FICTION AND FACT

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 15, 19 January 1932, Page 7

FICTION AND FACT

CHAKACTEE BT NOVEL

LIKENESS TO MELBA

LONDON, 17th January.

London newspapers regard as a sensation . Beverley. Nichols's now novel "Evensong," which Jonathan Cape is publishing, to-day. .-.,-•.

Emphasising-that- tile nOTel1 duals with the decline of a woi'Td^faniousßOpra>no,. aiid pointing. ' out- that Mr. Nichols' lJadi acted as the late Dame Nellie Melba's. secretary, and. that th«ie are' reaemblainces- between "Madame .I'rela" of-the novel andv ; the-great Asustraliaii, the "Daily Espiess^ begins' its review: -.'.■;•

<ri&s- Melba might have said',. 'B-ravo; brarvo, Beverloy Nichols. A deucedly entcrtarnujg book,; and) how perfectly off you- to* make' Irela^ so- like' me. J.

The "Daily ' Express goes :i on: : 'I 'v ! 'MalcTaiiie- Isela,'s whieb Sir:.Nichols pTonoTiJices 'Iralya/ is- an elderly.-.-..ao-pramc wliose phyaica'l and' vocal decay-is bTutoll'y painted by-thisl cynical; young m&nv We aire1 told: that the- characters ; a-ie flctitiottsi "but. those who knew Melba ■will' Tvond'ep1 where w^.s Mi; Mehola'a tongue when lie -made' that statement. ■-.■ .

"StueS. pointed and' malicious play is made- of 'Madam* Irela's' annualfaTGWellsi Moreover-^ 'Mada-ino Irelte1 Eas' cjueer phyaical tricks sucli as. ta.pping1 the' ground with" tho toe of her light foot, licking; her upper lip; and! a very ddteriniiicd crossing' of tli'e feet: when1 nervous or ill-teihpcred. Melba Trad exactly the same mati'nei'isnTs.

" fMad'arive Irela' Is terribly jcffToTis of. Baba, the young soprano- in) JVer company." The "Daily .Express"' adds: "jSteVbat could' never bear airy chaTfengo to her supremacy as the Queen' of Song.''' . '•..•'■■

Mr. Bcvei'ley Nieliols-'s- indiscretions are- now somewhat, famous. Bo first gained notice- with* -»■ book «f an autoJ biographical nature, published six yearsi ago, wlien ho\wa3 t^enty-fiVe r and containing anecdotes of prominent people with whom he had come in contact. Ati OsfoTdl Tffniversity lye-. ;was\ president, o£ the union, later he was 'secretary of tlic British Universities' Mission to the: United States, and; in 1921 was sent to1 Greece by a firm, of publishers, to study the situation there.. Later ho became secretary to Maffame' Helba, and went) to 'Australia wHJh her' duri-ng onei v£ l\m opera seasons; Two years ago--he |foun(led the ''American Sketch," butl 'lie did' not remain in New York long, and how is a jourhaß'st: in ETnglandV He :lias ma'd'o liJcttfre- tours of tlie Unitedl : States aTi<l written- novelsr andj brief sketches of celebrities which are more repiaikablo .for their insouciance tlian; ! for their literary nic Tit, but which are1 ; quite' entertaining.