THIRTEEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 December 1939, Page 3

THIRTEEN

TOM WALLS NUMBER. Tom Kirby Walls has 13 letters in his name. He stayed in management for 13 years, producing 13 successful .plays. He won the Derby with April the Fifth—-13 letters. The jockey was Frederick Lane—l 3 letters. “It pays to Advertise." a very popular Aldwych farce, was all about Thirteen Soap—- " Unlucky, for Dirt." Tom Walls opened his first play as manager, "Tons of Money," at the Shaftesbury Theatre on April 13, 1922. He is at the Shaftesbury now. There are 13 characters in the cast of “His Majesty’s Guest" (writes our London correspondent on November 10). “His Majesty's Guest," it is needless to explain, is a gaolbird, played by Tom Walls. Released from prison, he finds himself at a fashionable house party, playing the part of Sir John Shale, Bt„ who has been "in” for forgery. Sir John arrives at a weekend party and is snubbed by his host and one of the guests. By the last act he is in a position to expose both of them as financial crooks, but he decides to spare them from gaol. Sir John has, of course, a very good excuse for his own misdemeanours. The new play is by Wilfred Eyre.

When Tom Walls is on the stage the play is pleasant comedy. Some agreeable acting is given by Enid StampTaylor, Michael Shepley, Veronica Rose, Joan Playfair, Martin Case, and Rosamund Merivale. Particularly successful was Bryan Herbert as an Irish “lag” who assists Sir John to find the incriminating documents.