WANTED
THE CHINA MAIL, TUESDAY, JULY 11, 1881.
A
DOES Britain, and the Commonwealth, need a new leader? Do they need someone who will do for them what President
de Gaulle has done for France?
we a leader with the dynamism of John Kennedy?
Does Britain need a man, strong enough and tough enough, to pick her up by the scruff of her sleek, fut neck · and shake her back into a consciousness of her inherited greatness and present responsibilities? Or is it all right to drift along, living for the day, enjoying the comforts of the Affluent Society, and turning a blind eye to un- comfortable questions, Britain's notably
respon. sibilities a
head of the Commonwealth?
Four questiona, Many people will react sharply, and with Indignation to the suggestions implied in them. 2301 lgh time that Britain, and the Con- mawealth as a whole, but a very good fok at themselves,
ELECTORS'
APATHY
Even in London, where the etection was fought as a high- pressure campaign, only 34 per cent of the electorale bothered
to vote. In uilter areas, the percentage was even lower. In Impartant trade union elections, the number of members voiing rarely rises above 18 per cent.
an
A democracy that adopts utlook of "1 can't be bothered to vote" is not just unhealthy. It is in danger of attack by those forum who talk of denveracy and work for a fetatorship.
The per in Britain today is that two pernicious slogans are bremling murzied to use
an-
other. They are "Never Bad fr So Good" and "I'm All Right. Jack."
"NO PRIDE"
The Conservative Government In his inangoral address last has every right to be pleased January, President John with the results of the recent Kenwdy sand: "Ask not
what Jovat Rovernment elections. But your country will do for you, unipes it in even more snug and Ark rather what you can do for complacent than it times your entry", To what extent appears to he, it must be di fare tite people ++f Britain tuls 16 t?4ཐཱ་ apathy of the applying that fine principle to
keturs,
themselves Today? And have
TEN MILLION DANCING FEET
Every week they
succumb to the lure
of the Whispering
Saunter and all that jazz
By
Jane Gaskell
VERY night is danc-
EY
ing night in Bri-:
"More than half the time
tain. And each week have to say I'm going to tha pictures or something. She 5,000,000 people go danc-seare to think all the boys who ing, most of them with go dancing ure dreadful wolves.
"Let's face it, most of Mecca.
are dead shy."
"The people of Britain never stop dancing and we are duly grateful tu them. Say the aneers of Merea, the biggest fer in the business, with a chain of 43 halts.
They show their gratitude by showering their customers with culoared nowstorag and rain- bows from revolving lamps, sus pended! Basketfuls of ballons and all sorts of teats like Jutep Bars, Cupid's Bars, and Ponytail
Milk Bar.
Not all dance hall are garish.
in Notfight The Lat
for example, manages to retin. under the ballots
HOPPERS
them
a
.Australians and Canadians, and people from other parts of the Coinmonwealth as well, com- plain er British indifference towards them.
COMMONWEALTH
STRONGMAN
AND IT IS
BRITAIN'S JOB PRODUCE HIM
As Rumeli Braddon, the well-known Australian broad- caster put it: "Towards the Commonwealth you people have become charitably in- different: indifferent in the way that only praple who are bored and kindly and ignorant of almost everything relating to that Commonwealtḥ could be.
12". I say to you bluntly that you take nu pride in K“,
What is A harsh judgment, But how many people can say, with honesty, that it does not contain a lugh measure of truth? Indeed.
Britons AFF
really bothering very much about any thing these days except for their own personal intisgusts ursel eunfort?
This indifference to the Com- nonwealth, like the failure to vote in electious, is another sympton of
malaise. "Floving it" has
left so many people without
time to think-except of themselves,
UNRULY
CHILDREN
The cult of "They" is the means of escaping from both responsiblilty and from ANY action that does not produce greater comfori, How often
By John Baker White
do we hear the sentence “They
ought to do something about WOULD BE
But who are "They"
The other day a housewife
was luterviewed on televisiou TRAGIC
about the fungus that had been growing for three years on the wall of her Hat, but by the locni authority. When asked whether she had done anything atmut removing it or alfempting to prevent its growth, she replied, "Oh no, that's the Council's job".
