THE NEW PLAYS

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17982, 29 March 1930, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE NEW PLAYS

SOME AMUSING LINES. “THE UPPER TEN.” The following lines are from "The Upper Ten,” by Frederick Lonsdale “A snob is a man who accepts invitations other people would like to receive.” * * * * “How angry monkeys must be when they hear men were descended from them 1" * * 9 * “How old are you?” “Thirty-one—or thirty-two. Never more than thirty-five.” » * % 9 "The most that can be expected of a Duke is that he should think." 9 * 9 * “A charity concert without horrible voices wouldn't be a charity concert.” ¥ * =r * “Being in society has its drawbacks. One loses all one’s friends." * * * * “I hot you don’t know who Shakespeare was.” “Yes, 1 do! He was a fellow who had a place at Stratford." 9 9 9 9 “Had lie been horn a poor man he might have died a great one." * * # * • “What did you mean by nudging me when ho said his wife had gone to London to sec-a dentist?” "Well, if you were married to a man like that wouldn’t you go to London to see a dentist?” * * * © “A great gentleman is a man who does no wrong; a gentleman is a man who compensates for the wrong he does." 9 * * « ‘‘Who told those people they could sing?" "Their music mistress, when she discovered they had money and could pay for their lessons in advance.”

“BITTER SWEET.” Lines from “Bitter Sweet,” Noel Coward’s operetta, now being played in London and New York—“No one lias any right to'be sentimental after a certain' age.” « * * « "I’m engaged—that is, as engaged as one can be these days.” 9 9 * » “It seems most unfair that men should have a monopoly of wild oats I" * * * «.* "What was the row about?” “Nothing!” “That’s the worst kind!” *99* “You’re not beautiful, mother.’’ "Never mind. I make thousands of people think I am." 9 * 9 9 "Where is she?” “Upstairs, having a headache.” 9 9 9 9 "We all have reputations. Some of us try to live up to them, and others hope to live them down.” 9 9 9 * "Did you enjoy your waltz with him ?” “It was sheer ecstasy. Have you ever danced with a threshing machine?” 9 9 9 * “Y'ou’d worry a saint!" “That could only be proved if I met one.” 9 9 9 9 "I thought you were dead!" “But I would nev.er have died without writing to you!” 9*99 “Y'our Uncle Bob may have been a little stupid, but heaven knows he paid for it when he married your Aunt Clara I”

“He’s really rattier nice. I suppose It’s because he Is so emphatically not one of the best American families!’’

Shakespeare Popular In Paris. At the moment Paris is witnessing a renewal of interest in Shakespeare. This phenomenon often has been observed in the past, and doubtless will go on indefinitely in the future. There exists in France a deeply-grounded and widespread interest in the sweet singer of Avon, but usually it requires some new performance of his plays or some special event to reveal the extent of tiie Shakespearean public on this side of the Channel. Several recent events have given the great playwright actuality. The translation of “The Tempest” by Guy do Pourtalcs and a recent run of “The ■Merry Wives of Windsor” in a highly vernacular French version have drawn large audiences, captivated by their vitality and extraordinary variety. The Odeon still gives regularly a richlycoloured interpretation of “The Merchant of Venice.” Frequent reference lias been made recently tn the influence of Shakespeare’s plays on the •romantic revival which began in France more than 100 years ago, some of whose important centenaries are being commemorated this year.