STAGE PRODUCTIONS

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20504, 21 May 1938, Page 17 (Supplement)

STAGE PRODUCTIONS

“New Moon” in Melbourne An interesting feature of the revival of “The New Moon,” which opened at Melbourne last Saturday night, was the appearance of Robert Hallidav in his original role of Robert 1 Misson, as created by him and played j for over two years in New York; a'lso | Hie appearance of William O’Neal in j Ms original role of Phillipe, which he i created in the same production, j Margret Adams has the feminine I lead, and Marjorie Gordon and Don ! Nicol are the principal funmakers. ! Also in the cast are Douglas Her- ! aid, Gaston Mervale, Arthur Clarke, | Clifford Cowley, Sidney Wheeler, I Yvonne Banvard, William Innes, Gwen j Brown, Phyllis Ferguson, Hori Thomas I (the New Zealander), lan Devereux, j Mayne Lvnton, Tliadee Slavinsky, and others. “No, No, Nanette” for New Zealand “No, No, Nanette,” with Lois Wilson as Nanette and George Gee in the principal comedy role, has just closed a record-breaking season in Melbourne. It will come to New Zealand later in L!ie year. Ruth Draper Delights Sydney Rutli Draper again held a big audience at the Theatre Royal with her genius for appearing to people the | stage with dozens of characters, while j conducting a lone portrayal of scenes from life, says a Sydney paper. .As a German governess with a cold teaching a class of unruly children; as an awkward debutante, mouthing platitudes in a sloppy, loose voice; as a bleating Englishwoman, showing In her garden the tilings that were charming last month, and those that will be too-beautiful a month hence —no piece of characterisation was beyond this clever woman. The cynical or contented middleaged shook with enjoyment over her

honeymoon couple at breakfast, the same couple 15 years later, and again after 40 years. Her “Class and Greek Poise” was delirious burlesque of a Middle-West. American coaching 2001 b. women in aesthetic gymnastics. Whether serious, comic or tragic, Miss Draper is just as convincing in any one of a dozen roles, and apparently equally at home in any tongue. Miss Draper comes to New Zealand next month. “Sanders of the River” at Drury Lane Leslie Banks, who created the film 1 part of “Sanders of the River.” and who is to play the same character in a big musical play, planned for Drury Lane, has arrived at Southampton ( from New York. “I have seen the detailed synopsis of the play, and it is apparent that j It will be nothing like the film,” he | said. | “It will be based on Sandi, the King maker, a different story of the Edgar Wallace Sanders scries, and I Edna Best will, I understand, be the heroine.” Players in the Audience Bursts of applause greeted the arrival of Mr and Mrs Lawrence Tibbett and Miss Madge Elliott, at the Theatre Royal, Sydney, when they attended the performance of Miss Rutli Draper, the American actress. Mrs Tibbett wore an attractive black dinner frock of French crepe, and Mrs Lionel McFayden, who was in the box with the Tibbetts, chose a black sheer frock, relieved with a white collar. Miss Elliott was in sapphire blue georgette, and she added a silver fox fur crepe. “Balalaika” Runs Over 550 Nights The successful musical play “Balalaika,” which is now being played twice nightly at the Adclphi Theatre, will enter into the last two weeks of | its run next Monday, says a London j paper. II has jusl passed its jr.nili J on ;m extensive provincial lour under j the management of -Mr Toru jfcuiuid.