Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Saturday 5 October 1940, page 5


MUSIC AND

STAGE

Repertory's Neu)

Offering

A week today the curtain will risc at the Playhouse, Hobart, on the eagerly-awaited scries of Noel Coward plays crouped under the title "Tonight at 8.30." The three plays chosen from thc sequence of nine with which Noel Coward and Gertrude Law-rence for so lung delighted Londoners are: "Red Peppers," "Ways and Means." and "Hands Across thc Sea." In "Red Peppers" the cast will comprise Claire Mitchell. Madge Bland, James Pratt, Jack Gunn, P. G. Henty, and Don Sharp. "Ways and Means" will be performed by Mary Harbottlc. Shelia Harrison, Violet Vlmpany. Maud Bally, James Pratt, Don Moore. Albert Sharp. Don Sharp, and David Newell. The cast in "Hands Across the Sea" will be Mary Harbottle, Ceciley McKinley. Violet Vlmpany. Madge Bland. Jack Bushby, Don Sharp. C. O'Conor. Don Moore, and David Newell. Decor for tbc plays ls hoing under-taken by Robert Montgomery, Don Wilson's orchestra will provide Incidental music. Jack Bushby ls producer for the reason.

The season of Russian Ballet for which, at the Theatre Royal, Hobart, plans are rapidly taking shape, holds out the promise of artistic enjoyment rarely available in this form. Miss Beattie Jordan ls rehears-ing 21 ballerinas for her production of "Lc Lac des Cygnes" (Tschalkowsky). and In the Symphonic Ballet to be danced to the music of Tschalkowsky':! 5th Symphony 15 dancers will take pnrt. Miss Nancy Wilson will dance the leading role of Queen ot the Swans in thc "Swan Lake" ballet, in which Miss Gene Ashton (who hai arranged the decor for the ballet) will b( thc Prince. Mr. Ollf Richmond is design-ing the artificial swan that, swlmmlnj across the lake, is a picturesque featur« of the ballet. Divertissements that will sup plement < the larger ballets will include Tyrolean and Russian character and peasant dances. Miss Betty Benjamin and Mis Wendy Scott will contribute pas de dcu: from Schumann's "Carnival" ballet. Miss Wilson will dance thc "Autumn Leaf" sole and Miss Shelagh Keating the "Action" sole from "Les Presages" and the title solo fronr Rlmsky-Korsakoff's "Con d'or." Duo-plan( accompaniment by Mrs. Basil Osborne ant Miss Una Osborne will provide thc essen' tial musical background,

Musical Plans

Next Saturday thc concert that ls belni organised by Miss Gwladys Morris in ali of the war -work of the Salvation Arm; will take place at the Hobart Town Hall Madame Helen George and other talented artists are co-operating in this undertaking On October 26. also at the Town Hall, th Tasmanian String Quartet will be orin cipal attraction In the programme bein; arranged by the women's committee of th Hobart Symphony Orchestra. The unite committee of musical and dramatic bodie In Hobart has October 30 in mind as th likely date for the next combined patrlotl

concert at the City Hall, In aid of wa

funds.