JOHANNESBURG SEASON

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5330, 24 September 1928, Page 1

JOHANNESBURG SEASON

WINTER DANCES AND CABARETS. . (By a;ii S.A. Woman.) News arrives of a heat, wave in England' just as we Arc embarking upon, our “winter.” “Winter” is probably a rather mis-, leading, word, for the weather is like that oif a pleasant English June. But tennis is impossible after 5.30 in the afternoon, when darkness falls; as quickly a,s a drop-curtain, p There is no twilight, nio uncertain p'Ause between day a,nd night. A woman out here mjssesi, perhaps, more than anything, the lovely English half-light, when the lamps glimmer, through blue mist and chairs are drawn UP round the fire for an English tea with English muffins. AT THE COUNTRY CLUBS . But this is only the sentimentality of an exile, a feminine one a,t that. The jofßurg winter season isi sufficiently cheerful and gay to. allow little* time fey reflections. Tennis, of course, continues enthusiastically at the Country Club, bo.th winter nd summer. Keen play- • er s begin at ten in the mqrniiig, ankl oji a Sunday the 22 courts are often all occupied/even at. .this early hour. Then we take morning tea and luncheon, which are well served by Indian attendants. The club is famous for its excellent cqoking/. A “BIOSCOPE” OF THE JUNGLE. Dinner-dance entertainjjng is very much the vogue here as in America, for we, are hospitable and gregarious people, and most of us find! our flats and houses too small foy big,-scale receptions. The favqurite. Johannesburg haunt has a cabaret from .the, leading, music ha.ll. These artists, are kept thoroughly busy during the season. One big “bioscope”—we never talk about the cinema, or the pictures—also provides turns from the same theatre. We are no,w seeing “Chang,” and it. seems a very far cry from our civilised life here in Johannesburg tc ; that other part off this “dark continent” where, jungle still defies all mpn’s efforts to subdue it. } “Beau Geste,” a recent film, was also much appreciated. CRAMPED THEATRE QUARTERS On the dark winter evenings the. , theatre is usually crowded 1 . They are incredibly uncomfortable places, but rumours are about that palatia.l new buildings will be begun soon. The ’ Prince of Wales’ visit to our princi- < pal music hall was the occasion of a very welcome refurbishing. Otherwise ' we endure all the rigours 'of cramp in our. 10s 6d stalls. A LONG PROGRAMME. Sybil Thorndyke’g visit has been a great excitement. We have had' “The Lie” and “The Silver, Cord”—the latter play causing much discussion among serious-minde.d mothers of sons —for three weeks each. We like a long programme, and Miss Thorndyke gives us a fortnights run of a double bill that included not only the “Medea” of Euripides, but St John Ervine’s “Jane Clegg.” She is returning, after a to.ur ini the Transvaal with “Saint Joan.” Meanwhile we are having a. visit fr.can Miss Phyllis Dare. oS that, we, are not too far, after all, from the West End 1 stage, and the Jo’burg winter season is almost as gay as a London October.