Jan 10 p2
The Theatres
(Maschwitz, the author of "Magyar Melody", wrote the hit "These Foolish Things" [p4])
MELODIOUS and colourfully produced "Magyar Melody" which has entered upon its fourth and last week at the King's Theatre" [sic] continues to draw the crowds. [...]
It has everything. Romance, gaiety, comedy, beautiful settings and dresses [...]
In addition it has Binnie Hale, who as Rozzi, the Hungarian, gives one of her finest performances. Her grand voice is heard to perfection in some glorious melodies and she revels her great versatility as an actress by introducing a delightful touch of humour into her romantic part.
[...]
Wed Jan 11 p2
CINEMA TOPICS by Jack Robertson
IT looks as if Jessie Matthews and Sonnie Hale will be away from the studios for a while. In a quick dash-around London at the week-end, I found the popular couple frantically rehearsing their new show, "I Can Take It", which comes to the Glasgow Alhambra for a season following the "Aladdin" pantomime.
They're as delighted to be back on the stage as you would be if the Income-tax people had unexpectedly intimated that they had over-charged you by half.
Jessie is looking better than I've seen her this past year. You'll possibly remember she had a nasty nervous breakdown while her straight screen comedy "Climbing High" was in progress. This non-musical turned out so well, incidentally, that Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer bought it for distribution in this country.
It plays the Gaumont-British circuit in June. Sonnie has been making a number of films for his old firend [sic] "Mickey" Balcon, and these will be coming along later this season.
So picture-goers won't be exactly Hale-less during the next six months, and by then maybe the pair will feel like making some more films.
I found it amusing, what seemed miles below the Cambridge Theatre in the rehearsal room, to see Sonnie directing Jessie and his father, Robert Hale, slanging them for forgetting their lines, and, when dashing on to do a bit of his own part, drying up completely!
Jessie has a long and involved role. She's having a hectic time, as from the Cambridge she hares along to the Stoll Theatre in Kingsway to rehearse the dance numbers.
Here, the chorus are at it under Buddy Bradley, whom Cochran brought over from America for the stage show of "Evergreen." Buddy has been associated with such noted dancers as Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Eleanor Powell and Jack Buchanan, as well as Jessie.
There are twelve big numbers in the show. As Jessie is in seven of them, fans look like getting their money's worth. Music is by Harry Woods, who wrote "Over My Shoulder" and the other "Evergreen" hits for Jessie.
The show itself was devised by Lesser Samuels, who slogged at it in a New York skyscraper all during the [Munich] crisis, sending it over bit by bit to Sonnie. Lesser, I remember, wrote a lot for Gaumont-British and is the author of Jessie's last pictures, "Gangway," "Sailing Along" and "Climbing High."
[Big news in Jan/Feb — Anna Neagle and success of "Sixty Glorious Years". She comes to Glasgow for Cinema Ball Feb 10th 1939, plus other publicity engagements. Sonnie and Jessie apparently not present at Ball — presumably hard at work doing 8 performances a week in Newcastle!]
Wed 15 Feb p2
CINEMA TOPICS by Jack Robertson
I'M looking forward to renewing acquaintance with Jessie Matthews and Sonnie Hale when they get into Glasgow on Sunday from Newcastle. They start a season at the Glasgow Alhambra next week, with their new show, "I Can Take It".
There is a movie flavour about the plot, as Jessie plays the role of a stand-in to a film star, who takes over the star's part and makes good.
Understudying Jessie in the show, as well as playing a small part, is Jessie's real-life stand-in, Ina Scarlett. Before the director is ready to shoot, Ina poses for Jessie so that the cameras can be focussed and the lights arranged.
Ina was a dancer until she fell over a stage set and woke up in hospital, with subsequently over £3,000 compensation. During the court case her likeness to Jessie was commented on. Gaumont-British then offered her the job of stand-in to Miss Matthews at £6 a week.
Now Ina, watching interestedly from the wings, sees the reincarnation of herself nightly.
Jessie and Sonnie are touring their stage show for six months before taking it to London. This is their way of saying thanks to their film public for supporting them faithfully all these years.
p4
Talk of the Town
[...]
[Charlot lunch story]
— —
Years later, she worked the line into the comedy, "Sallywho," [sic] her last stage show (1933) where, when asked whether she would have "Indian or China," she replied, "Just tea, please."
[Pavlova tights story]
LORGNETTE
p6 [Feb 16–Feb 18?]
Talk of the Town
[...]
DO you know a chap called "Cuthbert"? That's the name Jessie Matthews has given to an old bentwood chair she uses to rehearse steps for her famous dance numbers. Jessie takes hold of "Cuthbert" when there's no partner handy.
