STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 61, 11 March 1916, Page 14

STAGE JOTTINGS.

Some Tecent controversy upon American ragtime has elicited strong views for and against that delectable rfiythinical entertainment. -Percy Grainger the Australian pianist, interviewed by the New York "Times," - defends the "deadly, vulgar thing," as a symphony conductor terms it; 'he likes it, and does not care who, knows it. "I like your American rag-time," he declares. "With rag-time staring one in the face everywhere I suppose it is rather obvious to say I think one of the greatest national gifts is rhythm, but it is nevertheless true, I believe. Just' as England's greatest ■ modern development has come in harmony, I think yours has come in rhythm, but you would be foolish to confine yourselves to that. Still, I en? joy hearings it. Igo to your musichalls and have much joy in listening to the 'rag , artists doing their turns. It would 'be just aa easy to interest the vaudeville audiences in good music if it were presented in a competent way. It is all the way a thing is presented. True art comes through expression." "What, after all, is the musician's objection to ragtime, in itself mostly 1 the device of "syncopation," a common resource in composition? Probably the objection lies in the fact that ragtime gives extravagant preponderance to rhythm, which, with melody and harmony, constitutes modern B»u*ic. The "rag-timer," in faofc, extracts the elementary force in music, and this is rhythm; at least, that is the view of many of us."

The war is having an appreciable effect on the output.of new mueie, but three songs forwarded by Messrs. Chappell and Co., of Melbourne, indicate that there ie no falling-off in quality. They are a Kerry ditty, "Tim Kooney's at the Fightin'," by Norah Flynn; "Were I with You," by Guy Uardelot, the air and accompaniment being of quite exceptional excellence; and "Spring Flowers," a brief and somewhat sad little song by Noel Johnston. A marching song, "Left, Left, Left," by Fred. C. Burney, received from Mesers. Paling and Co., v Sydney, is an acceptable addition to musical war contributions.

The revue, as it is known abroad, has yet to come to Australia, according to Mr. George Marlow. "What is a roue?" asks this manager by way of introducing the subject. "A revue," he replies, "was originally intended as a review, in burlesque form, of the events and ideas of the day. So it was in Paris, which was practically its birthplace; so it became in London and New York. In Paris sex and dress questions were the main themes; in London these were usually subordinated to politics; in New York each of these elements was generally intermixed with dollar talk. In short, tho matters that were chiefly in the minds of the public were made the subjects of travesty. Latterly any light musical frivolity has been called a revue, but ( the true revue spirit remains that of burlesque. Consequently revues are difficult to translate. A successful London revue of last season would now be out-of-date even in London, and scarcely understood We. To be really a Tevuc the scenes, characters, and episodes must be what the. public are in daily touch with. The difficult of producing an Australian revue is that we lack the colour, the character, and the variety of episode nccesearjr_ to maintain interest foe a full three hours' performance. Therefore we must borrow— we must be more cosmopolitan ■than they need to be in the big world centres. Moreover, Australian audiences demand plot. English end American revues have no plot whatever—they ire merely a programme of wnge, specialties, and burlesque sketches strung together. In my opinion a Tevue, to be a big success in Australia, mus,t have a good plot, must be genuinely funny extravaganza without straining the local colour too hard, and must con- •; in plenty of sparkling music and good 'inging. All these essentials I believe I have necured in ' You're the One,' the revue I propose to produce at the Adclphi Theatre-next month."

It is reported that the firm of J. C. Williamson, Ltd., with a capital of e300,000, recently paid a dividend of 10 per cent.

"The Martyrdom of Nuree Cavell," a tragic event which profoundly etinred ••he civilised world/ has been well illue(rated in moving pioture by an Austra'ian producing company, and ie now being in Sydnfcy. The producers have reproduced in rather attractive form tho T.ain fncideojs. connected with the muiier of tho nurse, without over-attention to .the more harrowing details. A love itory rune through the picture, and S'uree "Cavell is sacrificed because of her nesistanee to one Lieutenant Rcnard, a Belgian officer, whose young wife appeals to her for help; and by way of excuse because of assistance .she has given to English 6ubjects. The strong part of the film is that which depicts the shooting of Niiree Cavell; and in this connection Miss Vera Pearce shows how thoroughly she haa made herself acquainted with reports of the tragic event. Indeed, Miss Pearce plays the port throughout with marked intelligence, and to her. efforts the success of tho film is largely due. Mr. Harrington Reynolds plays the part of Rev. Thomas Gerard; a minister of the Church of England. It is open to question, however, whether the last rites of the church- were such as to make it necessary for the nuree before her execution to kiss a cross to which is attached the rosary beads. This is only a matter of detail, however, which does not otherwise affect the excellence of tho film.

English opera has undoubtedly found its hour in the Homeland. Nevrir since the days when Carl Rosa took it up so enthusiastically has it enjoyed such opportunity of production as it is finding in the Shafte&bury season of Sir Thomas Beecham and Mr. Robert Courtneidge, and, what is even more to the purpose, our musical public is at last developing a genuine interest In its welfare. There was hardly a vacant seat in the house when Sir Charles Stanford's musical setting of "The Critic" was produced, and no British work has had a moTe genuinely enthusiastic welcome for many a day. "The 1 Critic" has been aptly described as the one great revue in our language. It shot at the follies and foiWes of the contemporary stage, and because the fustian and rent which provoked its sarcasm are perennial weeds of the drama it has • a certain evergreen quality, and playgoers still find it a source of merriment, even though the particular individuals that it lampooned are not even names to them, and though Borne of its more subtle humoure are only intelligible to those who are pundits in dramatic lore. . Possibly this quality tempted Sir Charles Stanford to hitch an operatic wagon to it, for success in the venture would obviously carry a share in Sheridan's immortality.