STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 231, 29 September 1928, Page 2 (Supplement)

STAGE JOTTINGS.

The League of Notions Revue Company will return to St. James' Theatre at the close of the grand opera season. The opening performance will be on Monday week, October 8. The season will be a short one.

"The Girl Friend," the musical comedy which • has scored a great success In Australia, is expected at His Majesty's Theatre about the beginning of November. It will serve to introduce to New Zealand audiences a new leading lady in Miss Annie Croft.

An outstanding event in the grand opera season at St. James' Theatre will bo the production on Monday evening of the YVagnerian opera "Lohengrin." This performance will commence at jiallpast seven punctually and will continue until about twenty minutes to twelve. The management has made arrangements for special trams to all suburbs and for ferries to Devonport and Birkenhead.

Mr. Jim Gerald is returning from Fngland with a new revue company, and is sure this time to visit Auckland under the Fuller management. Mr. Frank Neil and his company may also be expected at St. James' Theatre, with a repertoire of farces, which will probably include "Getting Gertie's Garter" and "Not To-night, Dearie." Both these pieces were produced in Australia by Mr. Neil and his company.

The success which ha 3 attended the Auckland Amateur Operatic Society's production of "The Belle of New York" is proof of the undying popularity of this musical comedy. For more than a quarter of a century it has held the popular favour and has survived the effects of the war and of the post-war periods of change. The success of the piece is also a credit to the local societv and adds another name to an already lofag list of notable performances.

Miss* Margaret Lawrence, the Ameri can actress, was born at Trenton, New Jersey in 1889, and made her first appearance on the stage at Chicago in August, 1910, in "Her Son." Miss Lawrence scoted a great success when she •appeared at the Hackett Theatre, New York, in January, 1911, as Elsie Darling ~n "Over Nisrht." At the end of that engagement she married and was absent from the stage for seven years. When •;he reappeared it was at the Belasco Theatre. Washington, in June, 1918, as the wife in "Tea For Three." Pieces in

which Miss Lawrence appeared between 1918 and 1024 included "Wedding Bells," "Transplanting Jean," "Lawful Larceny," "The Endless Chain," '".Secrets," and '"in His Arms" Last year Miss Lawrence accompanied the American actor Mr. Louis Bennison on his illiated visit to Australia in "The Road to i\onie'' and other pi«v£s. On her return to her native countv she appeared in New York in a new comedy bv Harry Segal entitled "The Behaviour of Mrs. viane.'' Mr. Anthony Prinsep's London Com "iany, headed by Miss Margaret Bannerman, will occupy His Majesty's Theatre 011 Wednesday evening for a season of twelve nights. The opening production will be "Other Men's Wives," by Waltei Hackett. There will be four performances of this, and on Monday week it will be followed by Somerset Maugham's much-discussed comedy,. "Our Betters," which will continue for four niphts. "Sexes and Sevens," by Arthur Wimperis, from the !• rench of Alfred Savoir, will provide three evenings' entertainment, and on Monday and Tuesday, October lo and lli, "Diplomacy." an adaptation of Victoricn Sardou's "Dora," will be presented.

Another grand opera company is to be brought from Italy for a tour of Australia and New Zealand next year. Signor Rudolplio Gonsalez has already returned to Italy for the purpose of assembling and 'bringing out another coin Dany. The success which lias attended the tour of the Fuller-Gonsalez Italian Grand Opera Company both in Australia and New Zealand has exceeded all expectations. Sir Benjamin Fuller, who is now on a visit to the Dominion, sajd on his arrival that the Auckland season of the company would Conclude next Saturday. The company will then play a return season in the Southern centres, and might, if support warranted it, return to Auckland before going back to Australia. The company has still to complete its Australian season. This time Australia is forced to wait while New Zealand enjoys the extended season

Miss 31 aid ie Hope, who pla> a an important role iu "Our Betters" with Miss Margaret, Bainienuan, is of particular interest to Australians by reason of the fact that she married Mr. Dudley Ward, a cousin to Lord Dudley, a former Gev ernor-General of the Commonwealth At the aec of 14 she ran away from home and commenced her caree v in London with a George Edwardes' r nmnanv, FiiEragements followed with Q ir Herbert Tree and Mr. Ovril Maude Miss Hope's father, Mr. John Hollingshed. a notable figure in the annals of the London stasre. built the Gaietv Theatre. Miss Hone was a noted artist on the musical comedv stage before she transferred to comedy. Among the musical nlavs she appeared in were "The Girl." "The Rimawav Girl." "The Circus Girl." "The Geisha." "A Gaietv Girl" and "San Toy." After studying for grand onera she returned to the starre in association with Mr. Cvril Maude, and later appeared as Audrev in "As You Like Tt" and as Maria In "'Twelfth Xirrht." Her interpretation o< Madame Vinard in "Trilhv." with Sir | Herbert Tree, was a great success. Miss i Hope has also figured prominently in revue.