Christchurch Actor Praised

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30943, 27 December 1965, Page 7

Christchurch Actor Praised

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.a ) LONDON, Dec. 26. Hie ballad-singing of the Christchurch actor, Elric Hooper, has been one of the few things praised in Lionel Bart’s new musical “twang.” which was virtually shot down in flames by London’s theatre critics after its I opening in the West End.

Hooper, who is on stage almost continually as Alan-a-Dale, received favourable mention in both the “Financial Times" and the “Evening News.” The “Sun" said there was something peculiarly sad about the search for the reasons for the failure of “Twang,” which Bart considers will still be a success. “You have to wade kneehigh through the stale butts of discarded cigarettes, tread

the crumpled packets which once held keep-awake pills and plough through the dregs of a thousand cups of coffee. “On the far side are a group of exhausted, talented people who—in the words of Denis Norden, who played a peripheral part in the proceedings—can no longer see Sherwood Forest for the trees.” OLD AXIOM The “Sun” says that through his friendship with Lionel Bart, Harvey Orkin and Burt Shevelove, who took over the show’s direction after the initial shambles in Manchester, Norden acted as a king of “Mr Big Ears in the Noddy land of show business.” There is an old Broadway axiom that no musical is ever written. It is always rewritten. "But to pick this one up from where it lay steamrollered and. in a few weeks,

pump it out, spruce it up and dress it in new words and new songs, needed more miracles than can reasonably be expected in this age.” A big musical needed meticulous planning and one, • sole unquestionable authority. The newspaper adds that if Twang” does fail it is no tajor calamity. Worse things lappen at sea. Only waste on uch a prodigal scale is a ’tty. Not so much the £llO,OOO it is supposed to have cost—but the talent