Plays-Players-Pictures

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 138, 14 June 1930, Page 25

Plays-Players-Pictures

• THE. SHOWS. rown.lUti— . . Organ Recital, every Sunday, S.T!O p.m, riiilharmonlc Orchestra, 21st Juno. G'rami Opera House— j ;: St. James's—Pictures. AlaJestlOrrPlctures.- . Regent—Pictures. De Lino—Pictures. Paramount Theatre—Pictures. King's Theatre—Pictures. Artcraft I'heatre-^Pictiires. ■°ur Theatre—Pictures. «hortt'3 Theatre—Pictures, •iritannla Theatre—Pictures. . $st?g'* ■'heatre—Pictures. -Theatre—Mcturcs. Klnema—Pictures. At tliG weekly practice of the recent-ly-formed Apollo Male Choir, held on Tuesday, the wives and lady friends of the members were present by invitation to hear the singers. Although the choir lias been practising but a few weeks, very marked progress has been made, and the members are exceptionally keen cm their work, which reflects great credit on Mr. H. Temple White, the conductor. The'new society is nearly complete in its various sections, and a fairly considerable waiting list has been formed of singers wishing to join its ranks. Opportunity was taken of bidding farewell to Mr. Brady, chairman of the choir, and Mrs. Brady, who are nbout to leave on a trip to Australia,, the members wishing them bon voyage and a safe return. A general meeting of members of theIlawera Amateur Operatic Society decided to stage a production this year. Several" were suggested, and a final selection, is to be made by a committee to be appointed, by the executive. The "Belle of Now 'York," '"Katiuka," "High Jinks," "The Quaker GM," and "The Mikado" were those favourctl by the meeting, and it was thought likely that the scores, scenery, and cos-; tumes for "High Jinks" and the "Belle of New York" could be obtainable in the Dominion, which would mean the saving of a considerable expense. The cost of a production was estimated to be in the vicinity of £500. The annual Delphic Festival will be held in Greece next month at the sacred precinct of Apollo at, Delphi, when Greek plays and dances will be presented by various players under the organisation of Madame Eva Sikeliaaos, the ■wife of the Greek poet, Angelos SikeKanos. This first.year, will be the first occasion on which English players will take part in; the festival, which wll commence with a preliminary performance in the Stadium at Athens. The plays this year will be "Prometheus Bound," and "The Supplicants," of Aeschylus, and there will also be folk' Bongs and dances by Parnassian shepherds and others. "The Good Companions," by-Mr. J. B. Priestley, which was hailed by J. C. Squire in the "Observer" as the best novel of 1D29, is to receive two separate stage adaptions. It will bo presented in London shortly in the form of 3, legitimate play, and also as an operjstte. Whereas tho "straight" version '.vill concentrate on Mr. Oakroyd, beginning and ending in his homo ill "Brudclersfordj" the operette will be built itrovind the younger characters of the "Good Companions" Concert Party. If both versions should run simultaneously it wiil provido a first-class novelty. Popular novels have been made into jmisical and "straight" plays before now, as in the ease of "The Three Muslceteers," and "If I Were King," but both forms have not previously been eeen together. To present ''Hamlet .without. cute; 5s only feasible before an audience of enthusiasts, for it plays for a solid four hours. That was the oxaet period taken jit the Old Viv—where the audience of the required temper is, of course, available —the performance starting at 6.30 p.m. and ending at 11 o'clock, with one break of half an hour, states the London "Daily Telegraph." That the time was well spent no one who was present is likely to deny. This was an admirable performance, with few weak points, and some particularly strong ones. There was first and foremost Mr. John Gielgud's Hamlut —a study worthy to 7jear comparison (I will not more closely particularise) with the achievements of sonic actors of much more widespread l-epute. His was a Hamlet not too melancholic; sufficiently sicklied o'er, indeed, in his darker moments, with the pale cast of thought; but a Hamlet of many and changing moods, such as one would associate with introspective youth. An esentially young Hamlet, moreover, and it seems to me that youth real is a golden asset in the3 presentation of youth fictional, given the other requisites. Mr. Gielgud showed a full sympathy with the character and beauty of his lines; yet he never fell into the pitfall of such absorption in their quality'as to accord them the mere dignity of a recitation; the heart of tho matter as well as the manner was thore. As Horatio, Mr. Gyles Isham was a, com-rade-in-arma well matching him in age, but content to be a very able and efficient foil. Miss