THE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2836, 29 July 1916, Page 6

THE THEATRE

(By "Sylvius.")

Tivoli Follies, When Mr. Hugh ,T. M'Jnlosh introduced his Tivoli Follies to 'Wellington last year -he established a name for himself and the Follies that liiib stood tho .lest of time, which is to say that as a revue-cum-vaudevillo show, we have seen ill tho interim nothing to equal it. Australian and northern critics attest that the Follies have beoh strengthened and improved considerably since they were last here, so that the public have every reason to anticipate a particularly bright and attractive musical show,, in which fun and frolic predominates. ' Mr, M'lntosh holds that whilst people are cast .down over personal griefs oaused ty, the gallant sacrifices that the men are making at tho front, it is not meet that they should have tlxeir feelings harrowed further by gloomy war-plays. Ho rather believes that for a couplo of hours tioople's thoughts should bo diverted from their thoughts of war, and that it is best dona "by means of a merry and bright show such as the' Follies He actually asserts that the Follies aro a product of tho war. I don't know about that, but in principle, and within proper )>ounds, Mr. M'lntosh may ,Ijo right. The company includos that attractive comedy singing actress, Miss Vera.Pcarce ('aboui whoso charms the management are not the least bit modest), Miss TJiclma Raye, a vital personality, Miss JElla Caspars, a girl Kith a glorious voice, clover little Jean Keith, tho festivo Jack Cannot, the whimsical Walter Wcems, boozy Geo, Welch, and reticent Rego (tho silent laughter-maker). On the male musical si'le. there is Frank Greene, tho handBoms baritouOj M. Jacques 801, the Bolgain tenor, and the Belgian trio, Jims. Hoogstoel, Baroen, and Penn. These fine instrumentalists, with the Tivoli orchestra (under Mr, Will Quintrcll) are said to givo a very iinpresive interpretation of Sir Edward Elgar's setting to Commaertz's stirring "Carillon" ("Sing, Belgians, Sing"), which is recited by Mr. Greene, attired as a Belgian soldier.

