SUNDAY THEATRES IN ENGLAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 258, 21 January 1928, Page 22

SUNDAY THEATRES IN ENGLAND

A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION There is, I think, no doubt that Sunday theatre-going is markedly on the -increase, writes William Pollock in the “Daily Mail.” Last Sunday evening four London theatres were open and three of them were practically full. If they bad been open to the general public thousands of people would almost certainly have been turned away from the doors. As the law stands, public performances may not be given in theatres on Sunday in England, and managers with whom I have discussed the subject are not unanimous that it would be advisable to give them. “Sunday audiences would be enormous, but whether it would be wise to have the theatres open I am not prepared to say at present,” R. H. Gillespie, managing director of the Moss Empires, said. “But this I can tell you: two provincial chief constables l#ave stated to me that they like to have the cinema theatres open on Sunday evenings because they keep people—particularly young people—from idling about the streets. “If the theatres were open on Sundays they would probably have to be closed on Mondays. This could be done, and the big Sunday audiences might even go a long way to make many theatres pay where, as things are, they do not pay.” Charles B. Cochran said that he has long been in favour of having theatres open on Sunday evenings. “I believe that there is a very considerable public demand, and, also, that there are many people whose only free evening for entertainment going is Sunday. “Sunday evening plays would help to relieve the economic position in the theatre and I do not think that stage hands, orchestras, and other* necessary workers would object to something that would do this and put money into their pockets.” Sir Oswald Stoll does not consider that there is a general demand for Sunday theatres. “It is, I think, a demand of a special kind, largely on the part of stage people themselves, who, if they are successful have very little time for playgoing in the ordinary way.” “Noel Coward at his worst,” is how the “Daily Mail” refers to his latest: “Home Chat,” Mr. Coward’s new play, produced at the Duke of York’s Theatre, sees Mr. Coward at his best and at his worst. He is always striving to be so exceedingly clever. One feels all the time that he is chuckling heartily at his own jokes. Once again we are shown rather a nasty crowd of people. There is cynicism, a certain amount of wit—rather cheap wit most of it—and something like a falsification of life. That is all. The acting was of the best, but the play was Noel Coward at his worst.” * * * “All the King’s Horses,” by Charles E. Openshaw, is being played in Melbourne by the 'Vanbrugh-Boucicault Company at the King’s Theatre. The whole of the company appears in the new play, comprising Miss Vanbrugh, Mr. Boucicault,\ Norman McKinnel, Ronald Ward, Marjorie Playfair, Hugh Williams, Annie Saker, Peggy Carter, and Gwynne Whitby. “All the King’s Horses” is light comedy, and the Humpty Dumpty of the piece is Wilfred Everett, who for 23 years has been an important person m the city and the home, and a tyrant as well. The play, which contains much bright dialogue, deals with the effect upon Everett of a “shadow from the past,” which makes a different man of him.”