Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Thursday 19 June 1941, page 18


IN THE THEATRES.

A DRESS rehearsal of "Spring Tide," J. B. Priestley's comedy, which

will have its premiere to-night at the Minerva Theatre. From the left are MARION JOHNS. STEPHEN STAUGHTON (standing), DIANA PARNHAM, PETER PAGAN, HAL THOMPSON. RICHARD

PARRY, MURIEL STEINBECK, and HARVEY ADAMS.

The Theatre is booming in Sydney this week with two premieres in view. To-night, the Whitehall Production, "SpringTide," will open at the Minerva Theatre and on Saturday the musical comedy "Rio Rita" will begin its season at the Theatre Roval. »

MANY queer requests are made

to Alex. Walker ("The Birdman"), the former radio star, who is now appearing at the Tivoli Theatre in "Radio Round-up." Alex, specialises in imitations of bird and animal calls, and one fan wrote and asked him to imitate a turtle leaving the water. Another asked for an imitation of a dugong chewing seagrass! Among Alex's nost popular imitations are that of the lyrebird and the whipbird.

. . *

AN unenviable task is ahead of Louden

Sainthill, who is designing and exe-cuting the decor for the Kirsova ballet season at the Conservatorium, He has from now to July 8 to paint 8,400 square feet of scenery for the three ballets! Music for the ballet perform-ances will be supplied by two grand pianos, as in the Ballet Jost In London. The ballets will be presented on July 8, 9, 10, and 12, for the Red Cross Society (Headquarters Branch).

. . .

FRANCES DILLON, last seen on the

Sydney stage in "Charley's Aunt," has decided to give up her flat in Toorak

and come to Sydney for the winter.

. . »

G-LADYS MONCRIEFF, who starred

in "Rio Rita" when it was first pre-sented in Sydney, will attend the re-vival of this popular musical comedy at the Theatre Royal on Saturday night. Memories of Emilie Polini will be re-called when Alfred Bristowe makes his appearance in this show, for he was seen In many productions with the Pollni company. His performance of the Yogi in "The Eyes of Youth" was one of his most outstanding character roles.

PATRICIA FIRMAN, who will make her

first professional stage appearance in "Spring-Tide" at the Minerva Theatre to-night, has always wanted to be an actress. Her father died when she was four as a result of Injuries received in the last war, and Patricia therefore came under the care of the Soldiers' Children Education Board. The board approved

/OHN FRASER, the leading man

in "Rio Rita," which will open at the Theatre Royal on Saturday. He will also appear at the Red Cross concert to be held to-night at the Theatre Royal in aid of the Theatrical Queen, Miss Marie La Varre, and the Journalists' Queen,

Mrs. Dorothy Jenner.

of Patricia earning a living in radio and cinema work, and she was trained by Beryl Bryant at Bryants' Playhouse. Patricia played Helena In "Midsummer Night's Dream," Gloria in "You Never Can Tell," and Paula In "Dinner at Eight." In "Spring-Tide" she is cast as a young dancer, who comes to board with "Ma Porrett."

gEFTON DALY is wondering how Noel

Coward will appreciate an error made by the publishers of his songs Sefton intended to dedicate the number. "Brief Candles," to Mr. Coward, but the pub-lishers, apparently, thought otherwise, and the title sheet of his other publica-tion now reads, "To Noel Coward. Seren-ade to a Snake."

Mr. Daly will play three new composi-tions during the "Spring-Tide" season They are "Colour Scheme," "Waltz for a Marionette," and "Brown Study."

fARY GRANT and Rosalind Russell ^ will top the cast of the film version of the Broadway success, "The Man Who Came to Dinner."

|