AROUND THE ARTS

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31462, 31 August 1967, Page 15

AROUND THE ARTS

From Spain

Solera de Jerez, a 17-year-old Spanish flamenco dancer who will appear in the Luisillo show "Festival of Spain” in Christchurch in September, can tap her heels more than 1000 times a minute.

On stage for only about 15 minutes “La Loli,” as she prefers to be called, wears out one pair of shoes every two performances. The company has therefore brought from Spain more than 100 pairs of shoes for her. The picture shows Loli with the soloist Miguel Castanos.

In Rehearsal

Rehearsals of Shelagh Delaney’s “A Taste of Honey,” the Canterbury Repertory Theatre Society’s next production, began this week. The producer, Dick Johnstone, said that by following “The Beaux’ Strategem,” a restoration comedy, with this modern play, and later with a comedy, “Hobson’s Choice,” the society planned to offer a greater variety in its programme.

"A Taste of Honey" will be performed from September 30 to October 7.

Playing the part of Jo, the wayward daughter, is Pam Merwood, who played the teacher in “The Miracle Worker,” and playing Helen, the mother, is Margaret Collins. Robin Alborn, who was

Orsino of “Twelfth Night,” plays Peter, the mother’s new husband, and Lloyd Scott, . Archer in “The Beaux’ Strategem,” plays Geoffrey, the art student. Bill Floyd, a member of the group, will be the coloured boy. Busy Centre The Canterbury Theatre Company now has three plays on the go—performing “The Killing of Sister George” at night and rehearsing two others during the day. Harold Pinter’s “The Homecoming,” the second play in the season of contemporary theatre, is being prepared for next week, and Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” is being prepared for a Christchurch season and a tour. Actors in the company are involved in at least two productions; only the stage manger John Watson and his staff are involved in all three. With theatre people coming and going through the day and audiences turning up at night, the Repertory Theatre has the appearance of a bustling theatre centre and, as Judie Douglass, secretary of the Theatre Trust, described it, “the theatre is becoming a really jumping place.”

Activities of amateur actors are adding to the busy scene. Members of the Canterbury Repertory Theatre Society are rehearsing their next production and an intimate theatre group, Don Farr’s Theatre Ensemble, is planning to make its debut next month.

Season Over

Jonathan Hardy has just completed a season with the Bristol Old Vic, which he joined in January for major roles after returning to England from Christchurch. Resident again in Brighton, he is tutoring in drama at the University of Sussex’s arts centre and preparing for engagements at Worthing. He will play Lockett in Gay’s

’ “Beggar’s Opera” next month r and later Falstaff in a Shakes- , peare production. Music First I The forthcoming publication I of Douglas Lilburn’s Third Symphony, the first symphony by a New Zealand composer to be published, has been announced by Faber Music. i This work has won itself a re- , putation as Lilburn’s finest orchestral composition to date and has been performed in Europe, i Australia and New Zealand. . John Hopkins, to whom the work is dedicated, has conducted it in Europe and New Zealand, and another performance was recently given in Wellington by Juan Matteucci and the N.Z.B.C. Symphony Orchestra. The symphony has not been performed in Christchurch. Publication has been assisted by a grant from the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council and the Australasian Performing Rights Association. The symphony is a terse work in one continuous movement and skilfully uses short germinal phrases