Logan's Lauder' has 3½ tons of sets

Press, 24 May 1977, Page 21

Logan's Lauder' has 3½ tons of sets

Jimmy Logan’s successful one-man musical, ‘‘Lauder,’* will be presented in a preview season in the Theatre Royal, Christchurch, next tfeek. - The eight-performance in the Theatre Royal between May 30 and June 4 will be a warm-up .for a national tour planned by the Otago Theatre Trust for 1978. After the Christchurch season Logan will head for the United States, leaving behind his props and sets — more than three tons of them. Though Logan is the only man on stage, his musical about the late Sir Harry Lauder is one of the most complex productions brought to New Zealand. ' Otago and Canterbury theatregoers will see the full production, just as it has been presented in Scotland, England, South Africa, and Australia, complete with Martin John’s fantasy reproduction of the Valhalla Hippodrome. The footlit stage and proscenium arch are all baroque crimson plush and gilt conceits, and echo the French fashion towards the end of the last century.

The logistics of staging “Lauder.” are formidable. The production brings to New Zealand 3| tons of set, costumes and props, and takes 10 technicians nearly two days to assemble. The show uses a full pit orchestra (even a harp), sophisticated sound gear, including radio microphones, rear projected slides and film, and a complex and spectacular lighting plot. Jimmy Logan’s costumes, created by Priscilla Truett, are based on photographs and records of the outfits that Lauder himself wore on stage. They include the garish rig which Sir Harry devised to pull the legs of the Americans — it was Scottish regalia carried to crazy excess, and even now the critics in Glasgow and Edinburgh tut-tut about it.

When Jimmy Logan recreates the peaks and valleys, loves and letdowns of Sir Harry Lauder’s career, his props will be authentic — the walking sticks are those leaned on by Lauder himself; the dirks in Lauder’s stockings, and even a pick originally used by Sir Harry as a 12-year-old boy in the mines, are borrowed from Logan’s museum of “Laudermania.” The audience are conscious, as they enter the theatre, that the stage is not set, and is lit only by a cleaner’s light. This deliberate effect sets the scene, and they become aware as the orchestra plays the overture, lights are altered and the stage is set, that they are watching an orchestra rehearsal of a young Harry Lauder in a music hall at the turn of the century. During the evening, the audience is led through the life of the man who became the greatest star of the music hall; through Canada, Australia, New Zealand, America, and back to Scotland. Lauder sings 30-odd songs, and switches emotions almost as often — from the car-

nage of World War I to the great days touring the United States, and from the phony legend of his meanness to the sadness of the death of his son. This will b* the first time that New Zealand has been host to a hit musical within a year of its original production. Jimmy Logan appeared on stage as a boy with his parents, the music hall performers, Jack Short and May Dalziel. His sister is Annie Ross, of jazz fame, and his aunt, Ella Logan, was the original star of the broadway musical, “Finian’s Rainbow.” Sy 23, Jimmy Logan appeared in a war-time charity concert with Sir Harry Lauder. At 16, he appeared as a juvenile lead in the Palladium Theatre, Edinburgh, and at 20, he made his first film, “Floodtide.” He starred for 10 years in the revue “5 past 8,” and has made more than 500 radio and TV appearances, ranging from the 8.8. C. production of “lolanthe,” to his own national series. He first appeared at the London Palladium in 1954. He has appeared in seven Royal Command performances. He began his own production company in 1955, presenting and starring in every type of show, from variety to plays and comedy. He has starred in 19 pantomimes, has made four tours of Canada and America, and has appeared three times at Carnegie Hall. Jimmy Logan says that he did not write “Lauder.” only for Scottish audiences, but for the world. “There’s a strong flavour to it, of course, but so there is to Scotch whisky — and almost everyone, everywhere, likes that.”