Mimes and Music

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 124, 26 May 1923, Page 19

Mimes and Music

(By "Orpheus.")

THE SHOWS,

Opera House—Pictures, "Hobin Hood," in sea-

son. Emelie Polini, Ist. to 2Srd June. ' Operatic .Society, 25th June to 2nd July. Town Hall-Royal Choral Union, "Damnation of Faust, 30th June. His Majesty's—Vaudeville. Artoraft Theatre—Pictures. Our Theatre—Pictures. Empress Theatre—Pictures. Shortt's Theatre—Pictures. Strand Theatre—Pictures. Britannia Theatre—Pictures. Princess Theatre—Pictures. Everybody's Theatre—Pictures. Queen's Theatre—Pictures. Paramount Theatre—Pictures.

Harry Cohen's "Scandal" Company is booked for Johannesburg in November. Lydia Tripkowska, a famous Russian prima donna, has arrived in Sydney, j She intends touring Australia and New I Zealand. Quaint costumes, fashionable in 1864, [ are seen in the second act of "Smilin' Through." The plan, in which Miss Gertrude Elliott is appearing in Melbourne, is in a prologue and two acts. From 1914 it goes back fifty years, as in a dream. . i . . I do not remember to have seen,' in vaudeville, so sharply etched, so vivid a bit of characterisation, as Miss Dora Lindsay's work in "I'm Daft," current at the Princess Theatre (writes "Loiterer," in the Dunedin "Star"). Beginning on a note of broad humour, she lifted the sketch in the most subtle fashion to a note of sheer pathos that caught the most insensitive. Mißs Lindsay will appear in Wellington shortly. ■ "His House In Order," one of the plays of Pinero's later period, will probably be the opening production of the season, of Miss Irene Vanbrugh and Mr. Dion Boucicault, which will open in Melbourne.. Other Pinero plays which are likely to be seen are "The Gay Lord Quex" and "The Second Mrs. Tanqueray." , One of Miss Vanbrugh's favourite parts is that in "Miss Nell o' New Orleans," which is also in the repertoire. There are twelve English players in the-company. ■ ' The Stiffy and Mo Eevue Company are now in their eighth week at the Fullers' Opera House, Auckland. The popularity of the company is evidenced by the box office Teceipts. It seems as if some conl.siderable time will elapse before this popular company reaches Wellington. Jean Gerardy, the great Belgian violoncellist, is carrying all before him in his Australian tour. His Sydney season was extended from five to nine concerts, and the Melbourne season looked, at tie time the last Australian mail left, as though it would be extended indefinitely. Mr. E. J. Gravestock has^already announoed ten concerts there, and still the demand at the box office is unsatisfied. Beautiful as was M. Jean Gerardy's playing when he was in Australia before, it is eclipsed by his playing now. After visiting Adelade and Perth, M. Gerardy will come to New Zealand, where Mr. Gravestock has arranged for him to commence in Auckland in July next. Owing to his English engagements, the tour will not be a long one, as he is due back in England in September. M. Jean Gerardy will bring with him Miss Essie Ackland, the young Australian contralto, \vho has been hailed as Ada Crossley's successor, and Mr. George Stewart M'Manus, the brilliant American pianist. .: Bliss Emelie Polini, the celebrated English dramatic star, who will be remembered here for her famous dramatic novelties, "De Luxe Annie" and "Eyes of' Youth," is to return to Wellington. She will reappear at the Grand Opera House on Friday, Ist June, in Edward itnoblock's wonderfully successful play in three acts and nine scenes, "My Lady's Dress." During the season will also be staged "The Lie," "French Leave," and "The Flaw." She will be supported by the popular English leading man, Mr. Frank Harvey, and a-specially-selected cast, and the productions will be staged with that attention to detail and 4 ambition 'to high standard which distinguished J. C. Williamson's presentation of the Polini successes of the past. "My Lady's Dress," is a drama of rather unusual type. The story deals with the making of a dress, and the scenes that are unfolded in the story are dreamed by the' chief actress. They run through Italy, France. Holland, and London, and deal with the spinning of the silk by the silkworms, and gradually lead up to the finish of the dress, each scene having shown how people struggle for existence in their various trades throughout Europe.

Miss Stella Power, wjio is touring Australia and New Zealand under the direction of Mr. E. J. Gravestock, startled the audience in Melbourne at one of her concerts recently with a G in Alt. To the uninitiated man or woman this means nothing. To the musician, however, it discloses a phenomenal range. In' most fingers this particular G is dead; E. in alt., two whole notes lower, is as high as most soprano music goes. In cadenzas and certain coloratura music the singer is not -circumscribed by the actual music, but may range at her own sweet will, and try tlie vocal mountain tops. "It came naturally to me," explained Miss Power to an interviewer. "In fact, I used to sing F. in alt. at the Conservatoriurn. Melba used to ask: 'Where is the girl who sings the F. in alt?' At that time she did not know, my name. A critic, said that Dame Nellie Melba would not approve-of my singing these tow'notes," smiled the singer gleefully. "He little knew that the last advice she gave, me was: 'Givp th«m your F's, Stella; they'll love them." So Miss Power has gone one better andi given them G'«. The much-discussed "insect play" by the Czecho-Slovakian brothers Capek was produced at the Regent Theatre, London, on the sth inst. It proved to be a subtle satire on man and womankind, states a cable message to Melbourne "Age." Man is shown as an insect, stupid and cruel, his ideas of mating, amassing property, and bo forth being no higher than those of a beetle; The first scene deals with mating. It presents men and women about town in the guise of butterflies—the females allure, the males are enticed. The second scene is concerned with "creepers and crawlers." Those who amass capital, like beetles, kill each other like flies. Here are husband and wife "beetles" rolling a ball of dirt, which is their little all—their nest egg. They seek a hole in which to hide it, and a robber beetle steals it 1 while they are collecting another. In the third scene "city ants" are. shown, with endless lines of-workmen with picks and shovels. There is a war, after which the commander-in-chief is seen on his knees thanking the god of the ants for victory. Then the commander in turn is defeated, and a rival commander thanks God. The epilogue, with its May flies and snails, is symbolic of life and death.. The play is the dream of a fuddled tramp, who sees how mean and paltry are the ways of men. The critics are obviously guzzled. They praise the subjugation of actors and actresses in their parts, but complain that the play takes no account of man's sou]..