Martita Hunt did excellent and individual work as the Queen, of whom she made a real figure, with Mr. Donald Wolfit as a very satisfactorily villainous King. Mr.,Brember Wills, complete with ruff and long goatee, infused his Polonius with much comic life and generous-"business";, while Miss Adele Dixbn was a comely Ophelia of sweetness and grace. Mr. Harcourt AVilliams combined his work as producer with the part of the Ghost, rather more expressive and high-toned than customary. ; Considering that the'boast of Dearly every cinema oathe boulevards of Paris ■was once "sub-titles in French and English," it is somewhat surprising now to find virtually no- American talkies there, states the ''Manchester Guardian." Queues lined up for "Broadway Melody" in Holland, arid "Movietone Follies" has swept Hungary. But in ; Paris the only American talkie is Lubitsch's "The Love.Parade." Silent versions of such films as aro to 7jc seen, bufnot-the talking copies, and "The Love Parade" owes most of its success, .■ of course, to Chevalier. So great, indeed,'lias been the success of this film that' the Paramount "Palace, where-'it: is shown, now pays one-quar-ter of'tne total entertainment tax for .cinemas" in 'Paris, and a tour of the other cinemas makes this easy to understand. There is perhaps no other important town in Europe where one would find' to-day, as the normal items of a programme, "The Gold Bush," "Lady Wihdermere's Fan," and Mary Pickford's .-"Human Sparrows." The Studio Diamant, one of the. specialist t-inemas, is showing a British film, "Sweeney Todd," ana tho famous Studio, dcs Ursulines contents itself with the silent version of tho first fulllength talkie seen in England, "The Terror." -.-... "Her art is enchantment itself." In tin's" striking phrase William Smith Gotdenburg, tho American critic, may be!said to have summarised the- unanimoius praise of his compatriots in thoir estimation of Florence Austral's art. An 'Heroic soprano, of fine calibre," "A sensational soprano with splendid "diction" aro among the most:, recent tributes paid to lier during her United States tour, which was in every respect a. most gratifying triumph both artistically and personally. In every State she visited she was feted by notable social leaders, and' tho chief musical organisations, and met all the- famous «ond,uet,ors and,-.soloists, -who dow find, their Mecca-in the land of the Stars. »nd Stripe's.', " '' , ' ' Jan. Kubelik, tlie eminent violinist,

who is to play in Australia (and probably later in Now Zealand) under the direction"of Messrs. J. and N. .Tait,'is one of many famous people brought out to delight colonials with their art. To j mention a few, there have, been GalliCurei, Paderewsk'ij' Benno Molsewitsch, Heifctz, Joseph Hislop, and many others. Kubelik has been a 1 violinist from the age of six. He has visited most of. the countries of'the world, and everywhere has boon acclaimed as ' a master. ... • A ship, with'acoustically treated hull an<J "complete sound installation, was a vcritablo floating sound studio for the filming of "The .Ship from Shanghai," Mctro-Goldwyn's new drama. The play, a filmisation of Dale ColliusV"Ordbal," was directed by Charles Brabin, of "The Bridgo of San Luis Rey" fame. Conrad Nagel, Kay Johnson, and Louis Wolheim have important roles. . British films are being produced seemingly in large numbers. British International Pictures have completed six.new pictures, all qualified for quota status (writes "Tho Post's" London correspondent). The series starts with "Elstree Calling," the first important screon -revue to bo made in this country. Included in the long and brilliant cast of; players aro such popular stars of the stage,'scroen, and variety platform as WillFyffe, Cicely Courtiieidge, Jack Hulbert, Lily Morris, tho Three Eddies, Andre Chariot's Girls, Gordon Harkor, Teddy Brown, Donald Cnlthrop, Jameson Thomas, and Anna May Wong. In "Eaise the Eoof," tho iirst British back-stage romance, Betty 15a Ifour is associated with Dorothy Minto, Jack Baine, and Maurice Evans.' The other films are "A Compulsory Husband," with Monty Banks and Gladys Frazin; "Swig of Soho," a romance of London's : foreign quarter, with . Carl Brisson, Henry Victor, Donald Calthrop, iEdna- Davies, and Lueionne Herval; "The'Epad to Dishonour, "si talking and dancing picture "with: Anna May Wong, who is heard-speaking, both in English and-Chinese, and John : Longden; and finally "Harmony. Heaven," !with Pollie Ward, Stuart HalL and the Tiller Girls. Many of the scenes in this last production are in natural colour/ .: . • •■?