People have said, with fruth, that the British people are ni their greatest in adversity. It would be tragic If they came to say that Britons were al their worst in prosperity and uffluence.
The answer Anyone who sits in De Magh-
In that strong, Trates Courts will be aware of inspired teadership is a neces- the sad procession of parents And Britain, and the Commons- sary in good fitnes in bad. who say that their children are out of control.
wealth, are not veiting that leadership today. They blame "hey" the Menzies, Diefenbaker and school-teachers for not dis- Welensky are statesmen and giplining them. But they would leaders of outstanding quality, be the first to compluli if the but each has to discharge his teachers gave the children the responsibility to his own section sharp medicine they need. They of the Commonwealth. It is in ask the courts to do something Britain, in what we used to call about 1.
"the heart of Empire", that a new leader is needed.
It never seems to occur to We need a mon who will be as these parents that they them- brutally frank with Britain as selves, Intent upon corning the was de Gaulle with Frence. We maximun amount of money, need someone who will shake intent upon enjoying themselves, the nation out of the smugness are really to blame.
born of lolling on the cushions of
Thomas
Plummer
and Porter:
a battle
ahead
Although since the war even- ing dress is rarely reen is davee hall, places like London's West End Asturia curage
try to en)- the idea that an evetting 1 dance hall is a "special
properly-run son" worth dressing up for. Wandsworth Town Hall. Where HEN the Peter Hall
They certainly "dress up" at
Monday there is a teenage night every
ceen-
production of
+21 Wednesday (though this means that their Becket opens in London half-dozen bouncers dithis month we can
a linetly in demand),
bows, an old worid flavour of
ex-
its own, with regulars who have grand staircase is crowded with histrionic all-in wrestl- Lera coining for 20 years, drawn ris one side and boys
Twice a week, Wandsworth's pect to see a kind of
the
of the Leather, facing each other anding match between the Waltz," "Tantivila." "Whisper hopping with feet together from two young actors
by the lure.
ing Saunier,"
and "Crinoline step to sten.
who
because play the leading roles.
Gevolte."
They hop sideways The Hammersmith Palais, their shoes with its 750,000 dancing cus-
are too long to t frontways on 10 a stegy and It is the sort of play that tomers a year. is now under their skirts and trouves are fou Will probably end with new management-one
which tight to permit any knees-bend, knock-out rather than a cut-
"stair-sliding tain
severely shunned. Peter Miller,
શ fine
art.
An
2
TO
the Affluent Seclely and Wel- fore State, and jerks her back into facing up to her respon-
lbilities ps a great nation.
Older people will remember that splendid eccentric and great patriot Lady Houston and her slogan "Wake Up Britain". That is the slogan needed today.
ONLY ONE
MAN
Who can carry out this tank? In the field of party politics only one figure demands atten- tion, Mr Enoch Powell, the Minister of Health. Here is ú man of high integrity, Com- monwealth experience and burning sincerity.
And oufalde polities? The man that thousands of soldiers knew, the nun that the Australians came to lovo da well--Field Marshal Viscount Slim, a great leader and a nwountain of common-sense, But there is also a great moral Issue to be faced. One clergy- man has put it like this:
"It may be when this country has reached a degree of pros- perly which enables it to buy all
Field Marshal Viscount Slim, former Governor-General of Australia. Is he the man we need?
the gadgets and all the comforts missing in life, and perhaps then which modern technology can it will turn back to God," provide, then it will beg to Maybe there is something in realise that there is something
that
Wiseman's
LIMELIGHT
THE UNUSUAL MISS MIMIEUX
DOESN'T CARE FOR ACTORS...
AISS YVETTE
M MIMIEUX is the
only young actress under long-term contract to MGM, and clearly big things are expected of her.