She says, "He's very helpful. Any-one who works to practise dance steps ought to use the back of a chair to get proper support. The counter-weight of the chair provides the balance that a partner would give, and in this way you acquire the right poise."
Jessie's new stage musical (her first since 1933 when films took her away from the theatre) is called "I Can Take It," and stars at the Glasgow Alhambra on Monday. Glasgow is the only Scottish city she is playing.
LORGNETTE
Saturday Supplement, Feb 18, p3
STAGE PARADE by "Lime"
GLASGOW will provide a theatrical shop-window for Britain's film stars next week with Jessie Matthews and husband, Sonnie Hale, at the Alhambra, Tom Walls at the Empire, and Robertson Hare (associated in so many Aldwych farces with Tom) and Alfred Drayton at the King's.
Jessie Matthews arrives at Queen Street Station to-morrow afternoon at 3.32 from Newcastle, where she has played to record business in the new musical, "I Can Take It."
There is nothing of the "try-it-on-the-dog" about Monday's opening. Prior to Newcastle the show had a most successful premiere at Sheffield so that the month-old production should run smoothly right from the start.
It is six long years since Jessie last danced before the footlights, film work claiming her in the interval.
Jerry Young, go-ahead publicity manager for Jessie, told me that "I Can Take It," written by scenarist Lesser Samuels, who wrote "Gangway" and "Sailing Along," owes much to cinema technique.
Former film "stand-in' to Jessie Matthews, Ina Scarlett, will have the peculiar role of watching Jessie (as the "stand-in" of the comedy) dramatising episodes from her own former every-day life.
Show has a strong family atmosphere [sic]. It marks Sonnie Hale's first incursion into the ranks of actor-managers.
Father to Sonnie, Robert Hale and hearty after 50 years' trouping, who fathered revue in "Everybody's Doing It" as far back as 1912, plays the part of a film magnate.
Partner to Jessie, Hal Thomson [sic] was beaten to screen partnership with the star in "Gangway" by Jack Whiting [sic]. Hal stayed on in England, appearing on the West End stage, until he secured his present role in "I Can Take It."
Peggy Rawlings, Sunderland-born wife of Richard "Stinker" Murdoch of "Band Waggon" radio fame, has a leading comedy role. Ex-Cochran chorine, Peggy majored with the York Repertory Company and was member [sic] of the Fol de Rols Concert Party at Hastings.
You may remember seeing Jessie in "Evergreen," one of the most sensational musicals ever staged, first produced in Glasgow in 1930. One of the highlights was Jessie's beautiful number, "Dancing on the Ceiling." Now, as then, the dance ensembles are the work of Buddy Bradley, associated with Jessie throughout her entire stage-screen career. With gowns by Norman Hartnell and music by ace song composer Harry ("Over My Shoulder") Woods, the musical is exceptionally well-favoured from the technical angle. [...]
Mon Feb 20, p5
JESSIE MATTHEWS, newly arrived from a record-breaking month at Sheffield and Newcastle, was greeted by crowds of enthusiastic fans when she arrived in Glasgow for to-night's opening of the new show, "I Can Take It," in which she stars. Six years is a long time to be away from the theatre audiences which put her on top with "Evergreen," first produced, you may remember, in Glasgow, in October, 1930.
"I like the new production," Jessie told me. "I think I can promise it's going to be good fun. There's not a moment lost during the whole show."
Sonnie Hale told me that in this, his first venture as actor-manager since he formed Hales Productions last year, he was following a new policy. The present six months' tour is a tribute to the box-office value of the provincial audience. Sonnie thinks that much of What's-Wrong-With-The-Theatre to-day is due to the insulting attitude of impresarios in either putting on production in London first and then touring the provinces with a "Direct from the So-and-So Theatre" tag — very frequently with a much impoverished cast; or using the provincial audience as a sort of guinea-pig on which any experiment in new technique or vulgarity can be tried out before the show goes to London.
Glasgow theatre-goers, during the short season of "I Can Take It" will have the satisfaction of knowing that they are seeing the finished product.
Owing to Jessie's illness [??] dates at Edinburgh and Blackpool had to be cancelled, but I think Sonnie has done a remarkably good stroke of business in staging the musical at the Lancashire holiday centre during the first weeks of July.
Jessie told me she is planning a six week's [sic] holiday to Canada at the end of the present tour. Asked if she would visit Hollywood, Jessie replied — "Studios are much the same the world over. If I were going as far west, I'd prefer to go to a place like Hawaii."
