritchard, the Australians who have been so popular in musical comedy in London, are now dancing in the London musichalls. , , Robert Chisholm, the Australian singer <who has won great success in America, is to be seen and heard in a musical comedy “talkie,” the _ music for which was composed by Friml.^ Adele Crane, who was last in New Zealand with “Madame Pompadour.” will leave Australia this month with her husband (Jan Rubini, musician) to make her .home in America. Last week she received a presentation from the Melbourne Conservatorium, of which she was formerly a pupil. “Journey’s End” Kilts.

The queer ways in ■which about 40 companies have played. “Journey’s End” was illustrated by Mr R. C. Sherriff, the- author of the play. In all the German versions, he said, the dug-out has been hewn out of chalk. The British officer characters, as portrayed in companies all over Europe, appear in uniforms which are almost American, excepting in Germanv, where they are dressed in one instance in' kilts over riding-breeches. The sergeant-major in all the German versions is modelled on Ole Bill, with a heavy moustache. Footlight Flashes. Ernest Arnley, a clever young English comedian and dancer who was a popular member of the Fuller Musical Comedy Company, sailed for Vancouver by the Niagara from Auckland on Tuesday. L. Mr and Mrs Bland Holt, who were prominent; in melodrama many _ years ago, are now enjoying the evening of their days in comfort in Australia. They have a seaside home at Sorrento, where they delight in entertaining friends of the theatrical profession, past and present. Hugh Buckler, a fine actor who was in New Zealand some years ago, is playing Lord Essex in the costume nlav “ Elizabeth and Essex,” in New York. Thais Lawton is Queen Elizabeth. . Tremendous success with revivals of plays in Australia was reported by Air Beaumont Smith, managing director of Williamson Films (New Zealand), Lid., and controller of the Regent Theatre circuit in the Dominion, who returned - to Auckland from Sydney by the Niagara, Mariei Bremner has been playing in The Belle f New York,” which has achieved lemarkable success. Gladys Moncrieff is in “The Maid of the Mountains. “They will be in New Zealand at the end of the year,” said Mr Smith.