Stageland

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 44, 14 May 1927, Page 21 (Supplement)

Stageland

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE Now Playing “The Best People” and “Meet the Wife.” July 2-July 16.—“ Lady Be Good.” July 28-August 18.—“ The Last of Mrs. Cheyney,” ‘ Daddy Longlegs” and “Polly With a Past,” Renee Kelly. COMING “Tell Me More.” “Rose Marie.” Nellie Bramley Co., in several plays. La Mascotte,” Auckland Amateur Operatic Society. Speed and pep are two of the essentials of ‘ The Best People,” one of the smartest comedies ever brought to this country. Marian Lord, who has a big name in America, plays the lead. “The Best People” will open at His Majesty’s Theatre this evening. After many months of waiting Renee Kelly is at last definitely coming to Auckland. She made her name in “Daddy Longlegs” during the war. One of the best plays of the repertoire will be “The Last of Mrs. Cheyney,” by Frederick Lonsdale. “Polly with a Past” completes the interesting and amusing list. “Meet the Wife,” another smart American comedy of times and manners, will follow “The Best People” at His Majesty’s Theatre. Both plays have been received enthusiastically in the South.

“The Ringer” has found its way into other languages. The author, Edgar Wallace, has been supervising a production in Berlin. It was a great success in London and is to be done here shortly.

One-word titles are in favour on Broadway and thereabouts. Specimens are “Sex,” “Fog,” “Squall,” Sinner,” “Granite,” “Nighthawk,” and “Menace.”

For one American musical comedy it :is claimed that, instead of depending on “girls, gags, and gew-gaws,” it depends on wit, originality, and charm. Perhaps, perhaps. But what is one among so mans' - ?

Whatever may be said against many of the recent New York productions, there is the satisfying fact that Gilbert and Sullivan revivals have been running for nearly a year. Margaret Wycherley, who came here to play the old fortune-teller in “The Thirteenth Chair,” is appearing in New York in another mystery melodrama, “Set a Thief.”

George Baxter, of “The Green Hat,” in MelboLirne, mentions that Katherine Grey appeared in “The Goose Hangs High,” in which he took part in the United States. Miss Grey was in Australia in “Paid in Full,” “The Lion and the Mouse,” “The Third Degree,” “Salvation Nell,” and the dramatic version of “Madame Butterfly.” “There is a distinct danger of the British stage becoming a sink of sexuality. In order to be successful, every new play has to go a bit further, has to be more daring—in other words, more indecent, declared the novelist, Jerome K. Jerome recently, in a speech from the stage of the Bristol Little Theatre. He blames the large theatre, which, in order to pay expenses, was compelled to cater for the mob, and advocated the establishment of little theatres everywhere. “To be successful,” he concluded, “a London play must draw £2,000 a week, and when such riches pour in the box-office window art flies out of the stage door.” America seems to be suffering from the same trouble.

Sir Edward Denison Ross, director of the school of Oriental Studies, London Institution, and Professor of Persian in the University of London, declared: “The best English in the world is taught on the London stage and talked in the great London clubs. It is the middle-aged clubmen of London who are the true guardians of the bestspoken English, while the best-writ-ten English is preserved in the leader columns of our foremost newspapers.”

Somerset Maugham has another drama launched on London. Gladys Cooper is the star. The background is

Singapore. The new play is called ‘ The Letter.” When the curtain rises there are four shots to lead off with. Tlve young but not very unsophisticated wife of a planter has been left w/ith no one but the Chinese servants ip her husband’s bungalow. She shoots the first intruder—he seems to "have asked for it! —and soon finds herself under arrest. Her friends call it absurd, talk of self-defence, and make a fine heroine of her. A trial follows in which a Chinese servant tells of “the letter” which summoned the man to her side She gets off, but a young husband is disillusioned. The whole play is said to be tense and a box-office j security.

(Du COTHURXUS ) Stage-Manager: “You are no good as acrobats.” “Then bill our act as a classic dance.” * * ★ According to St. John Ervine, the English theatrical manager and playwright, there is no justification for the belief that the “London theatres are going to the dogs.” “The plays are good; the players are good; and the playgoers are willing to be good,” he said. “War conditions have now definitely passed into oblivion, and things in the theatrical world are now on the up-grade.”

Authorities on the London Theatre say that, apart from musical shows with prominent stars in the cast, the present Big Four with most English provincial audiences are Matheson Lang, Ivor Novello, Owen Nares, and Sybil Thorndike, who is shortly taking out J. B. Fagan’s new “The Greater Love.” Of these Matheson Lang is ranked number one.

Robert Geddes, of Auckland, who was for some time understudy to the principal tenor in “Rose Marie” at Drury Lane, London, is now plaving the part on tour in Britain. An Edinburgh paper, in a report of “Rose Marie,” says: Robert Geddes, a tenor, who hails from New Zealand, and who is a nephew of Professor Patrick Geddes, of this city, acts and sings with much effect as Jim Kenyon.

