N.Z. AUDIENCES.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18672, 22 April 1926, Page 7

N.Z. AUDIENCES.

MR HARVEY'S APPRECIATION. VOGUE OF NASTY PLAYS GONE. Mr Frank Harvey, who has been delighting audiences at the Theatre Royal with his acting in "The Seventh Heaven," told a representative of "The Press" during rehearsal operations yesterday that oe has a high opinion of New Zealand audiences. They are quick, he said, to see n joke, many among them in fact being able to get the point of it before it is made. This encourages an actor and results in his giving of his best, whereas in other countries, where there is not such a high standard, it is often found necessary to speed up the dialogue because its subtleties are not receiving the appreciation they deserve. "Your audiences are most orderly," he added, "and the only fault 1 have to find regarding them ia that owing to your comparatively small population they are numerically small." Mr Harvey found time to say a few words concerning Mr . Austin Strong, . the author of "The Seventh Heaven," . stating that in that gentlemen, who was once a student at Victoria College, New Zealand possesses a playwright of great promise. Mr Strong was also the author of "Three Wise Fools," which was staged in the Dominion some time ago. More will be heard of him in the future, stated Mr Harvey. Touching on the next production of the company, "The Skin Game," Mr Harvey described it as a really great * play, and was of the opinion that in ( it he had one of the best parts in j which he had 60 far been seen. It is the first of Galsworthy's plays that has up to the present been presented j in Australia and New Zealand, he says, but he hopes that it will be followed later by "Justice" and "Strife," both of which are powerful dramas, of the j type that an actor likes to be associ- ' ated with. "I wish we could play more like them," said Mr Harvey, "as they do good both to the players and ( the audience. It is satisfactory to he 1 able to state that the better class of « drama is being appreciated by the pub- j lie nowadays and that the vogue of the ) cheap and nastv play is coming to an ] end." " ( Likes Colonial Life. ( Mr Harvey, who was born in the , Channel Islands, came out to Ans- f tralia with the company which played "Joseph and his Brethren" about twelve years ago. Owing to the high cost of the production, it was not sent ; on to the Dominion. His first visit to i New Zealand was with Mr Julius ( Knight in 1914, when he played heavy ] parts. Since then, he has come here ] at regular intervals, on the last occasion plaving opposite Miss Marie Tem- '■ pest. He likes colonial life and has no intention of returning to Britain for some time. "Before I take my departure," he said, "I hope to tour Australia and New Zealand with a company of mv own." Apropos of his visit to Timaru when with the Julius Knight Company. Mr Harvey said that he well remembered that star making an amusing blunder. The incident took place during the early stages of the war, Mr Knight learning while the play was in progress that H.M.A.S. Sydney had sunk the German raider Emden. Elated at the news, Mr Knight felt that the audience should share it with nun > and accordingly at what he considered i an appropriate interval he went to the | front of the stage and solemnly an- j n'ounced that the Emden had sunk the Sydney! Needless to relate, the news was received in gloomy silence.