PLAYS – PLAYERS – PICTURES

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 129, 4 June 1927, Page 25

PLAYS - PLAYERS - PICTURES

■ THE SHOWS. Opera House— Kenee Kelly Company, in season. " ; .'lorodora" {Wellington Amateurs), 11th June to 15th June. Lady Be Good," 18th Juno to 24th June. Town HallOrgan Recital, every Sunday, 8.30 p.m. . Paderewski, pianist, 9th and 11th June. m FrJ c'J«" u >. Pianist, Orst week in July. Concert Chamber— National Repertory Theatre Society, 4th, Otli, and 7th June. His Majesty's—Fuller's Vaudeville. Begent-r-Vaudoville and Pictures. De Luxe Theatre—Pictures. King's Theatre— Pictures. Artcraft—Pictures. Our Theatre—Pictures. Empress Theatre—Pictures. Shortt's Theatre— Pictures. Straud Theatre—Pictures. Britannia Theatre—Pictures. Queen's Theatre—Pictures. Princess Theatre—Pictures.

The Shakeßpeare Festival was celebrated at Stratford-on-Avon last month. The plays were given in the converted cinema theatre in place of the Memorial Theatre which was burned down last year. They were produced by Mr. W. Bridges Adams, and included "Henry V.," "The Taming of the Shrew," "Macbeth," "Twelfth Night," "Much Ado About Nothing," and "Hamlet." Sheridan's birthday celebrations included the unfurling of the flags of the nations, the Shakespeare Club luncheon, and the Mayoral reception. Williamson's have a touring. " White Cargo" company doing the Australian "smalls." At present it is playing to excellent business in Queensland. Tho Tondeleyo is a remarkably clever young Melbourne girl, Dorothy Stanward, whose experience has hitherto mostly been with Conservatorium and Kopertory shows, but who was chosen by Leon Gordon to understudy Judith Anderson in "The Green Hat."

Thero died suddenly in New York last month the American playwright Koi Cooper Megrue, whose work for the stage was more worthy of respectful consideration than that of many of his countrymen who have been represented on Australian boards. Hoi Megruo was tho author of "Tea For Three," in which Judith Anderson and Leon Gordon recently appeared in Sydney; he also was responsible for '.'Under Cover," which was played some years ago in New Zealand cities, with Muriel' Starr and Charles Wilward. Perhaps his best known piece is that really funny farce, "It Pays to Advertise," written in collaboration with Walter Hackett, which ten years after it was seen,in Australia and Now Zealand was staged in London; by, Herbert Clayton and Jack Waller, and laid the foundation of their fortune.' Eoi Megrue was -only.jfprty-three. >. ' . • , ;

1 ;"rt.:is;a little-curious .that plays and players gieeted with enthusiasm by Sydney arc often met by Melbourne with a chilly stare. And it is not always because the southern city is more easily shocked; just as often it is due tc 1 Molbourno disagreeing with Sydney, as to what constitutes art," writes a Molbourno newspaper man. "Judith Anderson and her repertoire arc cases in point. Melbourne has refnsed to accept Mr. Belasco's choice as tho greatest emotional actress of all time; nor havo her plays led to unduly heavy depreciation on tho aisle carpets at the King's. Tho strenuous endeavours of the' management to make 'Tho Green.Hat' the biggest box-office enormity of tho-year only resulted in making Arlon 's novel temporarily unobtainable, at all,the.lending libraries. The .thoatre-goors courageous enough to bo seen at the show after what the critics said about its naughtiness havo not boon numerous, and discriminating aitlovers have stayed away. A communique was suddenly issued announcing that Miss 1 Anderson would bo soon in 'Cobra,' but it was as suddenly contradicted. Sho will see out her Melbourne season in her present headgear, and on the twenty-eighth Eichard Tabor. Hale Norcross and others of tho previously seen 'Is .Zat So?' company-will cominenco making ' Six-Cyiindcr Lovo' at tho King's." "St. James" is to be adopted by the Fullers as the name for a chain of theatres throughout Australia and Now Zealand. "This title," explains Sir Bonjamin, who has returned to Sydney from a visit to New Zealand, "will bo given to present theatres —where thoy fulfil the necessary requirements—and others of tho legitimate order as they are built." Sir Bonjamin has sold the Opera House site in Auckland, and tho Colosseum in Christchurch. Other sites —more central and suitable—wero securod for a handsome, now theatro in : each city. St. James is tof.be tho name of them.

