Mimes and Music

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 1, 2 January 1932, Page 15

Mimes and Music

e» "ORPHEUS'

Dr. S. K. Phillips has resigned the office of President of tlio Auckland Society of Musicians, after four years. Mr. Eric Waters has been elected to the position.

Bene Jope, a J.C.W. "discovery," is six feet five inches in height. In "As Husbands Go," his vis-a-vis is diminutive Agnes i>oyle, here in "Sons 0' Guns," now happily cast in the Australian comedy success.

Neil M'Kay, one of the British sailors in the J.C.W. pantomino "Sinbad the Sailor," likes Australia, for this is his second visit. He is Glasgow-born and has had ten years' experience of panto, and musical comedy in London and provinces. At London Palladium he has played an eight weeeks' seasons every year since the theatre was opened. ' He has appeared in vaudeville in New Yor.k.

George Highland, J. C. Williamson producer, now on his way back from London (he is due by the Mongolia on •ith January), will produce "Waltzes from Vienna," for the firm.

"The Barretts of Wimpolc Street" will have its Australian premiere at Melbourne Theatre lloyal in the middle of February. Artists on their way to take part include Gabriel Toyne, actorauthor and producer, and his talented wife, Margaret Kawlings; Barry K. Barnes, from the London production, who is to play Robert Browning; Bellenden Clarke, as Barrett; and Mary Cobb, who is to play Bella Hedley. There is tremendous interest in the forthcoming production of a play that reached its 500 th performance at the London Queen's.

Gladys Moncrieff's revival of her role of Teresa in "Maid of the Mountains," at Melbourne Theatre Royal was completely successful. Playgoers waited from as early as 4 a.m. to secure tickets for the upper circle, and the whole house was booked out. "Gladys's reception held up the progress of the play for some minutes, and at the end of each of her songs, the demonstration was renewed. It was midnight before the final curtain fell.

Jim Gerald had a painful accident while making an entrance during his performance at Melbourne Tivoli. He collided with a girl sitting in the wings doing fancywork, and her crochet needle stuck in Mr. Gerald's ear, inflicting painful injuries, necessitating, his removal from the theatre.

William Hcughan, the Scottish basso, who was last in Wellington in 1929, sang splendidly with the New York Theatre company in the opera "Boccacio," winning newspaper praise for his solos.

Cecil Kelleway, the popular comedian, last in Wellington with the "Vagabond King" comedy two years ago, is leaving for Home, via South Africa.

Janice Hart, the step dancing expert with Frank O'Brien's review at Fuller's was one of the leads in the pantomine, "Bed Riding Hood," at jSTe-wcastle, England.

Josephine Trix is principal boy with the J.C.W. pantomine, "House.:- that Jack Built," in Sydney for the holiday season, with Alfred Frith, as dame, and a cast including Nell Taylor' (here in "House that Jack Built" this year), Vera Spaull, Stan Foley, George. Willoughby, Walter Kingsley- (with Humphrey Bishop last year), and John Fernside. • : . ■

Kyrle Bellow, tho actress-widow of Mr/ Arthur Bourchier, is now the wife of .Mr. John' Beckett,' Socialist 'ex-M.P. for Peeklia'm. She- recently led.a rate revolt, by inviting tenants to a protest meeting in a tenement flat in Pockham. She is a'borough councillor herself, and the meeting .was called to -protest against tho system of rate payments in a new block erected by the London County Council. Fay Compton#iras the Dick of tho Glasgow Christmas pantomine, "Dick Whittington."

The patriotic- play for children, "Where the Rainbow Kuds," was played at a series of matinees at Holborn Empire, commencing on 21st December. A London critic recalls that Noel Coward, author of "Cavalcade," the patriotic play for grown-ups, was in the original cast of "Where the Rainbow Ends."

