FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

Evening Star, Issue 19002, 25 July 1925, Page 15

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

[By LOITERER]

Walter Vernon, a very accomplished and unusual-typo ventriloquist, makes his first appearance at the Princess Theatre on Monday. Phil Smith’s new revue is * Sweethearts,’ one of his best. Marie Ney has been playing Viola in ‘Twelfth Night’ at the Old Vic. She is spoken of as making “a handsome boy.” Pauline Frederick has commissioned Dora Wilson, the Australian pastel artist, to execute a portrait of herself and of her mother (to be taken from a photograph). She opened an exhibition of Miss Wilson’s pastels and oil paintings while in Melbourne. It has been said that the first thing a ventriloquist must do is to master what may bo termed the “ mechanical ” side of his art. In other words, he must bo able to regulate the pitch of his voice in such a manner as to make it apparent to the audience that another person is actually speaking, thereby achieving the desired effect of the presence ot two or even more persons on the stage. In his “mechanics,” too, the performer, while acting the dummy himself, as it were, should be able to so control his facial milscles as to leave no doubt in the minds of his audience that the real dummy figure is actually delivering the speech or song to which they are listening. A combination of showmanship and craftsmanship is therefore the ideal for the amateur to set as his goal if he desires to become truly proficient as a ventriloquist, and a careful study of Mr Walter Vernon, now appearing with much success in Fuller vaudeville in New Zealand, and to make debut at the Princess on Monday, is said to be an excellent object lesson.

An attractive pair appearing throughout the dominion under the Fuller management are Queenie and David Kaili, “ Kreislers of the steel guitar,” in some dulcet harmonies of flaunting Hawaii. They are honest-to-goodness ” musicians, these attractive singers, whose work is clever and finished, and the melodious interweavings of their voices' to the rhythmical throb of the guitars are most attractive. But they are net content with their own music; they invade the American, and with much success. The next notable J. C. Williamson dramatic attraction to visit Dunedin will be Guy Bates Post, the well-known American actor. The company is due at Wellington on August 29. It has been definitely decided that Pauline Frederick will make a tour of the dominion, but, owing to her great success in Australia dates have not been fixed. Pauline Frederick will bo seen in ‘Spring Cleaning,’ a play which has caused much discussion in Australia.

Fred Terry, who has made a pot of money out of romantic dramas, such as ‘ Sweet Nell of Old Drury ’ and ‘ Scarlet Pimpernel,’ has in hand a new drama on the subject of Henry VII. by Billy Devereux, who waa a member of the Lewis Waller Company that visited Australia in 1913.

‘ Old Heidelberg,’ one of the most delightful comedies staged in Australia by Nellie Stewart, has been successfully revived in London, and a musical version entitled ‘ The Student Prince,’ has hit New York at Jolson’s Theatre, under the energetic Shuberts. Among the new acts engaged by Sir Benjamin and Mr John Fuller are the Three White Kuhns. These brilliant artists, whose singing and lomedy act nas been one of the sensations of the year in New York, will arrive from America shortly, and present one of the most novel and original acts seen in this country. Novelty and real showmanship are the attributes that in the United States. In the course of their act they introduce a bull fiddle. Most bull fiddles do not see the world, but this one has, though in doing so it has lost all its 3ig-.iiby. Charles Kuhn clowns with it uproariously, and its mate in the orchestra will call to it plaintively. This bull fiddle has had many interesting adventures in America. It figured in the San Francisco earthquake, was wrecked in a railway accident, and almost destroyed in a flood. Despite its rough handling it still remains a wonderful instrument, and plays a most important part in the new act. Vince and Eva Courtenay, now at the Princess Theatre, are a couple w r ho give vivid contrasts. Both sing catchy ditties to jazz tempo. Miss Courtenay is a clever accompaniste and a dancer who does both grotesque burlesques and some dainty steps._ Vince and she sing a charming sentimental ballad, ‘ When I Was One Year Old,’ with syncopated interpellations. The popular Fuller Revue Company, headed by that inimitable comedian Jim Gerald, is to commence a return season in Wellington on August 10. Mr F. Gayle Wyer’s Band Box Revue (which is having a most successful run in Wellington) is to finish on Saturday, August ’B, and proceed to Australia to fill some important dates in the Fuller theatres. The Sistine Choir at present is in Brisbane doing capacity business at the Exhibition Buildings, but in due course will come across to New Zealand. The choir is under the management of Mrs A. R. Shepard. The members have forsaken the dress suit, and appear in beautiful Court costume, knee breeches, buckles, ruffles, and aIL Violet Victoria, who is presenting a delightful vocal and dancing act in Fuller vaudeville, has had a most varied stage career. Her early appearances were made in comic opera, but it is in vaudeville that she has seen most of the world. She has danced and sung her way into popular favor from Rhodesia to Bagdad—from London to New York. Nothing delights her more than acting in serious drama. lor many years she was with John Lawson in the East End of London in a repertoiie of fine productions. She has also acted as her own manager, and_ organised companies. On ouo occasion she produced the South Afric.m IVoyihadours, and toured them throughout Rhodesia. Percy Flook, one of the world’s champion cyclists, who has won races in all parts of the world, is her brother. Perhaps the most remarkable song in any revue at present is *lt Ain’t Gonna Ran No Mo’,” which Miss Norah Blaney and Miss Gwen Farrar have sung at every performance of ‘The Punch Bowl’ since this revue started at the Duke of York’s Theatre (London) more than a year_ago. Almost every evening they Have' an extra verse, generally written by Archibald de Bear a few minutes before they go on the stage dealing with some topic at the moment in the clay’s newspapers. This sort of thing is real revue.