A veteran observer in London says that one noticeable change is that thea-tre-going is little affected by Lent. Formerly therowas always a drop in business for the wholo period, but now there is none in the case of really good plays, except perhaps in the first week. There has been .a slump in New York, but that is attributed to tho deplorable quality of the recent plays. Oscar Asche says that ho will appear in New York or London in "Kong," by Harry Kingsley. This is described as "a piece of old China in several fragments," with a story of love and revenge, and a wrestler with the rank of mandarin as principal character. A. H. Wood, the New York manager, ..who has b(Ught the American rights from Mr. Asche, claims that the production will be superior to both "Kismet" and "Chu Chin Chow" in dramatic interest and spectacular beauty. Sir Barry Jackson tells that ho lost £4000 on the first fifteen weeks of "The Farmer's Wife," but perseverance brought the remarkable success of which everyone knows. Unlike certain vauthors, who look on lovingly at their plays night after night, Eden Philpotts stayed away from every one of the 1329 performances. Even for the last night he merely sent a message of thanks for the producer to read to the audience. The comedy takes fifth place on the list of long runs in London. The first four are "Chu Chin Chow," with 2238 performances; "Charley's Aunt," with 1466; "Our Boys," 1362; and "Tho Maid of the Mountains," 1352.

Among those who took part in the Command Performance at Drury Lane on the afternoon of Monday, 23rd May, of B. Temple Thurston's romantic drama, "The Wandering Jew," for King George's Pension Fund for Actors and Actresses, were Edna Best, Hutin Britton, Fay Compton, Gladys Cooper, Editli Evans, and Madge Titheradge. Mr. Matheson Lang, who returned from his holiday in Sicily to appear beforo the King and Queen, played his original role of the Jew in tho four episodes, but there was a different lady for each.

After an absence of over eighteen months, Ella Shields was accorded an ovation upon making her reappearance at the Victoria Palace, London, when she was the recipient of many floral tributes. During her recent tour round the world, she spent a very happy and' enjoyable time, and although she received a very tempting offer to play a further twenty weeks in the States, nothing would persuade her to remain away from London any longer. Sir Jackson Barry, the English producer and the man who presented "Hamlet" in modern dress, has a warning for : others tempted to modernise famous plays. It was done successfully with "Hamlet,' l but Sir Barry declares that only a really great play can bo lifted out of its contemporary sotting and costumes and still ring true. Amateur dramatic societies are warned

that they make themselves ridiculous if they attempt to modernise second-rate stuff. "The object of using a setting of our time," says Sir Barry, "is not to insist on the modernity of the setting but on- the •■ eternal truth of the play's subject." .

An earlier France—old Paris during the reign of Louis Xl.—is tho scene of "The Vagabond' King," which was produced at the Winter Garden Theatre, London. Here we have an episode in the life of Francois Villon, with j whom most of us have at least 'a nod- j ding acquaintance with through our' "E.L.S." Derek, Oldharu plays tho i part of the disreputable poet, whom Louis XH. A. Saintsbury) makes King for a day, with the gallows to follow— though, of course, this fate is eventual-*! ly averted.. Winnie Melville i 3 the heroine, and Norah Blaney is another lady enamoured of Villon, while Mark Lester represents the comedy element ("with drinking song). The play is basod on Justin Huntly M'Carthy's "If I Were King," and its music is by Eudolf Friml, the composer of "Eose Marie.i' It had a great welcome to Manchester and would appear to contain some very attractive tunes, notably a "Huguette Waltz," sung by Miss Blaney, and has a chorus a hundred strong.

To follow her version of "Madame 5" in London Paulino Frederick has chosen another tragic part, the fair poisoner who holds tho stage in "Bella Donna," until her plans are defeated by a medical man. This was one of the roles taken in Australia by Irene Browne, who afterwards turned to the lightness of musical comedy. "Bella Donna" was one of Mrs. Patrick Campbell's great successes.

Musical Notes.

