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Saat 2

NEW ‘ELIZABETHAN AGE’

Yankee musicals dominate

London Coronation shows

THE GREAT Coronation Clean-
up is already under way. All over
Britain manufacturers of trinkets,
jewelry, gadgets, books, pictures
and maps are laying their plans
for what they hope will be the
most profitable year in recent
times.

And the showmen, of course,
are among them. Plans for Corona-
tion year are being pencilled in.
The cash customers will be promis-
ed luxury fare with the best of
everything that money can buy.
But what sort of stuff will it be?

If there must be Coronation fes-
tivities at all, Britaim’s music halls -
should give first-rate productions
of the greatest works in the Eng-
lish language, together with con-
temporary song, laughter and fun
wrought from the lives of the
people.

Instead, there will be a Corona-
tion program in the American
manner. According to present
plans, three American musicals,
two American plays and a stream
of American, stars will take over
the West End of London.

If present plans‘ mature, there
will be a musical called Guys and
Dolls. It is American. There will
also be Paint Your Wagon (al-
ready on tour in the provinces).
It’s American, too.

Man of Music, featuring the
Oscar winner, Jose Ferrer, is also
American.

The American straight plays will
‘be John van Druten’s Bell, Book
and Candle, together with The
Strike, with Sam Wanamaker.

‘In addition of course, there are

three American musicals still run-
ning in London which so far have
shown no signs of falling by the
wayside. South Pacific, at Drury
Lane; Call Me Madam, at the Col-
iseum; and Porgy and Bess, at the
Stoll.

At the Palladium, home of var-
iety in London, there will be the
usual stream of American top-line
stars and the stupendous revue
planned for the Casino will have

as co-star with Vic’ Oliver, one -

Jane Morgan, an American.
* * *

WHAT WILL Britain’s
great stars be doing? Sir Ralph
Richardson, after a season. at
Stratford, will return to London in
a play by R. C. Sherriff. Sir Laur-
ence’ Olivier and his wife Vivien
Leigh will return to the St.
James’s, ‘
Barrie’s comedy of butler turned
leader of men, The Admirable
Crichton.

Where do we look for the glories
of Britain? Up the Thames at
Hammersmith,
producing Paul Schofield and
Hileen Herlie in Richard II, The
Way of the World, and Thomas
Otway’s tragedy, Venice Preserv’d.

On the South Bank the Old Vic
will be at the old stand with a
program that begins’ with The
Merchant of Venice. -

What contemporary British mu-
sicals will hold the fort? The only
one to challenge the ocean of Am-
erican musicals will be ‘Anna
Neagle’s The Glorious Years.

: —DONALD: DOUGLAS

own

WHAT'S ON THE SCREEN

in Londen, in J. M,

John Gielgud is.

Ukrainian Canadians to hold concert

. . ° at Hast-
Th talented Ukrainian Canadian dancers, a favorite of Vancouver audiences, will be seen a
ese

provincial convention with a public concert.
Canadian Ukrainian Folk Festival this summer.

- PLAYS, NOVELS SOUGHT

r n the Association of Ukrainian des its
iati inian Canadians conclu 1

ings Odeon T h h jati ini ;

"ing heatre here on Sunday, January 18; whe ee ee : * .

}

Outpost in Malaya propaganda ‘May | extension date for
-- but propagandists may get hit Bethune Memorial contest

ALTHOUGH designed as prop-
-aganda in favor of Britain’s blood-
stained plundering of Malaya,
Outpost in Malaya, originally
- shown in Britain as The Planter’s

Wife, may well misfire badly.

‘Some may be swayed by the
crude and shameless’ exploitation
of. small children to claim sym-
‘pathy for a vicious colonial war.
‘But ordinary people are not the
fools official propagandists take
‘them for.

A carefully edited version of the
lives and activities of British
‘police, military’ and planters in
Malaya is presented for our ad-
‘miration and sympathy.

But many people are likely to
be shocked at what they are asked
to cheer. For in seeking to enlist
“sympathy for the planter, the film
‘is compelled to indicate something
of what is going on in Malaya.

Even through imperialist eyes
it is not a sight to arouse pride.

The film shows a country. in
which a tiny majority of aliens
live in large, luxuriously furnish-
ed bungalows, protected by all the
apparatus of a modern police
state, while they force the right-
ful inhabitants of the country to
yield up its natural wealth’ of
rubber and tin.

Apart from their own servants,
almost “the jonly contact these
people have with the people of
Malaya is when they give them
orders, strip and search them, or
shoot them.

The film tacitly admits that the
alien British planter is only able
to stay in Malaya by turning his
home into a fort and having large
forces of military and police at
constant call to supplement _ his

own private army of mercenaries.