Tue Feb 21, p3
FREQUENTLY I hear the complaint voiced that the stage can't keen [sic] its stars; that as soon as they rise to the top they make for the films. While both mediums are good, my preference is for the stage, and it therefore gives me intense satisfaction to see stars of such fame as Jessie Matthews and Sonnie Hale following Jack Hulbert and Cecely [sic] Courtneidge back to their first love.
It is essential that stars returning to the stage do so in good shows. Such a show is "I Can Take It," which opened at the Alhambra Theatre last night.
"I Can Take It," let me say right away, is a musical comedy, which everybody everywhere will be able to take.
It is scarcely necessary for me to mention that most musical comedies have but flimsy stories — "I Can Take It" is a pleasant exception.
Briefly, the show deals with a temperamental star — one of the kind I have, as a newspaper man, all too often encountered — and the complications which ensue when her 'stand-in" shows unexpected acting ability.
It is truly a case of "A Star is Born" so far as the hitherto unknown stand-in is concerned.
Jessie Matthews plays both parts to perfection. I've seen Jessie in lots of roles — but never as successful as this.
Slender and beautiful, with dark eyes flashing and locks of black hair hanging over her brow Jessie — a more mature and even more accomplished actress — sings and dances her way into all hearts.
I think her best dances were in the supper scene in Giovanni's Restaurant with Hal Thompson, an American-born actor, who, in my opinion, possesses everything necessary for stardom — voice, dancing ability, personality and good appearance, and in the final scene.
So long as Jessie Matthews can provide performances like this she will indeed be "evergreen."
Jessie's husband, bespactacled [sic] Sonnie Hale, is her greatest rival — and I can pay him no greater tribute. His quick-fire gestures, agitated speech and sparkling wisecracks, delivered in his inimitable style, are a treat.
To Peggy Rawlings, a bouquet for her excellent comedy performance as Billy Frobisher. Early on I actually thought she would steal the whole show.
The show is studded with song-hits, and thec horus [sic] is excellent.
I predict that "I Can Take It" will rival "No, No, Nanette" in popularity — and that is saying something.
H.B.D
Talk of the Town
[...]
BEFORE the curtain went up on "I Can Take It," at the Alhambra last night, Sonnie Hale paid a glowing tribute to the efficiency of the theatre staff. "I doubt if there's the equal of the stage hands in the country — and that goes for London, too," remarked Sonnie.
"We travel around some musicians. At forenoon rehearsal with the Alhambra orchestra, the music took on a new appeal, and went through without a hitch. You've no idea how much it means to find a theatre well equipped in all respect to present a new show."
Jessie was delighted to find the Alhambra stage so smooth. "At other theatres, the stage has been raked so steeply that I felt I was dancing into the orchestra it," she remarked to me.
Judging by the enthusiastic response of last night's audience, Glasgow can take all that Sonnie and Jessie can give.
LORGNETTE
Wed Feb 22, p2
CINEMA TOPICS by Jack Robertson
[...]
SONNIE HALE accompanied Jessie Matthews when she came north to the Scottish trade-show of her "Sailing Along" some time ago. Jessie is returning the compliment.
Her husband's latest film, "Let's be Famous," in which also are Jimmy O'Dea, the Irish comedian, and Betty Driver, is being shown to the trade at La Scala [cinema] next Wednesday, and the couple will be there.
This is an A.B.F.D. attraction. Ernie Pyser, Scottish manager, tells me that on the preceding day he's presenting the latest George Formby, "Trouble Brewing," at the Paramount [...]
Fri Feb 24, p2
A GLASGOW WOMAN'S DIARY
[...]
"I Told You So".
"CLIMBING HIGH," Jessie Matthew's [sic] latest film, hasn't reached Glasgow yet, but I heard some of the details about it from Jessie herself.
Heights, by the way, are one big worry with Jessie. "Six feet in the air," she confessed, "and I feel as if it were sixty feet." And so "Climbing High" was a bit of an ordeal.
"I went through nearly all my stunts from dangling off the end of a rope in mid-air to standing in the path of an on-coming car without a double," she told me. "And then they asked me to do a rather spectacular leap. I could see that if I missed my footing, well, there would be no more dancing for me.
"So for once I got temperamental and refused to do it. One bright fellow on the set gave me a rather withering look and said he'd soon show me that there was nothing dangerous about it. He made the leap, missed his footing, and the result was a nose fractured in three places."
Saturday Supplement, Feb 25, p3
STAGE PARADE by "Lime"
[PHOTO: Four smart girls — all of them chorines in the new Jessie Matthews show, "I Can Take It," at the Alhambra.]
"IS it true what they say about Craven? Was he really a lone cowhand from Calgary?"