Speaking- of tho rehearsal of the coremony. held in connection with the opening of Canberra as Federal capital of Australia an Australian paper says— Damo Melba invested tho affair with Co vent Garden atmosphere, as, from the very-top step of Parliament House, she sharply corrected tho band of the Second Military District for its playing of the extra notes in the National Anthem. Dame Nellie, heavily furred, struck at the pose of Queen of Song, oven at the "try-over,' as she rendered tho first verse of the National Anthem to tho band's accompaniment. "Now we'll try again," she said. This time everybody joined in. Tho anthem was givon som* of the gusto of a chors. If tenors, baritones, a&d sundry tone 3 did not altogether balance Melba called for no encore. So, apparently, everything was considered satisfactory^ from a musical point of view. Dame "Nellie, made an exit that had about it none of the early despair. '"There is good music and bad music, but never modern and antiquated niusic. I know or no composer niora modem than Bach," Ignaz Friedman has declared as thermain artiolo of his faith. This affords' at .wonderfully clear insight ''into.the.comprehending personality of, the man. His is the splendid gift of regarding music as a Napoleon regards the world; for him, neither the lands nor tho centuries havo boundaries; Friedman is as, consummate an iutorpretatpr of Bach as he is of Chopin, Beethoven, and Liszt. Hearing him nurmouttt with complete ease tho almost ■insuperable difficulties of Busoni's transcription of the violin "Chacouuo," of Brahms's "Variations on a Theme of Paganini," or Liszt's "Don Juan" Fantasia, lias simply amazed tho minds of all critics. In every country t tliey havo chorused their wonder over these feats, besides pouring forth admiration of his ever-glamorous musical poesy. Mr. Gordon M'Both, . of Wangaui, forwards tho following clipping from a London paper: Tho concert notice does not, as a rule, offor much scope for innovations; and it is with a pleasant shock of surprise that one reads in the "Manchester Guardian:—On Saturday evening in tho Free Trade Hall a conferenco was held of the Ancient Order of Popular Tunes and Compositions. Sir Henry Wood wa^ in tho chair. The proceedings opened with a ,voto of sympathy sand condolence to Bachmaniuoff's Prelude in O sharp minor, unable to bo present owing to a slight attack of chromatics. Tho gathering, howover, was representative, and included Handel's Largo, Shcphard 's Hey, tho "Peer Gynt" Suite No. 1, Bocchorini's Minuet, the "Hoffman" Barcarolle, the "Willinm Tell" Overture, the Intormezzo from "Cavallcnu," and Walford-Davjes' "Solemn Melody." It is really a notice of tho Brand Lane Concert (which is mentioned in a headline), but one is roally more interested in the fact that Handel's Largo boasted that ho "hud never felt better and was able to walk several bars daily."

"Musical Opinion" says:—"At tho fifteenth annual mooting of the Society of Women Musicians, it was announced that Miss Evangeline Florenco had accepted tho presidency o£ tho society. On the samo afternoon, Signorina Eachelo Maragliano Mori sang an interesting selection of ancient and modern Italian songs, and tho Kendall String Quartette played Mozart's Quartette in B flat. Miss Katherino Kendall gavo a brief account of the wonder-fully successful world tour from which she and her string quartette have just returned, after giving a hundred and ten concorts in six countries It is specially worthy of note that soveral of these countries had never before been visited by a string quartette."

At the age of 84 years Mr. James Scott Skinner, known as "Tho Strathspey King," and one of tho most picturesque personalities in Scottish national niusic, died recently in Aberdeen. Mr. Skinner was a professional fiddler, and in his tours at Home and abroad he was associated with tho most outstanding Scottish artists, including Sir Harry Laudor, whom he accompanied on the great comedian's early venture in London. He waa a composer as well aa player, and his strathspeys and reels will keep his memory green, lie began his musical life as a protege of Dr. Mark, a German, who founded a school for boys at Manchester, and who taught the youngsters all sorts of in-, strumentsi Dr. Mark's Little Men, as they were known, toured tho country, and had a command performance before Queen Victoria at Windsor Castlo. In later life Mr. Skinner played at Balmoral Castle. While most of his professional life was spent in. Scotland, ho became a familiar figure in London, and in tho large provincial centres. A year ago—ho was then 83 years of age —he crossed the Atlantic to take part in a competition for violin players of over 70 years, but the event did not suit him, as ho found that it was Irish jigs and such like that weTe expected, and he left the stage in high dudgeon. He never recovered from, that trip, and though his spirit and physical vigour were wonderful tho journey.taxed his strength to an injurious degree. He died in March last.

