MAURICE CHEVALIER

Hokitika Guardian, 9 April 1931, Page 5

MAURICE CHEVALIER

TOUR OF NEW ZEALAND arranged. SYDNEY, March 26. Maurice Chevalier, Die iamous French comedian and film star, will visit New Zealand within the next two vears. The exact date is uncertain, gut it, is definite that, lie will make He tour. It* has been arranged that- he will spend seven weeks in Australia and 11 ntt a short lour o, the Dominion will follow.

An announcement to this efieet lias been made by Air E. J. Carroll, the Australian entrepreneur who ha* just returned from an extensive tour abroad Mr Carroll described Chevalier as the -one great magnetic personality on the world's .stage to-day." He said. that, at the. Dominion Theatre iu London, Chevalier drew bonces which showed £ IS.OOO for » fortnight-, and eclipsed all previous theatrical records. Ho was anxious to travel and his tour of Australia and New Zealand would be more in the nature of a pleasure trip than anything else Chevalier was not anxious to make a great deal of '.money, but was anxious to get into personal contact with the various people of the world who knew him only through the medium of the talking pictures. Air Carroll said that conditions in the theatrical industry in England were not good mainly owing to the fact that so linnifv of the leading playwrights of the English stage had been attracted to America to write for the talking screen. The plays produced in London were not in accordance with the. usual high standard, and lacked anpeal to the great bulk of playgoers. Of course, there were some outstanding exceptions. In both America and London there was a decided leaning towards cleaner plays.