When she flow to London the other day to play one of the loading roles in The Light in the Piazza, 18-year-old Miss Mimloux had to pay £100 for excess baggage.
CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER A penchant for high living.
of a
When the Customs
men opened her suitcases they found that tho excuss baggage consisted almost entirely of books and classical records- not the sort of things Customs man are used to finding in the suitcases of Hollywood starlets.
But, then, Miss Mimieux has a somewhat wnexpected approach to the film business. While being developed into a
תם
star by MGM, the is studying opera and reading on a massivo
cafe.
Attempts by her studio to arrango datos for her with cligible young actors have been totally unsuccessfut. Miss Mimieux does not care for actors. She finds thom Sha impossibly va in. would much rather moot
·writers and artists.
Plummer," he says. "By com- smoothly organised way of life parison, Richard III is easy. that I can muck up whenever 1 Acting on the stage I
choose. escape from the exhausting business of playing Christopher into acting for some sort of "I suppose one always gues Plumnier."
"I am a very analytical per- son," says Erie Porter. "I have to be us an actor. This can be an embarrassment us a person. I can't feel any emotion with out taking It to pieces, Anding out where it came from and why I am experiencing it.
'IMPOSSIBLE”
"This makes
sick reason. In my case I had
a terrible shyness to overcome.
I came frain a well-off family. but I was always mixing with people much richer and grander in myself.
"From the age of about 14 I was acting-pretending to be grunder and more oplaticated than I was to keep up with my grand friends."
will permit live to invade the
11 15 called famous maple floor on which and most of them have ruined it
In America, Sir Laurence rock 'n' roll has hitherto been to
"By the side of Chris Plum- it Impossible, at different times, Mr Porter is the s endless Olivier,
both the stream of boys and girls deployed
principal bus-conductor
for instance, ever to fail in mer," says Porter, "I feel quito from Shepherd's jove. Of course, I can ploy colourless. I think he The general spending or ascending with Tole-Becket
going onu The King Bush. He is a man with s
act falling in love, and if I act to be one of the great figures differ natural propensity
for anony sufficiently weil I might
of the theatre in the course of as to which mity
result of which,
temporarily Impressive although he has often been
convince myself. the next 25 years. highly prozed, he is scarcely
But the curtain Ineyliably known outside the theatre. He comes down. And the next day has a coldly analytical attitude
manager, regarded ne wars jerky-yet-fold
whic rhythm
and there is ence of opinion
the performance.
aver his Ivory phones and huge staring nonchalantly into space was red lapel-carnation, and said is wonderful to see.
"We have a gimnick for each
day. Fridays, the night we get
the youngsters lu, we end as late
ns midnight, after a
evening.
swinging
THE NICEST
The place for complete chans
"Other nights it's ballroom is Eel Ple Island, ni Twicken- ean wander from dance hail to the moonlit
or popular, with the Juzz Band ham, where you Hall unte month."
The Lyceumn, the Strand's gras outside as freely as pillarre colossus of a dance desire. hall, hus a revolving band- singe under
inore
Бота
yuu
Inside, you can sit
in
front
beer
ERIO PORTER
Coldly analytical
015
to his life and work and abhorrence of flashy fame.
IN COMMON
even
'INEVITABLE”
"I imagine it is inevitable that
PIOTURE BY MICHAEL WARD.
Mr Brazzi approves
I'm playing a different part in a different play." เค
Christopher Plummer. who has been married and is now we will be considered in com- cipal characters who sometimes and Mr Porter one feels that seem almost like the two sides they have been admirably cast divorced, also finds it difficult petition on the stage; but I am of ene schizophrenie person- to portray these contrasting per- to love.
not compeling. I'm not in the allly.
sonalities, who yet have a "The danger with an actor,” theatre for the fame or the
And talking to Mr Plummer great deal in common. he toys, "is that he gels so money-I gave it up twice By contrast, Christopher involved with his own emo when I was at my most suc- Plummer comes from a well-
tione, he
involved cessful. It is not important to con't get I vast sort of of the band and feel honoured
of Canadian family, ar nn with other people's. flower-petal matir which keeps it they beg you to fetch
It la a me to make haadilnos ar money. ebullien! personalliy and
I am very changing from Mood go to for then, go to sleep and snore
felling of which
"I live in Islington, In the penchant for high ving, and conscious.