To find out the answers to these teasers, I popped round to the Alhambra where "I Can Take It," new Jessie Matthews-Sonnie Hale musical is cleaning up Only five performances old, at time of writing, the show is deservedly doing terrific business.
Craven — James Craven, the villain, has spent some of his evenings treed by a grizzly. Born at Malone, N.Y., his father, in the lumber business, wanted him to be a chip of [sic] the old block. So James did his lumberjack for a period; then encountered well-known New York producer John Golden at a country club.
To quote James, "for some obscure reason Mr Golden wanted me to go on the stage, and I had my try-out in a new Owen Davis play "The Detour."
After a spell of film and stage work — he was in a film with Bebe Daniels — James fell ill, and went back to the tree-felling business. Next he punched cows on a ranch south of Calgary and acted as a guide to parties touring the Rockies.
JAMES shuttled back to the stage again — remember him in that flop, "Anthony and Cleopatra," with Leontovitch? Up to that point his British stage experience had been confined to American "bit" parts. So he had a stab at Shakespeare, thinking that if he was accepted in that he could get away with anything. So much so that Lee Ephraim gave him the only English role in American play "Dodsworth."
James had the misfortune to appear with Carol Goodner in "Official Secret," the night after Mr Chamberlain had arrived back after the first peace talk with Hitler.
Mr Chamberlain's speech was broadcast in the theatre. The audience, keyed up by Crisis, were in no mood for official secrets, whether from the pen of Geoffrey Dell or not, and the cracks in the play, which were "90 per cent. agin the Government," settled it.
Feb 27 [p6?]
Talk of the Town
SOMEONE in the office whistling "Over My Shoulder" reminded me that the composer of this song, Harry Woods, though he comes from Boston, Mass., is of Scots extraction. [...]
Harry Woods has written many a tune which the milk-boy insists on whistling. He wrote a dozen right off the cuff for Jessie Matthews' stage show, "I Can Take It," which is now lifting the roof off Glasgow Alhambra [sic].
These latest numbers are as catchy as the rest, and already I have heard them in half-a-doden [sic] widely separated parts of the town. [...]
LORGNETTE
Feb 28, p3
THE THEATRES
[...]
"I Can Take It," beginning its second week at the Alhambra, has proved definitely to be the sort of show the public can take.
Theatre last [Monday] night was probably as full as on a normal Saturday night.
Reason isn't hard to find. To begin with, there's Jessie Matthews. How glad we are to see her on the stage again.
Her dancing is perfect, to the most minute detail. No greater tribute could be paid.
Hero of the show last night, and subject of a pretty curtain speech by Miss Matthews, was Eric Cole, who took over the part of "Barry Rollins" when Hal Thompson became ill at the week-end.
None of the principals of the show in anything but good. Sonnie Hale, of course, is always good. One liked also the gun-girl, Peggy Rawlings.
One bright point about the show worth noting is the colourful dresses. Jessie Matthews' gowns are superb.
Saturday Supplement, Mar 4, p3
STAGE PARADE by "Lime"
WE like to keep the party clean on the stage in Glasgow. So at least thinks that shrewd star, Sonnie Hale.
I got that opinion from him while catching a couple of acts of "I Can Take It," which is still knocking 'em cold at the Alhambra, in my tour of the theatres.
Said Sonnie, keeping at a respectful distance from some frantic-working scene-shifters, "Dubious gags may go over big in some places, but not here."
Seems, according to Sonnie, that we also have a keen appreciation of good stage dancing.
Hard-working publicity man, Jerry Young, who's boosting the show in a big way, had asked me particularly to note the quick change of scenes backstage.
When I mentioned it to Sonnie... who talks... just like this... with appropriate gestures... he explained that he was attempting to introduce the film technique into scene-changing.
"I'm trying to make each change as near a cut as possible," he said.
I saw one change carried out in half a minute — which is not so bad at that!
Resolved: To tolerate no more cracks about stage stars not earning their money.
Know how much time Jessie Matthews has to herself in the show? Three minutes — in the interval.
Mar 6, p4
Talk of the Town
[...]
BUSY as stage stars usually are, they are generally among the readiest to give of their time and talent when a good cause calls. Jessie Matthews and Sonnie Hale are no exceptions, volunteering their services at once, I was told by Mr Lever, President of the Glasgow Jewish Board of Guardians auxiliary, when the annual theatre matinee for this object was announced.
This event is generally earlier in the season but owing to recent unprecedented conditions [Hitler...] and abnormal work on behalf of Jewish refugees it was postponed. It is to take place a week to-morrow, Tuesday, March 14, in the Alhambra, at 2.30 p.m.
