POPULAR REVIVALS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 951, 19 April 1930, Page 22

POPULAR REVIVALS

J.C.W. Management* Tells of Coming Shows MORE IMPORTED ARTISTS Revivals of more good comic operas and operettas may be confidently exj pected, Sir George Tallis said re- ! cently. Revivals of “The Maid of the Mountains” in Melbourne, and “The Belle of New York” in Sydney, have given most gratifying results for the first week. Both productions began before highly enthusiastic audiences, and the management says that on the opening night of “The Belle of New York” at Her Majesty’s Sydney there was a record house for comic opera, i “In this piece is one of the best ! casts we have ever had,” declared j Sir George Tallis, “and it has been i so well received that already we have decided to revive ‘The Country Girl’. “THE MERRY WIDOW” “After ‘The Maid of the Mountains’ has completed its run, the public will see again ‘The Merry Widow/ ‘Katinka’ has been mentioned as the third piece in which Gladys Moncrieff will appear during the season at the Royal, but ‘The Duchess of Dantzic,’ which offers a remarkably fine singing role to the prima donna, may take its place. “The public now fully realises that these old musical productions are far superior to jazz shows, and if it desires them, more revivals will be given. “It is a clear indication that the public has regained its taste for the theatre, and that it is ready to patronise good stage productions. During , the past two or three months I have felt that the turn of the tide was coming.” Sir George Tallis added that the next new musical production would be “Mr. Cinders,” which the firm had staged with immense success in London. This would have its Australian premiere in Sydney in June, and would be presented in Melbourne immediately after the season in that city. The cast was now being chosen. Four or five people, including Hindle Edgar, leading man, would be brought from England for this production. BETTER CASTING Some imported artists would also appear in “Sons of Guns,” an American military musical comedy, which would have its first presentation in Australia in August. The firm intended to give more attention to the casting of shows in future. There would be no attempt to require the same principals of a company to undertake a number of shows if it was felt that a change in tho personnel was desirable. As the aim would be to make castings as effective as possible, actors who could give the best service in particular roles would be selected for them, no matter to what company they belonged. Edith Taliaferro, who leaves America for Australia on April 17, will appear in “Her Cardboard Lover,” “Command to Love,” “Let Us Be Gay,” and possibly “Coquette/