The TitoH Follies ballet is famous for its beauty and terpsiehorean still, and is, of course a moving factor in ■many bright numbers. Facets of Humour. Jack Cannot, of tlie Tivoli Follies, is extrpipely funny oft' the stago aa well as on, which is a, fairly rare combination. Speaking on. the dift'erent lines of Jiumour that he and his associates ruu to, Mr. Cannot said that recently his outlook had .altered considerably. "When 1 was a younger follow than I ana to-day, without a care or wife in the world, I oould nut; stand all these jokes about married life, baby's bottle and midnight scream, and those museum-like butts at ma-in-law. But a few months after* I got married—l'm married' though I mayn't look like it—my ideas gradually changed, and when the kiddy came along as cheoky as you like, I began to understand how it was that all the old wheezes about married bliss went so well with" tlio sufferers in front. I could scream for hours over that masterpiece, 'A Hopeless Dawn.' Don't beliovo that Rembrandt or [Raphael or any of those ohaps ovor painted anything half so funny, or 50 natural, and my favourite song is now 'The Midnight Sun.'" A Quick Study. Added to her other,, gifts, Dorothy liruntoii, ha£ a remarkably retentive) memory that makes tho learning of a new song or role a vory easy thing foi her. The aftcr«oon,before the full-dress rehearsal of "To-night's the Night" at Melbourne Her Majesty's, Mr. Hugh J. Ward handed to Miss Brunton a new eong, "Monterey," 110 wished inoluded in tho gaiety piece. Mies Brunton- played it over that afternoon, and fixed the ear-haunting melody firmly in her mind. ',I'hat night, after tho show, elic learnt the words. The next morning, prior to the full-dress rehearsal, she sang it over lor Victor Champion, tho .musical director, nnd when Air. Ward asked her whether sho could do the number at the rehearsal, she smilingly replied that sho thought 60. Miss Brunton did "Monterey" without a - flaw in words or melody, and at the first-night performance it was one of the sensational sue-, eosses of the evening, receiving six -encores. "The less I study a part the quicker X remember it." sttyu Uies ftrunton. "I generally tackle it at the lost minute—say, three or four days before the final rehearsal. .1 never seem to have tho slightest difficulty in committing it to memory, nor do I ever forget it. J find it merely a matter of mental concentration." 1 . "San Toy." Mr. Tom Pollard lias arrivpd, and things will begin to liven up in connection with -preparedness measures for tho Wellington Amateur Operatic Society's production of "San Toy," due next month. Mr. Bernard Pago has liis vocal forces well in hand, and Airs. Jim Hannah is planning wonderful costumes and hats, and superintending their making in tho society's own wardrobe room in the Exchange Buildings. Here, also, chorus and principals rehearse, and as the big, comfortable room is lined with big frames' of photographs of ether players, including amateur and pro-fes-sional stars, the atmosphere is congenial for tho attainment of the very best results. One will perhaps bo forgiven for reminding 'tho conductor to got his band' into, public performance trim well .before the opening night. Shortcomings in the orchestra well have always been a deterrent in tho past to the best first night results. . "To-night's the Night." tt Trill require (says tho Melbourne "Ago") a very big oft'ort 011 the part of tho producer to make the new musical comedy "To-night's-the Night" as Teal a popular success as its immediate predecessors at Her Majesty's Theatre. In "So ■Long, Letty," and the first' act of "High Jinks" thero was a hint that modern musical comedy might some-day develon into comic onera. 'If ever it docs so it will not be along the lines of "To-night's the Night." Tho sheer brilliancy of the entertainment on Saturday evening (there were nearly four hours of it) .dazzled an expectant house almost into Taptures of enthusiasm. Tho.effect is likely to last just as long as an entirely new audience can he found for every _ T>erformaAce, For "To-night's tho Night" is not made of the stuff that, enduretli. It is' .an attractive dish, compounded of pantomime and vaudeville, sauced with plain music and served up v?rv much dressed. Except that the music is Paul Rubens at his most ordinary tho ingredients are of the best. .The honours were carried ~ off by Dorothy Brunton, Connie I3diss, and Alfred Frith. Notts. Charles Albert)- one of the Pollard juveniles of days gone by, has the nart of Nisch, the admirer of superb figures, in tho Sydney Tevival of "Tho Merry. Widow-." Billy Percy, the Australian original in this role, was also, a Pollard boy. Percy used to toll how, when they weYe youngsters together, he often carried Charles Albert homo from the theatre 011 his back. Tho latter used to be overcome by tired sleep after a night nerformanoe following upon si long train journey. Percy, by the way, is now appearing in tho"London revue. "Joylaud."

Mr. Hugh .1. M'Tntosh believes, inevery one of his employees being a -per-former-of some kind/even if lie is otherwise a manager, clerk, or usher. Foi' instance, Mr. Harold Bowdeu, tho advance manager of the Tivoli Follies was a fine amateur mummer in Sydney. His Inst npncurunco there was as Sir Presto Bingo in "San Toy," a.t (he Petersham Town Hall, when Miss 'Winnie Birch (formerly of Wellington samr the title role. Curiously enough. Miss Birch plaved tho same part in Gislmrne this week. Tlie nart Mr. Btwden plnvpd in Sydney will lv> assumed by Mr. Norman Ailkcn in Wellington next, month.

If the opinions of papers published in the West of America count for anything, tho Cherniavsliis are a brilliant trio, equal to any of,the world's instrumental stars. I only, say "if." At Los Angeles they , visited Universal' City— the movie manufacturing centre in the suburbs of the City—and whilst inspecting the Mutuiil Studiowcre cawrht "accidentally on purpose" in n Charlie Clmpiiil picture, so that later on we may expect to 6ee our musical friends from Rub. sia in quite a unique setting on the flying film.