■',:. A series .of-twelve musical cartoons will be produced as Vitapliqne (Varieties. They will be called "Looney Tunes," and each is to be based upon a Warner Bros, musical hit. The. first, "Singin' in the Bathtub," is based upon' Winnie Lightner's big hit in "Show of Shows." The principal .characters .are Bosco and his sweetie Honey, who will appear in all twelve of the musical cartoons. •■ . ; A German arnvy training camp of the war days, most rigorous in military history. by which school boys were transformed - into .Germany's famed "Iron Youth," was established at Universal City in preparation for the production of "All Quiet on the Western Front" as a Universal picture. Fifty Los Angeles boys, including, the seven featured players of. the picture, were trained by a German drill sergeant exactly as tho boys were trained for the German army. Fox Films, through tho vice-presi-dent and general manager, Mr. Winfield Sheehan, announce plans for the futuro that embody tho making and marketing of entertainment to satisfy completely their world public. One o£ the plans heralds the acquisition of George and Ira Gershwin to do...orjgi-. nals* for the movietone screen; while another niarks the signing of Joseph Urban to design colours for Fox settings. An unusually excellent list-of players has"-'becM:■■ contracted s"' for, including Humphrey Bogart, for the lead in "The Man Who Camo Back"; George Brent, Lueiel Brown, Eobert Burns, and Joseph Swor—to be known as "Black and Blue"; Frederick Burton, Irene Day, Larry Fine, Shemp and Harry Howard, Fred. Sanborn, who will figure in the. Goldberg feature, "From Soup to Nuts"; Noel Francis, Mitchell Harris, Ted Healy, to support tho famous American humorist, Will Eogers, in "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court"; Eose Hobart, as Julio.in "Lilion": Tyrone Power, Buth ' Warren, and other favourites of legitimate stage, who. aro bound to make, a success of talking parts. Eaoul Walsh, the popular Fox director, is to handle Victor M'Laglen and Edmund Lowo in their picture, "Women of All Nations"; thy; big spectacular play, "The Big Trail"; Milton Sills in "Tho . Sea, Wolf"; Charles Farrell opposite ■ Miss^ Eose Hobart, in "Lilion," and.againi in "Tho Man Who Came ■ 'Back."; "Common Clay" is to be revived, withj Constance Bennet, Tully Marshall, Beryl Mercer (of "Three Live Ghosts" and "Seven Days'- Leave"), Hale. Haniilton, and Charles ■ M^Naughton.,Other commitments include Warner! Baxter in- a thriller, "The Spider,"' and also in "Basquerie"; Beatrice Lillie, the English comedienne, who is Lady Peel, in "Are You There!" with John Garriek (formerly.' . Eeginald; Dandy), Jilliau Sands, Olga Baclanova, and others; John Bennet, tho winsome "blonde of "Bulldog Drummond" and "Disraeli," as lead in "Blondie"; Irene Bieh and H. B. Warner in "On Your Back"; "Dust and Sun," an adventure story,, ideally suited to -Vie-! tor. M'Laglen, who is also to appeai: with --Dorothy Mackaill in "The Painted Lady"; Zane Grey's "Last of tho Duanes" will feature George O'Brien and Myrna Loyf Edmund ■Lowe in*"Scotland Yard"; ','Girls Demand Excitement," a very modern tale of Youth; H. B. Warner in "A Very Practical Joke," and many other talking pictures that will appeal everywhere. Expert producers, dance .originators, authors, and directors have been engaged. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer announces that Robert Montgomery has been assigned one of the' leading male roles in "Our Blushing Brides,'1 Joan Crawford's latest starring vehicle; Dorothy Sebastian, Anita Page, and Eaymond Haekett aro also included iv the cast. Leila Hyams has been assigned the loading feminino role in "Easy Going," William Haines's latest starring vehicle for Mctro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Miss Hyams made her first hit opposite Haiues in "Alias Jimmy Valentine," and played in Haincs's last picture, "The Girl Said No." The all-tochnicolour, all-talkie animated cartoon is the latest development of the screen, and this innovation is presented for the first time by Universal in "King of Jazz," the extravaganza, starring Paul Whiteinau and his band. The cartooii sequence, entitled "A Fable in Jazz," opens the picture by showing how Whitcman came to be crowned King of Jazz, a story that would make Baron Munchausen blush for envy. Charlie Murray and George Sidney, one of the foremost laugh teams of the screen, appear in two hilarious comedy sketches. Met'ro-Goldwyn-llayer has acquired the film rights to Kathleen Norris's famous novel, "The Passion Flower." Greta Garbo' has one of the easiest recording voices of all talking stars, according to. Gavin Burns, who supervised the recording of "Anna Christie" for Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer. According to Bums, Greta's rich' and deep vocal tones arc readily recorded on the same sound level with the voices of George Marion, Charles Bickford, and Mario Dressier, stag"c veterans, who play supporting roles in her talking debut.