'.'Britannia of Billingsgate," London Embassy success, is the talc of a charwoman at a film studio who becomes a famous character-actress on tho screen. Mary Jerrold plays tho part on the stage; the piece is by Christine Jope-Slado and Scwpll Stokos. The musical version of Booth Tarkington's famous comedy "Monsieur Bcaucairc," folloVcd "A Country Girl" at Daly's, London, Barbara Pctt I'raser, who was in "Tantivy Towers," replaced Helen Brecn, the latter going to "Viktoria and her Hussar," but Raymond Newell appeared in tho name part as before. Ho took lessons in fencing to get his swordmanship right for the play. Diana and Bruce Hamilton, brother and sister of Patrick Hamilton, author of "Kope," have collaborated on a play, "The Home Front," a, war play. Roy Rene ("Mo") was dame in the Mike Connors-Quoenio Paul pantomiue company, playing "Tinka in Toyland," or "Why Kobinson Crew So," in Sydney; and his wife, Sadie Gale, principal boy. The Twelve Belgians (astonishing acrobats), tlie Le Bruns (animal impersonators), and the College Girls' Jazz Band, were also prominent. George Robey's part of Menelaus in the "Helen" operetta in London, will be that 'of a deceived husband, and naturally "The Prime Minister of Mirth," as Robcy is known, will make tho most of the comic part. Mr. Cochran is now casting his observant eyes about for a lovely lady to play Venus, to appear in the play with Juno and Minerva.

Celia Johnson, the English actress, has made a definite hit as Ophelia in the Shakespearian season in Philadelphia. American Equity is reported by Sydney Carroll, the critic, to be quito concerned at the problem or! English successes on the American stage. Thirty-iive minutes of encores and cheering characterised the reappearance of Paderowski at Albert Hall, London, last month. Towards the end, the famous pianist played as the very incarnation of eternal youth. It was six o'clock before the recital ended. Ronald Mackenzie has "arrived" as a dramatist, for his "Musical Chairs" play, produced at the Arts Theatre Club, is a winner. It has a Tehekoviau atmosphere, the action taking place in Galicia, where an Anglo-German, AVillielm Schindlcr, and his family own an oil well. The sou is a member of the British Air Force and his step-sister's passion for him brings tragedy to the family. Mackenzie has been stage manager for Edgar Wallace, and has 'written a number of plays. Eonald Jeans's new comedy, "Can the Leopard?", will feature Gertrude Lawrence in the lead. It is not a story of the jungle, but a very modern tale set in London, opening in a Chelsea flat, and progressing to the heroine's marriage to a practical husband, with the resultant clash of temperaments—or tempers! Yvonne Arnaud, well-known to us by reason of her success at a talkie actress, was to revive her rolo of Mrs. Popys in the Globe revival of "And so to Bed," commencing on 2(sth November last. Allan Jeayes was to present his original part of Charles II: Frank Collier, Popys; Joan Hay, Mrs Knight. A tour was to follow of "The Improper Duchess," in which Miss Arnaiul would play tho Duchess once more, and Hartley Power the male lead.

