“MRS. MOONLIGHT"

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 756, 31 August 1929, Page 30

“MRS. MOONLIGHT"

Attractive Frocks for Little Theatre Production Beautiful period frocks will be a feature of “Mrs. Moonlight,” Ben Levy’s play, to be done by the Little Theatre Society on September 11, 12, 13, and 14. The play has many admirable features, and calls for able acting, because of the periods through which the character pass. Three or four distinct periods will be depicted, and the froeking and settings should prove of exceptional interest to the members. Great care is being taken by the producer in this respect. Very picturesque and charming dresses are worn by the women, and the male members of the cast will have an equal amount of care bestowed on the details of their wardrobe. It will give the players opportunity to prove their worth, as in nearly every instance they start as young people, and finish as old men and women. Mr. Levy is a young writer who has written up to date only four plays. “Mrs. Moonlight” is probably his best work. It was presented at the Kingsway Theatre, London, under the direction of Graham Browne, Marie Tempest’s husband.

Herehel Henlere, who toured New Zealand some years ago with a Williamson vaudeville company, has been appearing at night clubs in London.

Ernest Lotinga, noted English comedian, and a big company, will arrive in Australia soon to appear under the J. C. Williamson direction. The opening musical production will be “August, 1914.” In a “Plays You Should See” column the London “Theatre World” admits the following: “Rope” (thriller, by the novelist Patrick Hamilton), “The “Matriarch” (adapted from G. B. Stern’s “Tents of Israel,” starring Mrs. Patrick Campbell), “Journey’s End” (the war play), “A Cup of Kindness” (a new farce by Ben Travers), “Caprice” (an Austrian comedy brilliantly acted by Americans), “By Candle Night” (the “longest-run” comedy), “The Truth Game,” “Persons Unknown” (a new Edgar Wallace thriller), "Mr. Cinders” (the J. C. Williamson musical show), “Wake up and Dream” (a new C. B. Cochran revue) and “Love Lies.” For J.C.W., the late Cyril Keightley “supported” Kyrle Bellew and Mrs. Potter in their picturesque repertoire, and afterwards he was in the company of Nance O’Neil and McKee Rankin. With them he made his early London appearances, and afterward he was with the noted Benson Shakespearian company for a considerable time. There followed many London and New York engagements for which his early experience in good company had qualified him. Cyril Keightley's wife—Ethel Dane, formerly of Adelaide—had success in London and New York in comedy. Returning to Australia for a visit some years ago she showed much ability in light plays—“ The Glad Eye,” “Who’s the Lady?” and “The Chaperon.” No women are in the cast of the war play, “Journey’s End,” which will be in Melbourne soon at the Comedy Theatre. A cast wholly of men is unusual, but not unknown. It occurred, for instance, in “The New Sin,” a play by Basil Macdonald Hastings, which was staged in Australia some years ago. The sin referred to in the title was the sin of living, for a vindictive father had made a will under which a son he hated had to die before any of the other children of his large family could benefit from his estate. As a result, after the father’s death, most of the children were in poverty for years. and the disliked son at last welcomed an opportunity of dying, though his death A comparison of Sydney and London prices under the Williamson management is interesting. London private boxes, £2 2s, £3 3s, £4 4s, £5 as; orchestral stalls, 12s 6d: dress ciicle, 10s 6d and 7s 6d; upper circle 6s and ss; pit, 3s; gallery. Is Sd’ These prices plus tax. (Note: Smoking' is allowed in the auditorium. Cigars and cigarettes only are permitted in the stalls and dress circle.) In Sydney: Boxes are £4 11s for musical comedy, £3 15s lOd for drama, each box to hold live people; dress circle and stalls for musical comedy, 10s lid (including tax), and 13s Id for preferential booking. Drama costs 9s for the same seats. The cheaper seats are 5s 5d for the back stalls, and 3s 4d for the gallery (all including tax). Smoking is not permitted yet.