PLAYS AND PLAYERS.

Waikato Times, Volume 111, Issue 18630, 7 May 1932, Page 16 (Supplement)

PLAYS AND PLAYERS.

Coming Events.

May 30—Hamilton Students’ Association (French Music). May 23—Organ Recital Joy Mr E. H. Apthorp. June 14—J. C. Williamson, Ltd, (probably Molsehvitsch, Pianist). June 25—Hamilton Students’ Association (New Zealand Composers). Good~bye to Gilbert and Sullivan Co. The Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company, which has been doing excellent business in New Zealand for several months, sailed from Auckland for Sydney yesterday. There were animated scenes at the wharf, the members of the company being enthusiastically farewelled by a large crowd. They have made many friends in New Zealand. Items from Melbourne. Many had to be turned away from the Theatre Royal on Saturday night, so popular has “Bitter Sweet," Noel Coward’s remarkably entertaining musical play, proved. ‘ The revue staged at the Bijou hy the Milton and Adams Company has many humorous touches. For the last three nights of the season of Margaret Rawlings at the King’s Theatre, J. C. Williamson, Ltd., presented for the first time in Australia "Happy and Glorious," a drama with a powerful human Interest.

Full houses greeted the new programme at the Tivoli on Saturday. Ella Shields is still the head-liner. This fine artist features the old favourite “Burlington Bertie,” which the audience demands at each performance.

At the Palace on Saturday night the Nellie Bramley Comedy Company presented another laughable comedy, “She Couldn't Say No." It is brimful of funny situations. Noel Coward’s Next Play.

Noel Coward’s next theatrical venture is -likely to be a new comedy In which he will appear in London with Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, tho popular New York artists. The fact that Mr Coward was writing a new comedy while on holiday in South America was announced recently. He is now in Hollywood, and may attend preliminary rehearsals of the play In New York. He is expected in London shortly. Miss Fontanne was born in England and played for some years on the London stage before going to the United States.

Dame Bybll Thorndike for N.Z. Dame Sybil Thorndike and her London company, who have Just arrived in Australia, are expected to come to New Zealand in October.

The repertoire will include “St. Joan," which Bernard Shaw wrote for Dame Sybil, and Shakespeare’s “Macbeth" and “The Taming of the Shrow." There will also be "Captain Brassbound’s Conversion” and "Madame Plays Nap."

Tho company Includes Misses Phyllis Best (a daughter of Sir Robert Best, of Melbourne), who has been playing leading parts on the London stage for some years, Zlllah Carter and Hilda Davies, Messrs C. Bruae-Winston, Michael Marlln-Harvey, Albert Chevalier, jun., Norman Shelley, Athol Fleming, Leonard Bennett, and Christopher Casson. Dame Sybil’s husband, Lewis Casson, will act as producer. New Comedy In Melbourne. “Whistling In the Dark” has been successfully launched in Melbourne. John Junior and Stapleton Kent, who were here some years ago in “Turn to the Right,” have returned for the new corrfedy, and they are supported by Maisie Swan, Sadie Bedford, Harvey Adams, Tal Ordell, John Fernside and Carleton Stuart. John Junior plays the leading role of Wallace Porter, a novelist. Stapleton Kent plays Jacob Dillon, and produces the play. Sybil Thorndike Playe to Royalty. i Dame Sybil Thorndike, the English actress, opened her Egyptian season at the Opera House, Cairo, with “Milestones." Among the audience were the King and Queen, the Premier (Sldkv Pasha) and the High Commissioner (Sir Percy Loraine). The King received Dame Sybil in the royal box. The company has just arrived in Australia, and will come to New Zealand later.

English Comedian In Hollywood. Herbert Mundin, who was In New Zealand as principal comedian in the stage version of “Tho Desert Song,” is doing well In America. After succeeding in the talkies In England he went to Hollywood, where he Immediately got good engagements. Recently he appeared successfully In Hollywood with that other popular comedian, Edward Everett Horton, in a stage show, "Springtime for Henry," a musical oomedy.

London Llkoa New Comedy.

Ivor Novello’s new comedy in London, “I Lived With You,” has made a hit. Besides writing the play, Mr Novello plays the principal part, that of a penniless Russian prince.

One oritlo w r rltes: I enjoyed “I Lived With You.” And to judge from the continual laughter at the final reception so did the audience. It is pleasant to have Mr Novello home again; he Is far too good to be exiled in tho wastes of tho Beverly Hill 3 at Hollywood.

£4OO-a-Weok Comedian Disappoints. The name of Harry Green at the top of the Palladium bill (says a London paper) brought an expectant audience. It is 11 years since this American comedian came to London and won an enthusiastic public for himself. In tho Interval wo have seen and laughed at his brilliant comedy performances In talking films. All the more of a disappointmenl was it, then, to find that Mr Green (who Is being paid more than £4OO for his week’s appearance) has como this time without airy proper act, and has nothing but a selection of jokos and a not particularly funny burlesque Toreador number to offer us. Mr Green was in New Zealand some years ago In tho Jewish stage comedy, i “Give and Take.”

Shows In Sydney.

The principal stage attractions in Sydney are: Grand opera, “Madame Butterfly" to-night; “The Barretts of Wimpole Street," romantio drama, with Margaret Rawlings (as Elizabeth Barrett), E. Bellenden Clarke, Barry K. Barnes, Mary Cobb, Mary Maogregor, John Wood, Kenneth Brampton, Noel Boyd; “Frivolities,” revue, with Yvonne Banvard, Walter Cornock and others; Wlrths’ Circus, headed by. Aloys Peters, who drops 70 feet with his head in a hangman’s noose. Al. Jolson Back to Stage. Al. Jolson has gone back to his first love, the stage. Recently he was heading a company which was averaging £6OOO a week in the spectacular musical comedy, "Wonder Bar,” at Hollywood. Later, it Is said, he will make another picture. Let us hope it will not be another “Sonny Boy”! a vti suz Anne Croft In London. Anne Croft, who w r as in “The Girl Friend" and "Hit the Deck" In New Zealand some years ago, has taken her revival of “The Chocolate Soldier,” with which she had been touring tho English provinces for some time, to the Shaftesbury Theatre, London. The revival marks Miss Croft’s first effort in the London West End as an actress-manageress. In the production the orchestra is regarded as one of the most Important features. Aotress to Wed. When James Dickson, Sydney business man, arrives to-morrow for his wedding with Prudence Vanbrugh (Bourchier), the daughter of Mrs Arthur Bourchier (Violet Vanbrugh), it will be the first meeting of the couple for two years (says a London paper). They met in Australia in 1929, when the bride was touring with her aunt, Irene Vanbrugh, and arrangements for the wedding were made by letter and cable. Rev. the Earl of Devon will perform the wedding ceremony at SL Paul’s, Knightsbridge, London. The couple will live in Australia after a honeymoon In Cornwall.

Mr James I. B. Dickson is a wellknown accountant and member of the firm of D. P. Dickson and Son, of Sydney. He is 36 years of age.