A NEW THEATRE

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20422, 12 February 1938, Page 15 (Supplement)

A NEW THEATRE

BIG PLANS FOR SYDNEY It was pleasant to renew acquaint ance with Mr 11. A. Bowden, gene-, manager for J. C- Williamson. Lid who. of course, is delighted with :h revived interest in the legilimat theatre in Australia and New Zealand Mr Bowden told me that prelimir ary arrangements have been made fc a new stage theatre in Sydney an that it is hoped the building will b he sun on a Gastlereagh Street sit before the end or the year. Mr Bowden refuted the cabled rr marks by Warren P. Munsell, junio of New York, that immense profit awn’ted Broadway producers in Aus tralia. The proposed new theatre, he sail would he of the intimate charade sealing about 150 ii people. ••1 do not think that Mr Munsell declarations paid sufficient attention t

ttie wide marginal difference between box office prices in New York and London and the prices possibL in Sydney,’’ said Mr Bowden, who pointed out that “Balalaika,” now running successfully in Sydney, could command only 8s for good seats compared with 13s obtainable in London. Sydney Audiences Tired Sydney audiences, be said, were tired of seeing local players time and time again, but the lower revenues .made it difficult to obtain first-class i players, whose services could only be obtained at great cost. Furthermore, English players in general were alarmed by distances. Nevertheless, the firm had always believed in the future of the legitimate theatre in Sydney, and would attempt to meet the rising demand for “straight” plays. English youth, continued Mr Bowden. was so educated to the theatre that it took precedence willi them over moving pictures. Australian youth, however, was taken to the “movies” from babyhood, and that difference in taste slowed down the development of an Australian taste for play-going, but lie was convinced from the phenomenal successes of Gilbert and Sullivan light operas with Sydney children that they only needed to he introduced to flesh and blood drama to he gradually weaned from moving pictures. Shakespeare for Australia Commenting on the amazing rise of the box-office value of Shakespeare in London and New York, Mr Bowden said that the same feeling existed in Sydney. "We must have Shakespeare in Sydney,” he said. “The public demand is such that we hope to bring Shakespearean production to Sydney before Ihe year is out. We are forced t o wait at present because, while we will not be satisfied with less than eight to ten principal players, the terrific demand for good Shakespearean players is so great abroad that we cannot get what we want. Recently two simultaneous productions of Hamlet ran in New York.” Plans for Grand Opera There is likely to he another grand opera season towards the end of the year. Mr Nevin Tait is on the Continent on the lookout for principals, and the local field is being prospected for choruses. It is probable that Government aid will be sought.