PLAYS AND PLAYERS.

Waikato Times, Volume 114, Issue 19010, 29 July 1933, Page 16 (Supplement)

PLAYS AND PLAYERS.

COMING EVENTS. [August 2—Song Recital: Mrs. O’Connor, Misses Kinniburgh and Sutherland (pupils pf Myra Booth Studio). August 3—Recital of Modern Verse by Walter Russell-Wood. August B—Hamilton Philharmonic Society (miscellaneous concert). August 16—Recital by Owen Jensen, Pianist. Dante the Magician.

Musical Comedies for New Zealand. The musical comedy company headed by Madge Elliott, Cyril Ritohard and Gus Bluett will return to New Zealand -within the next few months. • The repertoire will include “,Our Miss Gibbs,” the revival of whi'ch has been tremendously successful in Australia, and “Hold My Hand-” The company is just closing a long and profitable season in Melbourne. Recital of Modern Verse. An unusual entertainment of literary .and artistic merit will be presented at ''the Winter Show Hall, Hamilton on Thursday evening, when Mr RussellWood will perform extracts from the works of modern poets. Prominent on a programme of chosen poems will be works by John Masefield, John Drinkwatcr, Elroy Flecker, Lord Alfred Douglas, Eileen Duggan, A. P. Herbert and Harry Graham. . Mr Russell-Wood is sure of •’ a good measure of public support on y this, his final appearance in Hamilton before his departure for Dunedin and Außtr&li&. Mrs lan Stuart will contribute three hraokets of songs. Saouree £l3 Per Weejc Alimony. Carrie Moure (the original “Merry Widow" ,ln Australia), musioal comV edy star, secured permanent alimony ■ o ! f £l3 weekly from ex-husband Hor- - ace V. Bartlett, better known as Frank . Wyatt. ... .' . - V; ‘ Miss Moore reoeiitly emerged from retirement to. take, a part in “ Music • y in. the Air” in Sydney. Her 69th Birthday. ' Marie Tempest has Just celebrated her C9th birthday. 'She is appearing in “When Ladies Meet,” one of the hits of the London season. . < . Mi«« Tempest, is to sing on the • radio, says a London paper. When ehe visited Broadcasting House to record her selections, she sang “The Amorous Goldfish ’ from The Geisha " (in yvhloh .she appeared at Daly’s Theatre, London, In 1896). She was also hoard In an excerpt from;, her i great suocess “The Marriage .• of Kitty” (1902),' as Becky Sharp in “Vanity Fair” (1911), and as ’Polly Eooles. in " Caste." From Aotor to Pur&er. Andrew. Higginson, who was the original Prince Danilo In “ The Merry Widow" in Australia, arrived at Melbourne 'from. London last week as purser on the freight steamer Banffshire. ; y..>, . . ' • ' ■ Fllm s 'Star for Australian Stage. . Mr Gordon Ellis, general manager ,of British Empire Films, Ltd., of Australia and New Zealand, on his return ito Sydney by the Monterey from a trip abroad, contrasted the advancement in. British film production In the past 18 months with the lost glamour .of Los Angeles. '“lt is possible that Bebe Daniels may come to Australia with her own company in a legitimate show," 'ho : saidNight Life Gone from Berlin. ' Cecil Morrison, director of the Australian Broadcasting 'Commission of dance hands in Sydney, on his return • 'to Australia by the Monterey said that night life had vanished in Berlin. Hitler had decreed that the title and ' vocal chorus of English and American dance tunes must not be broadcast, the object apparently being to get the people away from anything not German. 11 The Quaker Girl” Revived. The company headed by Madge Elliott, Cyril Rite-hard and Gus Bluett, after a long and successful season in Melbourne with revivals of “Our Miss Gibbs" and “ Hold My Hand,” has staged another old favourite, “ The Quaker Girl.” Successful Tour Ends. The longest tour made by any J. C. Williamson touring company in New Zealand in the last 20 years ended on Thursday, when Mr. Frank Neil’s vaudeville-revue company gave its final performance at Auckland, before returning to Australia. The company has been continuously employed in the Dominion for 31 weeks, during which time over' 100,000 people have paid for admission. The Government has received over €3OOO by way of amusement tax as a result of the tour, in addition to a very substantial sum which Mr. Neil and other members of the company had to pay in income tax. , Mr. Neil is credited with having made a very substantial profit on the tour. “I am more than satisfied with the results achieved," he said. “ There Is no depfesslon in New Zealand if you spend your money wisely and courageously Instead of tying It up In the bank.” Death of Bland Holt Aotor. Walter Baker, who a quarter of a century ago, was one of Australia and New Zealand’s most popular actors, died at Double Bay. Sydney, on July 16, at the age of 70 years. Mr. Baker was of striking and lovable personality, and was considered one of the most accomplished, of Australian actors. He made his debut with the Majcroni Company at the old Sydney Opera House, and immediately became a “matinee idol." He had the advantage of a splendid physique, a natural and easy deportment, and a mellow, flexible voice. It was with tlie Bland Holt company, that Mr. Bakin* was most popular and' successful. His outstanding performances were in “ The World,” “ The Sailor’s Knot,” “ The Prodigal Son," “ Life of Pleasure.” 4 The Union Jack,” and “ White- Heather.’* .