WILL BOURCHIER COME TO N.Z.?

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 122, 13 August 1927, Page 22

WILL BOURCHIER COME TO N.Z.?

NEGOTIATIONS PROCEEDING If negotiations between Arthur Bourchier, the London actor-man-ager, and J. C. Williamson, Ltd., are-successful, Mr. Bourchier will probably arrive in Australia about Christmas time with the company which he took to South Africa early tliis year. .Mr. Bourchier has with him a large repertoire of plays, including “At the Villa Rose,” by A. E. W. Mason, and “Treasure Island,” in which he “created” the part of Long John Silver. This will be one of J. C. Williamson’s most noteworthy engagements. Bourchier’s first appearance was as Jaques in “As You Like It,” in September, 1889. “Treasure Island” is James Bernard Fagan’s adaptation of Stevenson’s book. Bourchier also “created” the part of Old Bill in “The Better ’Ole.” Among the many parts he has played are King Henry VIII! (probably his best character study), Brutus, Bottom and Sir Toby Belch. In 1918 he married Kyrle Bellew, the English actress. Before Mr. Bourchier left London to tour in South Africa his friends entertained him at luncheon. Lord Birkenhead “got a big laugh,” as stage people say, when he related how he once visited the mansion of a noble friend, accompanied by a young guardsman who was not remarkable for his intelligence. They were escorted through many rooms containing pictures and armour, but the young officer evinced little interest until they stopped opposite a picture of Henry the Eighth. At this*juncture the guardee screwed his monocle in his eye and boserved, “Ah! . . . Good old Bourchier!”