The feelings of the audience at Burton-on-Trent Town Hall when they were informed by Mr. Leff Pouishnoff that his piano had been lost in the fog and tnat he was bound under contract not to play on a piano of any other make another of that make not being obtainable—may be better imagined than described. There was apparently no other course open than to ask the audience to disperso, which they are said to have done in a state of bewild-' erment. Presumably the money paid for admission, was refunded; but was

Mr. Pomshnoff under no contract to play, and why was that with the pianotorte maker held to cancel the other? Uno wonders what would happen if point° nCert'gh'er Ch°se t0 coutesfc tho The Pictures.

Laura la Planto plays in "Butterflies m the Rain," which is soon to be released James Kirkwooa has the ■Wni i6^' In the 3UP?OI -tiug cast are Robert Obcr, Edwards Davis, Euby Latayette, Dorothy Cummings, DorothyStokes, and Clarence Thompson/ An unusually beautiful location, situated in the heart of the high Sierras m California, was the place where fJm,* °r f n tllc exte"o" were'filmed of The Terror,'" starring Art Acord. varied topography relieves the monotony. The supporting cast includes Velma Coiinor, Dudley C. Hendricks, C. X Anderson, Edmund Cobb, Jeff Deftebacn, and Hank Bell. The popular novel by the English humorous writer, K. R. G. Browne, provided the basis for "The Cheerful iraud, ' a farce comedy starring Ecgmald Denny. William A. Seiter directed the picture. The supporting cast includes Gertrude Olmstead, Emily Fitzroy, Gertrude Astor, Otis Harlan, Charles Gerrard, nd others. ,'!P mvu tue Stretch" is adapted from lhe Money Bider," the last story to be written by Gerald Beaumont before his death. It is,the tale of the romance behind the scenes at a race track —tho kind of tale that immortalised Beaumont to his millions of readers. A strong cast headed by Robert Agnew and Marion Nixon make this pi ture ono of the outstanding successes to be shown here this year. "Oh, What a Nurse!" Syd. Chaplin's latest effort,.is said to eclipse anything he has yet done in th way of comedy entertainment. In his inimitable fashion, he plays the part of a young nurse, and his efforts in this direction are funnier than anything he has over done. This picture is to be released very shortly. .-•■ ■ Before a single scene was taken on Tolstoy's great "Resurrection," consultation was held between all the big producers, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Charles Chaplin, and others, on tho advisability of producing a picture exactly as the great autho"r wrote it, or, m other words, to break away from the generally accepted procedure of giving it a hackneyed happy ending. Tho producer is to bo congratulated upon tho daring experiment, as the picture completed is a real life ending, and is recognised as being ono of tho big pictures of tho year. "Tho Magic Flame" has been definitely chosen by Samuel Goldwyn as the title of the newest Ronald Colnian Vilma Banky film, based on Rudolph Lothar's play, "King Harlequin." The r m is now being mado in Culver City. A hard fight and bitterly contested election battle for a seat in the English Parliament, between Sir Melmoth a villain of the first rank, and John Orme Margaret Garth's sweetheart, results in Orme being thrown into prison for violating the election ordinance. "Without Mercy" depicts tho campaign and the workings of the opposing factions with a realism that immediately begets the.onlookers' enthusiasm. Long preliminary campaigns, political meetings, scenes at tho polls, and the tousc excitement that reigns in opposing camps as the last-minute returns come in, when one vote may bo the deciding factorall these carry the spectator along on the edge of his seat. In the cast arc Dorothy Phillips, Rockliffo Fellowes Vera Reynolds, Robert Ames, and Lionel Belmore.

Mario Provost, widely known because of her appearances in Mack Sennett comedies, and later in feature piuturo success, is a charming comedienne, beautiful and talented. In "Up in Mabel's Room" she has the role of a pretty divorcee, and never in her career has she appeared to finer advantago than in this beautiful comedy ■sreation.

•The Flaming 'Forties" is based on Bret Harto's "Tennessee's-Pardner." In it James Mason takes tho role of cowardly Jay Bird Charley, and he makes tho character quite as realistic as Harto set him down on tho printed pago.

A beautiful herd of wild horses play an important part in "The Wild Horse Stampede," starring Jack Hoxie. The herft is supposed to bo the property of Jack in the picture, and in actunlity belpngs to tho owner of a huge ranch near Lone Pine, California. Tho herd is kept in a huge valley on tho ranch. Hoxio owns a nearby ranch, incidentally, and spends most of his time between pictures on his mountain property.