STAGELAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 454, 8 September 1928, Page 24

STAGELAND

(By

COTHURNUS

FIXTURES HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE Now Playing.-—-“ The Laughing: Optimist,” “Mr. What’s I-lis Name,” “The Luck of the Navy,” Percy Hutchison. September 20, 30. —“The Belle of New York,” Amateur Operatic Society. October S. —Margaret Banne.rmap, "Our Betters” and “Sexes and Sevens.” October 24. —J. C. Williamson Celebrity Vaudeville. November I.—Lion Boucicault and Irene Vanbrugh. COMING “The Girl Friend." “Hit the Deck." "Princess Charming." "Castles in the Air." ST. JAMES THEATRE Now Playing.—" League of Notions Revue.” September 10.—Grand Opera Co, CONCERT CHAMBER September 26, 27, 28 and 29.—Little Theatre Society, “The Round Table." Allan Wilkie talks of returning to New Zealand in February with Ms Shakespearean Company. He is at present enjoying a successful tour in Australia. • » * Miss Marjorie Statham, daughter of Sir Charles Statham, Speaker of the House of Representatives, scored a success as Lawra Pasquale in the Wellington Repertory Theatre Society’s recent production of. “At Mrs. Beam’s.” i * * * We may have an all-negro company in New Zealand before long. Lew Lewis, producer of “Blackbirds of 1928,” the all-coloured revue at the Liberty Theatre, New York, recently sold the Australian rights to the piece to A. M. Masso, who plans to recruit a negro cast in New York.

Herbert Mundin, the young Englishman who will take the principal comedy role in “The Desert Song” in Melbourne shortly, was born in Lancashire 30 years ago. He began his stage career with a concert party at Boulogne in April, 1919, and made his first appearance on the regular stage in the provinces when on tour with a company in “The Kiss Call.” While appearing with a concert party at Devonshire Park, Eastbourne, Mr. Mundin was seen by Mr. Andre Chariot, who engaged him to play in London. He has since appeared in several revues in England, and in 1924 visited America with a Chariot revue company. Mr. Mundin’s last appearance in London was in the Daly production of “Lady Mary” with George Grossmith. A GIRL OF 61 Amazing Fanny Ward Musichall programmes are not sticklers for truth as a rule, writes the theatrical correspondent of a London paper. Nevertheless, the Coliseum’s can barely be accused of exaggerating the claims of Fannie Ward. “The most remarkable-looking woman for her age of our age,” describes her faithfully. It is all a matter of looks. She dances, sings, talks, and changes her dresses behind a transparency, but nobody would state that her skill is out of the common. Quite a number

of us may not hear what she has to say. Mere chatter or uninspired verses are not worth attending to when our thoughts are occupied with a practical example of what Shaw preached in “Back to Methuselah!” Can we emulate her? That is vthat we are wondering when we look at the girl whose age is 61. Of course, this hankering after permanent youth is older by far than the day when somebody decided to warn the world with the story of Tithonus. But in this age, remarkable for having forgotten how to grow old gracefully, we are more than ever in need of a lesson in how to keep young. Which explains the Importance of Miss Fannie "Ward.

Actress—Author

Frances Dillon’s Success Of Two Professions AN INTERESTING CAREER One of Frances Dillon’s most treasured 'possessions is a typewriter. Like the lamb of the nursery tale it goes ivherever she goes, for, even Miss Dillon will confess, her writing is not what it should be. By this you will have guessed that Miss Dillon is an author as well as an actress. .She is at present playing with Percy Hutchison’s Company at His Majesty’s Theatre. This is her first visit to New Zealand, but already the experience of seeing this overseas England has set her thinking of a new novel. I found her in the theatre in the throes of a rehearsal. During the intervals we sat on a property couch and while stage carpenters hammered and stage hands fiddled with the scenery she told of hor desire to write as well as to act. “Acting helps one to write,” she confided. “One’s experiences are so varied, one’s environment changes so rapidly that the only thing to do is to jot impressions down as they flash through the mind. Just as I know when I am boring an audience so I know when I am boring my readers.” “My first novel, ‘Pigstyes and Spires,’ has been published in London by Jonathan Cape and in New York, where it was the book of the month, for August, by Dutton. “I have the manuscript of my second novel, ‘Lanes Lead to Cities,’ with me, but I shall be posting it to London shortly, after I have rewritten part of it.” From her trip to Australia and New Zealand another novel will gradually come to life, though she confesses that she does not believe in writing books about any one particular country. “I write under the name of Georgina Garry,” laughed Miss Dillon. “I once knew an actress who wrote

under her own name and as everybody remarked, that ‘One could see it was written by an actress,’ I decided to choose a pen name.” And then we talked of her stage career. As a girl Miss Dillion “walked on’’ in Beerbohm Tree’s company and was terribly proud of doing so. With her, also “walking on” were Sir Gerald Du Maurier and Norman McKlnnell. This accomplished actress has appeared with many of London's finest actors and managers. She was Sir Beerbohm Tree’s leading lady for a number of years, with Sir George Alexander, Granville Barker in a series of Shaw plays, Ben Greet, Edward Terry, Jerrold Robertshaw, Frank Benson and numbers of others. “I have the greatest admiration for Granville Barker,” Miss Dillon confessed. I played in his command production of ‘Julius Caesar’ for the Kaiser. It was splendidly produced. Barker wrgte seperate lines for the crowds to make them more realistic, and the effect was excellent.” A glance through the pages of “Who’s Who in the Theatre” shows that Miss Dillon has played in almost every kind of play. She still retains a youthful enthusiasm for her work and will tell you that she loves playing with the Sunday night societies in London when all kinds of unusual plays are produced. She will also tell you that Margaret Bannerman has one of her plays in Australia at the present time and that Anthony Princep may produce it there if the opportunity offers. Miss Dillon’s first part was Mrs. Chetwynd in “Vanity Fair.” That was in 1895, at the Court Theatre, London. To follow her career on the English stage and on South African tours would take several columns. It is sufficient to mention a few of the plays in which she has appeared to give the reader some idea of her ability. The more interesting ones are “His House in Order,” “Man and Superman,” “Arms and the Man,” “The School for Scandal,” “Sweet Nell of Old Drury,” “The Three Musketeers,” “The Prisoner of Zenda,” “The Lady of Lyons,” “The Sign of the Cross.” In addition to many more Miss Dillon has played several seasons of Shakespeare and for live years she toured the English provinces playing Margherita Cavallini in “Romance.” Miss Dillon has also given a daughter to the stage—Barbara Dillon, who is only just 21. This promising actress played opposite Talullah Bankhead in “The Green Hat” and more recently she appeared in “The Transit of Venus.” “My daughter is to be married on October 6 to Val Gielgud, a grandnephew of the late Dame Ellen Terry," said Miss Dillon, who is very disappointed that she will not be present at the wedding.

“THE ROUND TABLE” Rehearsals are well in hand for the Auckland Little Theatre Society’s next production, “The Round Table,” by Lennox Robinson on September 26. This admir-

able play by one of the most distinguished Irish writers of to-day should have a wide appeal. It is essentially repertory without being “highbrow.” Robinson is a

Margot Finlayson master of beautiful prose, as those who have read his short stories will remember. Apart from that he has the ability to employ delicate situations to perfection. An excellent cast has been chosen to interpret this interesting and fascinating play. Among them are:—Lowrie McGregor, FryerRaisher, Ethel Rae, Roberts Tole, Margot Finlayson, Fred McCailum, Susan Moncrieff McCailum, Peggy Hovey, H. McKail Geddes, Nance Redstone, Constance Clark.