BEHIND THE FOOTLIGHTS

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12615, 27 November 1926, Page 13

BEHIND THE FOOTLIGHTS

PROVIDING GOOD FARE AT OPERA HOUSE Well-known throughout England, America and Australasia as high-class performers are Messrs Dick White and Erie Edgley, and equally well known they hope to be in the near future as high-class entrepreneurs. The former is at present directing the business destinies of Mr Joseph Cunningham’s New English Comedy Company at the Grand Opera House, Wellington, which concludes a wonderfully successfully season of two weeks to-

night, and his' partner and the latter I is the director of “The Midnight ! Frolics” Company which is causing something in the nature of a theatrical sensation at the Opera House, Auckland. It is not generally known that Messrs White and Edgley are brothers; Air Dick White will be well remembered with the Dick Dorothy Company, which Was one of the star acts with Jack “The Butterflies” Company way hack in ’lB, and Eric Edgley will probably never be forgotten with the rising generation for his association with the Edgley and I)awe act with the J. C. Williameon Pantomime of 1920. Clem Dawe is another brother, but like Walter Fuller, of the Fuller firm, he Fas not yet entered into the business partnership.

It is very gratifying to be able ] to record a financial success for Mr j Joseph Cunningham’s New English 1 Comedy Company, which is complet- c ing a two weeks’ season at the Grand i Opera House to-night. During the j season we have had two comedies in ; “The Unfair Sex,” and “Eliza Comes 1 to Stay,” in which.tho company has 1 established itself as the equal of any i company that had preceded it in this type of play, and Wellington theatregoers will look forward with the very happiest anticipation for another taste of its mettle in lan Hay’s com- , edy, “The Sport of Kings,” and Sutton Vane’s allegorical drama “Out j ward Bound.” j Eric Edgley and Clem Dawe, the 1 Stars of the “The Midnight Frolics,” i owe a great deal of their success to j ‘ tho late George Formby, the well- ! i known English comedian. Mr Formby , t saw them presenting a dance song j < some years ago and was so delighted j i with their work that he wrote them ; - some patter. Prior to this they never j I thought of using any other means but jthcir legs to secure their laughs. 1

A CLEVER PRODUCER Victor Roberts, producer of tho Hector St. Clair Revue Company, which is making such an outstanding success at Fullers’ Theatre, is a new importation of Sir Benjamin Fuller, from London. Mr Roberts has served his apprenticeship to theatrical business m every branch, from helping to erect a circus tent in a fair field, to writing and producing revues in the West End of London. As an author and producer, he has the advantage of being able to realise the type of artiste

ho is dealing with, and then writing shows that will show them to their best advantage. Thus he gives the public the best of productions and the artiste the best or material to work with. The Hector St. Clair Revue Company is now in its fifth successful week at His Majesty’s Theatre, Wellington. • • • • Reg. Thornton, the genius of topicalities, will be with us again shortly for a week only. Although this is Mr Thornton’s third visit to Wellington within the last few months, he is undoubtedly assured of a warm welcome. The “Kangaroosta’s” slogan is “Let the audience judge,” and Wellington audiences are not slow in showing their appreciation when a firstolass artist is in their midst. Mr

iiiiiiimiiiiimmiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiimiimiiiiiDii Reg. Thornton is indeed a go-geitter after topicalities, and almost before the ink of the “Press” is dry he is dealing out the latest from the stage in his own inimitable way. His partner, too, Miss Doris O’Shea, is also a great favourite, and the two of them present what is perhaps one of the best vaudeville acts on the stage to-day. • » • « FULLERS’ MIDNIGHT FROLICS Clem Dawe, proclaimed “the uncrowned king of comedians” by the Auckland “Herald.” That is praise indeed, but not saying too much judging by the unprecedented success of the Midnight Frolics in Auckland, where for the last three weeks this “greatest of all shows” has been playing to packed houses nightly. “When eight o’clock struck every seat in the Opera House was filled, and people were being turned away from the doors —a striking tribute to the enormous popularity of two inimitable co-medians —Clem Dawe and Eric Edgley.” The paper goes on to say: “It is a musical