Malcolm Morlcy, late of Everyman

Theatre, London, now closed, is producing Ibsen's "The Master Builder," for the re-opening of the People's Theatre at London Duchess. Franklyn Dyal) and Lydia Sherwood replace Norman M'lvinncl nnA Jean Forbes-ftobertson. Lionel Hale, former editor of the "Isis," and a member of the Oxford Repertory Company, has written a fifteenth century comedy, "Passing Through Lorraine," in which the ccn- | tral figure is a sort of Joan of Arc. Halo's first play, "Beargarden," was first produced at Oxford. England is shown under the complete control of Bolsheviks in the play "The Eed Light," at London New Theatre. It. is a play about an imaginary revolution, and England is shown with State-owned shops, food coupons, general singing of the Red Flag, and • all the rest of it. Maitlatid Davidson, in the "Daily Telegraph," mentions the cast for the opening last month as Basil Gill, in the role of Sir Herbert Lawrence;'lan Fleming, the son; Norah Balfour, his wife; Miriam Adams (from "A Trip to Scarborough" company), the daughter; Henry Oscar, a Bolshie chauffeur"; and Olive Sloane (who was leading lady with the "Cradle Snatchers" Company playing at the Opera House, Wellington, in November, 1927), as a lady of no virtue. Evelyn Laye's starring vehicle, "La Belle Helen," the C. B. Cochran spectacle for early in the New Year, will introduce George Eobey, the famous comedian, in the role of Menelaus. The comic opera story of Helen of Troy will also have W. H. Berry in a part, that of Calcas, which will serve him as humorous singer as well as actor. A. P. Herbert adapted the play to Offenbach music, and Professor Max Reinhardt will produce. An interesting stage alliance is forecasted by a London critic, who says that an alliance between Sir Gerald dv Maurier and Edgar Wallace is in prospect. Dv Maurier is reported to be returning to Wynham's (with which he was formerly associated as actormanager for 15 years), in a play not necessarily a Wallace play, but predicted to be "Sentenced," the story of a Judge faced with, a tremendous problem. Birmingham received with cheers the Leslie Henson production, "Counsel's Opinion," and Streatham and Golders Green also set the seal of public approval in no uncertain manner. Robert Loraine, assisted by Dorothy Dix, Laurence Hanray, and Haidee Wright, has appealed to New York's intellectual public with his presentation of Striudley's tragedy, "The Father." English players are more than holding their own in the American metropolis. Binnie Hale, a popular London actress, had a leading part in a new revue staged at London Hippodrome on 21st December, in which the French comedian, Randall, from the Folies-Bergere, and an American dancer, Harriet Hoctor, were also prominent. A Busy Year. Tho New Year will be characterised by a considerable extension of the activities of J. C. Williamson, Ltd., for the firm, has secured several new attractions of outstanding interest which will be presented in their theatres throughout Australia and New Zealand during 1932. These will be representative of every phase of entertainment. They will include a now Grand Opera Company, the Gilbert. and Sullivan Opera Company, • the "Sinbad the Sailor" Pantomime Company, tho "House That Jack Built" Pantomime Company, tho new Comedy Company appearing in "As Husbands Go," the New Musical Comedy Company, headed by Dorothy Brunton, "Blue Roses," with tho Australian favourites Cyril Bitchard and Madge Ellictt, who are coming from London, "Waltzes from Vienna," the "ccord-breakiiig operetta, "The Barrets of Wimpolc Street," "Autumn Crocus," "Marigold," and other attractions for which negotiations are now proceeding, together with several notable concert artists, including Benno Moiseiwitsch. Beethoven's Overture. Beethoven's great overture "Coriolanus" was inspired by a tragedy written by Yon Coltin, a Gorman poet, to whom Beethoven dedicated his work. The overture, which has been beautifully recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra, follows the orthodox outlines of the sonata form, opening with a few fortissimo chords from the full orchestra, which serve to introduce the first subject, an agitated angry theme, which is given a short development before the second subject, a tranquil melody, makes its appearance. The free fantasia is almost entirely given to a furious development of a restless motive, taken from the first subject, then the recapitulation begins with a return to tho first snd second subjects, the movement closing with a coda which is based on the second subject. Just at the close, the opening chords of the overture are hoard again, followed by a passage in short tempo said to represent the death of Coriolanus. The overture shows Beethoven in one of Ms most rugged moods. The conductor is no other than the famous 'cellist Pablo Casals, who is a most popular conductor on tho Continent, and who has an orchestra of his own in Barcelona. (H.M.V., D 1409). Recorded From the Stage. Tho Russian basso, Chaliapine, has wonderful scopo for his dramatic and vocal powers in the prologue scone from Boitc's opera " Mcf istof ele," which many regard as tho greatest Italian opera based on the story of Goethe's "Faust." Chaliapino is assisted by tho orchestra and chorus of Covent Garden, in fact the recording was actually mado during a performance at tho famous opera house, under tho conductorship of Vincenzo Bellczza. Boito wrote his own libretto, and endeavoured to givo hi one work the whole scheme of Goethe's drama. The prologue to the opera presents ono of the most impressive scenes' ou the stage. Tho action is supposed to take place in the realms of space in which float an invisible chorus of angels and cherubim. After their song in praise of tho Buler of the Universe, Mefistofele enters, and, standing erect among the clouds, he mockingly addresses the Creator. The whole atmosphere of the recording is most impressivonnd in the solo "Avo Signor," Chaliapine slugs with power and resonance. (H.M.V., D 8940). Brilliant Young Pianist. Tho young Polish pianist, Vladimir Horowitz, seems to have everything— grasp of tho music, poetic feeling, tho power of projecting his interpretations to the listener, astonishing technique. The attitude of the artist towards his choice is ideal, for with Horowitz it is the music that matters most—first, last, and all the time. On his latest record ho plays "Capri'cio in F Minor" (Dohnanyi) ant! "Valse Oublieo" ("Forgotten Waltz") by Liszt. Ernst yon Dohnanyi, tho distinguished Hungarian composer and pianist, has a long list of distinguished works to his credit,, and is one of tho most interesting of modern composers. The "Capriceio" has melody, vitality, and colour, and Horowitz's playing is not only clean' and well balanced, hut that of one who has a. grasp of musical structure and a true and sensitive feeling for tho rhetoric of musical phrasing. Tho Liszt Waltz is a fascinating piece with graceful rhythms and varying moods, and it is interpreted with a charming singing tone, technical facility, and poise. (H.M.V., DAIHO.)