Wherever he goes the planter
must travel by armored car. Even
then, when accompanied by a
squad of soldiers, he is not safe.

The film shows this to prove
what a hero the planter is. It
shows instead that he is hated as
a foreign invader by almost every
inhabitant of Malaya and that the
people of that country are deter-
mined -to rid their land of the
oppressors and exploiters who

are stealing their wealth at gun-
point.

We have seen this situation in
films, and in life, before. We have
Seen occupied countries with pom-
pous invaders growing fat on
plundered wealth, protected by

guns and armor from the people’s ©

wrath.

We have seen badly armed peo-
ple fighting back with every means

at their disposal against the heavi-

ly armed invader.

When the Nazis were the in-
vaders, we cheered the Resistance
mene Now here is a film which.
asks us to sympathise with the

‘city—again.

man in the armored car, to cheer
him on to plunder and murder in
a country where he has no right
to be.

The dollar-seeking planters,
their bosses and protectors, may
fit easily and comfortably into the
Nazis’ jackboots. But millions of
decent people who thought the old
imperialism was dead will be re-
volted by this attempt to enlist
them on the wrong side.

* * *

IN Fhe Turning Point a re-
porter-cop team cleans up a U.S.
The solution is as
before. The cynic-hero gentle-
man of the press falls to the gun-
man and the law has an uncon-
vincing triumph. William Diet-
erle’s direction maintains the sus-
pense well.

Bob Hope, ‘Bing Crosby and

' Dorothy Lamour in The Road to

Bali have obviously come to the
end of what was once a rich vien
of comedy. But they almost

carry it off by sheer professional
polish.

McEWEN TO GIVE ADDRESS

THE DR. Norman
Mémorial Prize Contest for a Can-
adian novel or a Canadian play’
(or both) has been extended until
May 1, 1953, it is announced by
the national executive of the
Labor-Progressive Party, sponsors
of the contest.

Some entries have been receiv-
ed since the announcement of the
contest last March, but it has been
indicated that several manuscripts
being written with a view to entry
in the contest cannot be ready by
the original deadline set, which
was December 31. In addition, it
is felt that neither sufficient time
nor publicity has been given to
ensure both quality or quantity to
put before the judges. Finally,
the wide discussion that has fol-
lowed the publication of the new
LPP program, Canadian Indepen-
dence and People’s Democracy,
gives added emphasis to the im-
portance af this contest in en-
couraging .Canadian writing on
Canadian themes.

Burns Night affair to be held in city

ON SATURDAY, January 24—
Burns Night—Vancouver progres-
sive and labor circles will honor
the Immortal Memory at a supper
gathering to be ‘held in Hastings
Auditorium.

‘Although Vancouver progressive
circles were ‘the first to organize
what has now become an annual
event in many cities across the
country, restoring the essential

content of Robert Burns, the peo-
ple’s poet, to the people for whom
he wrote, this is the first such af-
fair to be theld in this city for the
past several years.

Tom McEwen, an associate edi-

tor of New Frontiers, sponsors of

the affair, will give the address.
An _ outstanding speaker on the
writings of the Scottish bard, Mc-

é

Ewen this year is foregoing his
annual visit to Alberta to speak at
Burns Night affairs in Edmonton
and other cities and has declined
invitations elsewhere. :

Tickets, at $1.25 each, may be

“obtained. at the Pacific Tribune

office, Room-6, 426 Main Street,

or the People’s Cooperative Book-
store, 337 West Pender Street,

Bethune .

E 8
_ PACIFIC TRIBUNE — JANUARY 9, 1953 7 PAG )

st
For these reasons, the cone
has been extended until May
1953.

. Tim Buck, LPP national pe
will act as chairman of the boa

of judges. =

The contest is offered in the
name of the late Dr. No
Bethune, Canadian Conn
hero, and in honor of 30 vent oe
the Communist movement in hci
ada. Open to all Canadian writer .
French or English-speaking, ie
objective is to help stimulate © ‘
ative writing by Canadians ies
Canadians, about aspects of ae
lives and struggles today ae
throughout our history from 4
beginning.

Prize award of the contest
publication: or performance t? a
best short novel and/or play 4
some aspect of Canadian life Wi
struggle, written in either es
or English. The noyel is to be ey
tween 40,000 and 50,000 wins in :
the play suitable for production “e
a medium-sized stage in halls Pee
able to the progressive the@ 2
movement. The judges reserve i
right to. declare no award in ae
event that no entry, in their op!
ion, warrants it.

All copyright remains with ip
‘author on publication. MSS acy
be typed, double or triple ne i :
Entries should be sent. to 0
Bethune Memorial Committee, > 3
Bloor Street West, ¢/o sae
Progressive Party, Toronto Ont.

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