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The death took place suddenly in Sydney last month of Mr William T. Cunningham, who was in New Zealand a few weeks ago touring with the film ‘ Romantic India.’ He was one of the guests at a dinner to Kreislcr, the world-famed violinist, when ho was stricken with cerebral _ hemorrhage, from which he never rallied. The late Mr Cunningham was over seventy years of age. Harold La Morte, who rides a motor cycle round a saucer track in the amazing act of the La Morte Trio at Fullers’ Theatre, Sydney, has had many exciting experiences. He was formerly a professional cyclist in America, but gave it up when he found there was more money to bo earned in trick cycling. For several years 0110 of his pet stunts was to loop the loop on a surface not more than 4ft wide. On one occasion, however, ho had a mishap whilst in mid-air, and that settled his career for the time being. Afterwards he organised the sensational aerial revolving act he is now presenting in Fuller vaudeville. Even this is a dangerous undertaking, and already the clover troupe of cyclists have met with many accidents. Only a few months ago one of (.he guy-lines holding up the saucer track slipped whilst the three of them were cycling in mid-air, and the whole apparatus collapsed, when thev were hurtled in all directions, and were lucky to escape with only a few minor injuries. Mr La Morte’s most thrilling experience, however, took place whilst he .vss riding his motor cycle. The machine got out of control and went over the top of the trade, and gave him one of the nastiest spills ho has ever had. Nevertheless he kept his nerve, and completed his performance amidst vociferous applause. Mr and Mrs Kennedy Allan (Miss Georgie De Lara) have returned to London after a stay of nine years in Australia. Mr Allen first appeared here with Ada Reeve’s company, and was later with the Fullers’.

Sir Arthur Wing Pinero was seventy years of age a month dr so ago. Sir Arthur, who received his knighthood in 1909, is the son of a solicitor, and was for a time in his office. Then he became an actor, making his first stage appearance at Edinburgh in 1874 and in London two years later. He played many parts, including Claudius to the Hamlet of Irving, until 1884, when ho retired from the stage, except for an appearance at the Haymarket Theatre in 1885 at the final performance of the Bancroft management. Of Sir Arthur’s plays—ho has written nearly fifty— ‘ The Sbcond Mrs Xanqueray ’ is perhaps the best known. His first play, ‘ £2OO a Year,’ was produced at the Glove Theatre in 1877. *

Musical comedy has surrendered completely to the appeal of jazz. It would also appear thkt the majority of present-day theatre-goers has likewise capitulated to musical comedy (saj'.s the ‘ Argus ’ critic, in summing up ‘No, No, Nanette,’ the latest Hugh J. Ward triumph in Melbourne). On the stage, at least, this is the age of jazz, and those who, with their fingers on the public pulse, kno v just what form oi entertainment to prescribe, give us. say, six parts of musical comedy aud revue to one part of plays without music. Mr Hugh J. Ward seemingly knows just what the public wants. On his recent tour he selected only musical plays, and the first of these, ‘ No, No, Nanette,’ which was produced at the Princess Theatre on Saturday (June 27), proved beyond doubt tha tthis form of entertainment is just the kind to go right, to the hearts of r, Melbourne audience For, perhaps, twenty minutes after the curtain rose on Saturday ight it was not certain whether the musical comedy had “taken fire”; then Nanette appeared, and, with Jimmy Smith, the philosopher of ioy, sang ‘I Want to be Happy.’ Before they had got through the syncopated, insidious chorus (which every office boy will be whistling by the end of the *eek) 1 No, No, Nanette ’ had achieved its triumph. From that moment to the final “curtain” the performance went with a swing, and at the end it was adjudged to bo one of the brightest musical plays brought to Melbourne. The lure of the music seemed to infect players and public alike, and at the end oh-tho first act Mr Ward and his co-directors, Sir Benjamin and Mr John Fuller, were overwhelmed with congratulations.

An original and new act engaged for a tour of the Fuller circuit is that of Billy Bell and Doris, known as ‘ The Coon and the Maid.’ Tho coon is the maid’s father, and. the maid is said to be one of the cleverest little dancers vaudeville in this country _ has seen for quite a while. Mr Bell is_ an English performer, who has done just about'-Everything worth while on the vaudeville and musical stage in. Great Britain. Ho has been particularly successful in pantomime, and one of his outstanding performances was the ugly sister in ‘ Cinderella ’ on more than one occasion. This is his first tour of Australia aud Nejv Zealand, and ho considers vaudeville hero is vastly different from tho English. “In Great Britain,” he says, “one only needs one act, because tho performer never stays more than a week in any town, and there are sufficient towns to keep them going the year round. In Australia it is different. That is why the Australian actor is much more versatile than his English brother, and simply has to do fresh stuff to keep going. It is a good thing, too, because it improves an artist out of all recognition.” At the end of next month the Auckland Little Theatre Company will stage Bernard Shaw’s comedy, ‘ Fanny’s First Play.’ Mr Herbert Rent]ey is the producer for tho society, which has oyer 300 financial members, and there is every indication of the number being doubled in the near future. Signor Cappelli, the Italian tenor who was brought from Africa to fill the leading roles in the Melba Grand Opera Company, has left Sydney by the Tahiti en route to America. Signor Cappelli will most probably break his journey and spend a few weeks in New Zealand. He will thence proceed to America, where he has important engagements to fulfil.