Sidelights on the London Theatre

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 62, 4 June 1927, Page 24 (Supplement)

Sidelights on the London Theatre

“THE PLAY’S THE THING” COMMERCIALISED STAGE Interesting sidelights on theatrical conditions in London are made by Patric Curwen, whose experience of stage life in that city has ranged over a period of 20 years. He is at present playing in “The Ringer” in Melbourne. Londoners were good patrons of the , theatre before the war, but, of recent years, he had met old friends whohave not been able to remember readily when they went to the theatre last They, like many others, have had to economise, but Mr. Curwen gives other reasons besides the need for economy why numbers go occasionally to the theatre instead of regularly, as in former days. “There used to be fixed managements with fixed theatres and fixed policies, so that people knew the type of production they would see and where they would see it. Now there are few managements with a fixed policy. We even find revue at His Majesty’s, the old home of Trees Shakespearian productions. “Syndicates are formed to produce an author’s play. If it is successfulthe speculators do well; blit if it fails the syndicate quickly ceases operations. The run of a play depends largely on its first night’s reception. If a play is not well received on the first night and the business shows no sign of improvement in the course of the ensuing few nights, speculators will not spend more money. That is the reason why there have been 30 many runs of nine or ten performances in the past year or s-o. “A production is not a paying pr°‘ position nowadays unless the thea-re is about seven-eighths full at eacn performance. Production costs are considerably greater than they w<? re before the war, while West End theatres of average holding capacity which could have been rented to about £2OO a week, involve an outlay of approximately £450 when taken o a short lease. “These financial considerations bring difficulties for all, and it is signincan that an unusual number of stars toured last season. Though st a great drawing power, a star w not now bring success to a poor P“V-‘ In the public mind ‘the play’s t thing.’ t “The commercialised stage has n improved the actor’s lot. In for^" c . days an engagement with Tree sibly meant appearances in the n two productions, which meant contl ous work for months or two ye “ g A syndicate engages an actor for production, and if that is wit after a fortnight’s run, the syndi ceases operations, and the actor to look elsewhere for work. rcife’ “The success of ‘The Farmers . indirectly affords an illustrauo _ present conditions. Sir Barry T son brought his Birmingham b tory players to an out of the ‘ W ' a - T n . atre. None of the actors had a if , don name and the Court Theatre . been the scene of many m^Il MLpr’s losses. For some weeks ‘The Far l ? Wife’ did not pay. Had this PjaY ]d in the hands of speculators it have been withdrawn and jack" among the failures. Sir Barry >. son is a rich man who does n e for immediate profit. Gradual!. nFarmer’s Wife’ won favour ana tuallv all London went to se comedy.” ..non Mr. Curwen looks back fondly the days when the actor- manage the rule instead of the except!* * says that he has had more j a te ments under Du Maurier ana H. B. Irving than all other nia ments, and those experiences happiest of his life.