A first-class variety show is indicated, for not only is Sonnie compering and Jessie doing special acts, but all the other star artistes who will be in town next week will contribute, and Lord Provost Dollan, with many other distinguished patrons, will attend.
LORGNETTE
Tue Mar 7, p3
THE THEATRES
“YEAH, I'm terrific," says Jessie Matthews in one of the more serious moments of "I Can Take It," at the Alhambra, and the audience agree unanimously. She works tremendously hard in her dual role and gives us something even better than in “Evergreen" or Gangway."
Add to this Sonny[sic] Hale's delightful burlesque of a film studio executive, and the perfect teamwork of the company Sonny and Jessie have gathered round them, and you have a show worth going a long way to see.
The dancing chorus is good, making a glamorous background for the artistic delight of Miss Matthews' steps; and in this show she has an excellent partner in the young American, Hal Tomson[sic].
J.B.
Mar 8, [p2?]
CINEMA TOPICS
FILMS OF THE WEEK
[...] “Hold My hand," however, is a good buy this week, even if it is taken from a musical of the same name that ran at the Gaiety eight years ago and was the stepping-stone for Jessie Matthews and Sonnie Hale into picture business.
[...]
Mar 11, p2
Talk of the Town
SINCE coming to the Alhambra with "I Can Take It," Sonnie Hale has on several occasions acknowledged his indebtedness to the critical judgement of Glasgow theatre-goers.
Now he has shown once again that he pays the utmost attention to what local theatre patrons think. He told me last night that, as a result of opinions expressed to him in Glasgow, the character of Dan Frobisher, ex-circus proprietor, now in the film business, played by his father Robert Hale, has been totally changed.
“At first the old man appeared dressed like an ordinary man who'd own studios would be," he told me. “But since coming to Glasgow I've found that that didn't pay, that he didn't look grotesque enough.
“Consequently the character has been transformed. We sent to London for a special suit and scoured Glasgow for a moustache, and find now that he gets laughs much more easily."
LORGNETTE
Saturday Supplement, Mar 11, p3
STAGE PARADE by “Lime"
GLASGOW may eventually see "I Can Take It" as a film. I learned this from Sonnie Hale when I called round back to see him at the Alhambra last night.
Between dashes on and off the stage Sonnie told me: “The ideal thing for "I Can Take It" would be for it to be made into a film after finishing its London run.
“It would make a grand picture, and the other medium would give it lots of scope. For example, Jessie Matthews, who plays both star and stand-in, could be shown talking to herself."
Back in the cast again after a leg injury which necessitated his lying off for a week: likeable Hal Thompson, American-born hero of the show.
When I saw him in his dressing-room he showed me a bandage which he'll have to wear around the leg for about a week yet.
“When the accident occurred Jessie Matthews was all sympathy and concern," he said. “She kept rubbing away vigorously at my leg and asking 'Are you all right, Hal?'
“In spite of the pain I had to laugh. 'Thanks, Jessie,' I said, 'but you're rubbing the wrong leg.'"
Hail and farewell with genuine regret from this column to Gerry Young, ace publicity man of the show, who's going down to England to do some press pioneering for it there. Thanks for some first-rate stuff about the show, Gerry.
"I Can Take It" has another week at the Alhambra.
Mar 14, p4
Talk of the Town
[...]
NO sooner was the curtain down on "I Can Take It" on Saturday night than the Alhambra stage was the setting of a champagne party thrown by Sonnie Hale in honour of his wife's birthday. The entire company, joined by theatre workers, toasted Jessie Matthews with vocal honours.
There was cause for double rejoicing, really, for the show has just established yet another Alhambra house record. Jack Buchanan previously topped the takings list. Sonnie beat it a week ago, and then, on Saturday, beat his own record. "I Can Take It" finishes this month's run this week, then goes on to Liverpool.
Mar 14, p3
THE THEATRES
THAT "I Can Take It," the brilliant new musical comedy now in its fourth and last week, is still packing the Alhambra Theatre, is evidence that it suits perfectly the palate of the Glasgow theatre-going public. Indeed, Glasgow could go on "taking it" for quite a long spell yet. There is not the slightest sign that it is outliving its welcome; actually the enthusiasm of his [sic] audiences grows with every performance.
Whether one regards it from the point of view of the beauty of the presentation, the charm of the dancing, the allure of its melody, or the brilliance of its dialogue, one must give it full marks all the time.
There is only one Jessie Matthews, and her dancing is a sheer delight to witness.
Hal Thompson, her talented dancing partner, is suffering from indisposition [still/again?], but Eric Cole proved an efficient and capable under-study. Sonny [sic] Hale's burlesque of a film comedian is one of the highlights of the show.
J.H.A.
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