... MR. COLE AND THE MIDDLE KINGDOM ALUN FALCONERS play rv (Thursday Sept. 28 A-R) was based on a factual situa tion, and as such made a dramatic plot. The dilemma of Mr. Cole when he realises that he could be instrumental in saving a man's life, if in fact that man's story is true, made for absorbing tv. The only thing that spoilt the story was the feeling that fictitious elements had been ...

... the dancers DANCE In international ballet seasons at Golders Green and Streatham Hill, ALL the stars will appear at EVERY performance, that is eight times in a week. This was once customary, but in recent years stars incline to take it easy, appearing only two or three nights a week the parts in which they most shine. And in a limited season such as the one planned for International Stars ...

... WHATEVER else is happening in South Africa today, Live Theatre is booming, and since the war many new theatres have been built. Regular theatre-going is confined to the large towns, and, the great majority of the theatre goers is drawn from the English speaking section of the Community. Ot toe eight organisations in more or less continual production, live are permanently based in ...

... IN-STAGE is attempting to raise 1 £25,000 for a new small theatre seating 250, where the company's experimental activities can be put on a sound, commercial basis. They are seeking support from members of the public, who can become sponsors, affiliates, associates or donors, according to the amount of money they are prepared to subscribe. In-Stage is a permanent group of professional actors ...

... IN two one-act plays, produced at the Arts. Cambridge, on Monday. Edward Atbee shows a remarkable dramatic talent. The Death of Bessic Smith, set in the Deep South in 1937. deals with the colour-tar which prevents the treatment of an injured Nefro singer in a white hos- pai and causes her death. The moment of truth and understanding brtween the white doctor and the Ngro who comes for help ...

... THE world premiere of The American Wife by Henry James, edited by Basil Ash more, is among the items comprising Our Little Life, which opened at the Pembroke. Croydon. on Monday last, and provides an interesting solo item for garet Rutherford, who leads the small company in this pro gramme devised as a study of the relationships between men and women. In The American Wife. Miss ...

... IT might not be a bad thing to give us a rest from Irish plays that is unless they can ofter in something more original and important than the old quarrelling, singing drinking and fighting. O'Casey is still hard to surpass, let alone emulate. A Whistle m the Dark, which erred from the Royal, o the Apollo on Tuesday, liier, proudly announced on ihe proprimme as prori.iWy the toughest piay ...

... by ERIC JOHNS ON THE STAGE of Golders Green Hippodrome, where Pavlova danced her last steps, Anton Dolin presented on Monday last a programme entitled International Stars of the Ballet In effect, it is a variety bill performed by ten world famous dancers. The one resounding success of the evening was scored by Sonia Arova and Erik Bruhn in the spectacular, Don Quixote pas de deux, which ...

... LIKE Anouilh with Becket. Jean Canolle has based his play. The Flanders Mare. translated by Anita Loos, somewhat loosely on an episode of English history, but the similarity ends there. Canolle has treated the brief encounter tween Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves as a joyous, irreverent romp, which a British audience saw for the first time at the Royal. Bristol, on Tuesday. The tone and ...

... BALLET, being the form of theatrical art that provides the most rewarding subjects for the photographer, has been tbe inspiration for many beautiful and invaluable books of photographs. But most of these are usually quite expensive. and so it is a pleasure to welcome a new series or funy iHustratcd books on tbe ballet, each selling for only two sh Ilings and sixpence. This series, published ...

... We have been so used to sec ing The Second Mrs. Tanqueray performed in ele gant settings that the somewhat spartan on in-the-round at Perbroke the Croydon which opened on Monday comes as somethinc of a shock. But there arc some at': _: esses, a few uncommonly handsome pieces of furniture and. of course, there is the play itself, which. after nearly seventy years, still remains .vless ...

... ANGLIA'S first contribution to the Little Network in the Thirty Minute Theatre series (Wednesday, 7th Novem ber) was an excellent combina tion of crisp writing, sensitive acting and skilful direction. June Howson, one of Britain's youngest drama direc tors at 28, was clearly attuned to the striking possibilities of Lynne Reid Bank's play, which possessed the unpredictable qualities of an ...