SHAKESPEARIAN ACTOR

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 598, 26 February 1929, Page 14

SHAKESPEARIAN ACTOR

ALEX. MARSH’S AUCKLAND DEBUT An interesting feature of the forthcoming season of the Allan AVilkie Shakespearian company at His Majesty’s Theatre will be the first appearance here of Alexander Marsh, who, during his early stage career, was associated with the late Osmund Tearle (father of Godfrey Tearle), and with Mrs. Bandmann Palmer. He afterwards organised his own Shakespearian company, with which he toured England for five years. Mr. Marsh's company attracted so much attention that it was offered an engagement for the Shakespearian celebrations at Stratford-on-Avon.

After the war Mr. Marsh was secured by Sir Frank Benson for iir# portant roles and appeared with him for some years. At the time of Mr. Wilkie’s visit to England about two years ago, pending the reconstruction of his company, which was threatened with an untimely end following the disastrous fire at Geelong, Vic., Mr. Marsh, was playing in the gruesome drama, “Dracula,” which was enjoying a tremendous vogue in London. On relinquishing that engagement Mr. Marsh agreed to join Mr. Wilkie and undertake the stage directorship of the company in addition to playing important roles. He will make his first appearance here as Master Ford in “The Merry Wives of Windsor,’* with which the season opens next Saturday, and later will be seen in such roles as lago, Mercutio, Orsino and Cassius.