It is fairly commonplace on time. In Hollywood, who-
are, you Joast fashionable part, I have nowadaya for actors in become ever you Deep Purple 10 Vermont Moon- loudly, or get out on the cele
have to anonymity holda no delights for
a small car and I wear off-the- disenchanted with light, etc. "All done thanks to brated sprung floor and
"Also I am a very difficult
Hollywood clock in the same time as the him, dance
como to Europe. Mr technicians." cur electricians, Tony and you drop.
Surprisingly in their atitudo person to live with. I have very per sulla. Money would merely and
Jittle sense Freddy," said a blond bouncer,
has reversedi of responsibility be an encumbrance to me; one to life
Rossano Brazzi The Eel Ple Boor is as full of Statisticions have enid
Mr Brozzi has another ex- certain and I am tremendously stock would have the responsibility of the procedure; he became dis- that fole de vivre as a trampolis,
amount in common: they both ed by whatever port I bappen spending it."
with Rome and cellent reason, enchanted the majority of married couples and stompers go mad on it. This played by Eric Porter young long run, they both and acting time.
for preferring In London, Becket will be prefer the first night
Christopher Plummer to the to be playing at any particular Grst met in dance halls, and, is fine for typical Eel Pie foot-actor who
ays, went to Hollywood.
the Hollywood way of line. "I adore comfortable Eving. In London the other day, "With the salary won the Evening more real and obviously,
I got pald dance hall. In gear-calf-length Russian bools. Standard Drama Award
(ponsibly) re-
he said, "they can good place
When I am due to go on as When I have it, I spend money Mr Brazzi wan positively poet" there," for a pleasant But for my money the nicest year-and
last warding than Hving.
Richard, I find myself becom- wildly, and I certainly intend eat in his praise for Holly make an entire lm in Rome." pick-up,
the King will be dance hall of all is the jazzboni, played by Christopher Plum- able, with the kind of looks peopic when I don't mean it. career. I am all in favour of son is 10 minutes away, moun
Plummer, handsome, person- ing terribly short-tempered with to make A Hollywood film wood and its ameulties. The And if you don't ellek, you as it chugs along
tised to the Californian climate doing two mer, a Canadian actor whose that could give him a lucrative Once, can simply murmur "Thank knots pas! Kew Gardens, ren- performanco
I was playing priors being rogues and vaga lain snow 50 minutes away, that he even dreams in English. You"
and disappear in the dering the balny night air even
at Stratford-on- career in films, regards act Hamlet, the impotence of the bonds-but the kind of rogue and what Avon as Richard II has
is more important And his wife, Lydia, fotter- throng.
aling not merely as a profesion, character prevented barnier with trombones and ready caused some critics to but as a way of life.
me from and vagabond I want to be is in Hollywood, they are seriously a resplendent 10-stone figuru, "Stiil, nun really hates
tc aaxophones and the erics of compare him with 'Olivier. coming,__ let's face
"The most
having any kind of relationship' one who has a great mansion about the business of making has also adjusted herself to the it," said passengers cavorting on deck.
demanding per- with a wom There is
with a swimming" pppl.”
Alins. Doris, 17, a secretary.
indication formance I have to give is
American way of life. Bhe das "Any kind of routine shythms In
Becket. WEITIO
Jein "In Rome star is not a shed six sions. that it should be a good Aght, when I am playing Christopher disturbs me. What I want is a Anouilh has created two prin- atar, if he arrives on the set -(Landon Express férvios);
2
London Express Barvice).
epery
they have a
when
He has become so acclima-