Judith Anderson, now in Australia, is scheduled to make her appearance in New York next season in “The Empty Cradle,” written for her by Willard Mack. Miss Anderson is planning to return to America in the early summer.

Elizabeth Morgan, who is playing in “Top Toes” in Sydney, got her first engagement in New York five hours after she arrived there, a complete stranger. She went there purely on spec. Gladys Moncrieff, though she had been earning a three-figure salary in Australia for years, waited in London nearly a year before Opportunity opened the door to her.

Bernard Shaw’s plays have enjoyed a vogue this winter on the Berlin stage, where “Major Barbara,” “Man and Superman,” “Heartbreak House” and

“The Philanderers” had successful runs. Oscar Wilde is another Englishman enjoying favour at present with Berlin theatregoers.

At Wanganui recently Mr. J. W. Bailey presented “The Young Person in Pink.” Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Bailey were supported by Mrs. T. L. Sperring, Mrs. G. Darbyshire, Mrs. P. P. Remington. Misses A. Greening, O. Paterson, E. McNaught, M. Craig, L. Broadhead, G. Trott, M. Perrett, M. Daizell, H. Robinson, R. Johnston. G. Jones, A. Edkins and Mr. E. Lind.

Maury Tuckerman from St. Louis, U.S.A., started being stage struck in 1914 when the Little Theatre movement struck his home town. He has the stock and theatre guild work in his bones now. Pittsburg stock taught him how to study quickly enough to pretend he was a new person every Monday night, and the New York Theatre Guild made him conversant with the characters in Shaw’s comedies. His part in “Cradle Snatchers” in Sydney is one of the snatched. He still looks young enough to be at home with his mother, but- doubtless with much pride she is watching his career in “the antipodes.”

While other cities visited were given the benefit of the “No, No Nanette” Company’s full repertoire, Invercargill had to be content with one afternoon and two evening performances of that play. The reason for this was given by Mr. J. Farrell, touring manager for J. C. Williamson’s, Ltd., while on a visit to Invercargill recently. Mr. Farrell condemned in round terms the contract drawn up between the corporation and the proprietor of the Civic Pictures. "I have heard it said,” he remarked during his visit, “that Williamson’s won’t send a company to Invercargill because it would not pay. There is no truth in that statement. A three-night season would pay us handsomely, and furthermore we would be able to give our full repertoires. Under this absurd agreement we are cut out of Wednesdays and Saturdays. We would be prepared to play ‘No, No, Nanette’ and ‘Lady be Good’ if we could get three nights running: but

The present clubhouse of the Lambs, New York, will be put on the market and plans immediately formulated for a new home as the result of a special meeting of the organisation. Arrangement of details was left in the hands of a committee headed by Adolph Zukor, and which also includes David Warfield, John Golden, Gene Buck. Thomas Meighan, Joseph Bickerton jun., and Ronald Hague.

Thomas A. Wise, Shepherd of the club, said that the projected change of clubhouse was necessarily dependent upon financing, but it was generally felt by club members that the plan could be successfully carried out. The present home of the Lambs, originally built in 1904, was enlarged in 1915, and has recently again become inadequate for the needs of the membership. There are now 1,700 members in the club.

The plan calls for a clubhouse with theatre adjoining, the whole to cost 1,400,000 dollars. The present clubhouse theatre, which seats only 300. has been found particularly inadequate for the regular club gambols. The new. clubhouse. like the present Fortyfourth Street home, will be located in the theatrical district, but nothing is known as yet regarding the precise site. Henry Mortimer. here with

"Abie’s Irish Rose,” is a member of the famous club.

Frank Neil, who seems to be successful in Australia, has acquired the rights of “Up in Mabel’s Room.” The picture founded on it is now being shown in. Sydney.

Roscoe (“Fatty”) Arbuckle, who was the chief figure in a nasty court case not so very long ago. is back on the vaudeville stage in America doing comedy work. His partner is his former wife, Doris Deane.

Clarence Blakiston. who made a great hit as Louis XV. to Nellie Stewart’s Du Barry in Belasco’s play, is scoring as Colonel Bedale in “The Blue Comet” at the Court Theatre, London.

The death has occurred at Adelaide of C. R. Standford, one of the old school of actors. Many years ago he toured New Zealand periodically with melodramas.

Tasmanian theatregoers are looking forward keenly to a visit from Muriel Starr this year. It is understood she will produce “Secrets,” “Cornered” and other plays new to this part of Australia.

Frank Webster, who will be leading tenor in “Madame Pompadour,” is a handsome fellow who will appeal tc girls of all ages. But he will also bt one of the most manly-looking juveniles seen on the Australian stage.

