STAGELAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 846, 14 December 1929, Page 31

STAGELAND

By

COTHURNUS.

FIXTURES

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE December 26. ‘■Whoopee”—all-star Coming. —" Lombardi. Limited” (Leo CariHu). ■ The Flying Squad.” Leon Gordon. ST. JAMES THEATRE Now Playing-—Jim Gerald Revue Company. Oecember 26. Hector St. Clair Revue Company Coming.—Freddie Forbes Musical Comedy Company; League of Notions Revue Company. CONCERT CHAMBER ■Now Playing.—" Daddy Longlegs." ft. Cuthbert's Old Girls’ Association.

Josie Melville, who has been appearing in musical comedy In London and the provinces for some years, is returning to Australia under engage ment to J. C. Williamson, Ltd. Miss Melville will arrive early this month, and make her reappearance on the Australian stage in “Turned Up,” a new musical play which will follow •Hold Everything” at the Theatre Royal, Sydney.

"Babes in the Wood” will be done at the Grand Opera House, Sydney, at Christmas time, under George Marlow's management.

Muriel Starr will open a season at the Palace Theatre, Sydney, at Christmas time with “This Thing Called Love.”

Josie Melville, pictured here, is re turning to Australia to play a season of musical comedy under the J.C.W. in a n a element She left for London about 18 months ago and had considerable success. Later she was given lead in a company which toured the English provinces. Miss Melville will be best remembered for her work in “Sally.”

Asked what he thought about the rumour ol “vaudeville is dead,” Sir Benjamin Fuller said: “I’m very pleased the other people think so, tor that leaves the held clear for us. My private opinion is that it is going stronger than ever.”

From October 9, Berlin has had a permanent English theatre. The project tor such a theatre dates back to 1925, when German players gave performances of “The Great Adventure” in English. Since then the plays of many leading English dramatists have been performed, and have found au increasingly large public. Negotiations are now in progress with leading English players for guest performances there. It is stated that Sybil Thorndike will in the near future appear in Berlin with Lewis Casson in “Candida.” The death is announced from London of Cecil Ward, the actor. He was an English actor who was brought out about 30 years ago as leading man for the Brough and Boucicault, Company. His first appearance was at the Opera House in Melbourne in “Held by the Enemy.” He was associated with the same management for many years, and handled character parts with equal ease, being well remembered for his part of an effete aristocrat in “The Amazons,” with the gag line “We nevah swear-ah!” Later he played Wilfred Denver in “The Silver King,” under the personal management of Mr. C. B. Westmacott.