Frederick Blackman is in Sydney and will produce “Madame Pompadour.” This is the first of a number of shows he will do for WilliamsonTaits. For 24 years he staged shows for the famous George Edwards, of the Gaiety, London.

Arnold Bennett will sell his storv •Lord Raingo,” to Edgar Selwyn for dramatisation, according to Selwyn, who has sailed for London to sign a contract with the author.

"The Best People" due this evening a delightful comedy of a chorus girl who marries into an aristocratic family and an aristocratic girl who weds a chauffeur. Marion Lord plays the lead and from all accounts makes a wonderful job of it.

Beppie de Vries is in Sydney having a look round before she plays lead in “Madame de Pompadour.” which opens m Brisbane. She made a very successful tour of her native land, Holland before she embarked. When she told people she was going to Australia, some thought she was talking double-’ Dutch while others had a hazy idea that they had heard the name before somewhere.

Charles Megan, of Fullers, who has visited New Zealand, has an eight-year-old daughter, June. He always took her to band rehearsals on Monday mornings in England. By the time she was four June had got wise to daddy. “Your daddy’s a rich man,” the bandmaster said one day. “Oh, no,” said June, “he’s a comedian.”

On Pauline Frederick’s first night in “Madame X” in London people from the pit pushed their way into the stalls and personally accosted the strav stars scattered thereabouts. Margaret Bannerman was almost smothered by enthusiastic girls pushing their programmes over her shoulder, demanding autographs.

Referring to the penny-throwing incident in Melbourne which led to Little Tich terminating his engagement with the Tivoli people, a writer in a Sydney paper says: “"Worse things than pennies have been thrown on the Melbourne Tivoli stage. I remember a soubrette who was struck by a sheep’s pluck thrown from the gallery. The lady fainted, and down came the curtain. And Austin Rudd, a ‘lion comique,’ once stopped a pie with one of his ears. The pie was heaved from a stage box occupied by a few knuts. Rudd was a good boxer, and the knuts will remember his dash into the box.”

The Charleston is waning. The Black Bottom is dying. Long live the “Heebie Jeebies,” latest of the dance steps, born in Chicago, rapidly spreading through the country and lately making its way on the revue stages of Europe. To Mile. Dora Duby belongs the honour, if honour it be, of introducing the “Heebie Jeebies” dance in the city where once the Blue Danube was the great dance. She showed it for the first time in a new revue, “Vienna Laughs Again,” and it met with such huzzas and bravos that it will probably sweep the continent as it did the United States. The dance is weird and exotic, an unmistakable throwback to voodoo ceremonials, as was the Charleston and Black Bottom.

Endowed with those wonderful qualities which make for that abstract thing called personality, Mr. Alexander Watson will be whole-heartedly welcomed back to Australia by those who gladly remember the compelling interpreter of some of our choicest gems which sparkle in our literary constellation. Throughout the Eng-lish-speaking world, Mr. Watson is recognised by those who can appreciate worth-while literature, as a brilliant interpreter of the works of such masters as Shakespeare, Barrie, Kipling, Browning, Tennyson, Dickens, Masefield and W. W. Jacobs. Mr. Watson has commenced his fifth and final tour of Australia and New Zealand in Melbourne, under the direction of E. J. Gravestock. with a programme of selections from Sir J. M. Barrie’s delightful story, "The Little Minister,” and works by Kipling, Roderic Quinn, the Australian poet, John Masefield, and A. A. Milne. A crowded theatre gave the popular entertainer a wonderful reception, and the general opinion was that the gifted reciter still retains the remarkable power of vividly reproducing in the minds of his hearrs the scenes and characters in a story, drama, poem, or humorous episode, which gives his work an unrivalled distinction. Olive Sloan, who arrived in Australia the other day, can’t name her favourite part. "I’m still looking for it,” she says. However, she speaks affectionately of Madam Coussinet in “The Padre,” which she played for eight months at the historic old Lyceum in London with Basil Gill as the Padre. “The Padre” is the Anglicised version of the French “Mon Cure Chez les Riche,” played for ages at the Sarah Bernhardt Theatre. Paris, by the gifted Vilbert and Mme. Cassive. Olive Sloane’s father was Norman Atkins, celebrated in his day as a song-writer who caught the public fancy, but who died at 30. She came into the West End three and a-half years ago. quite unknown, and made a hit in “The Last Warning.” She has been there ever since—in “The Flame.” “The Camel’s Back,” by Somerset Maugham; the spectacular “London Life” at Drury Lane. “Easy Money” at ; St. Martin’s, and the "Beggar on | Horseback” at both the Queen’s and Wyndham’s. Then a manager persuaded Olive i Sloane to play Dick Whittington in 1 pantomime. Her last engagement wa« i at the Ambassadors in “Any House.”