FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

Evening Star, Issue 19328, 14 August 1926, Page 15

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

Jin. Gerald, whe broke records on ■the'Fuller circuit in New Zealand, has just completed a 26-week season at Fullers’ Theatre, Sydney. In his farewell speech at Sydney after the final performance of 1 The Silver King,’ Mr Frank Harvey stated that during the thirteen years ho. had been in Australia he had played ninetyone parts. There was loud applause when Mr Harvey announced that lie intended to return to Australia after his trip to England. The J. C. Williamson Gilbert and Sullivan Company is nearing tho close of a record run in Melbourne. Tho company goes to Brisbane before coming to Now Zealand. Wellington will bo reached early in October. Tho repertoire will include ‘The Gondoliers,’ ‘ The Mikado,’ 1 Tho Pirates of Penzance,’ ‘ H.M.S. Pinafore,’ ‘ lolanthc,’ and ‘ Princess Ida.’ No less :than £1,204 was taken at tho farewell matinee performance given in Sydney by Madame Pavlova and her ballet. The matinee was on behalf of the great dancer’s homo for Russian children at St Cloud, Paris, and the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children, Sydney, Recently tho Sydney ‘ Sun ’ asked tho_ theatrical folk of Sydney to name their mascots. Here are three of them, just to show how various the charms were:—Essie Jennings (Mrs Jim Gerald) : “The first photograph Jimmy game mo of himself. It brought me great comfort while ho was away at the war.” Noel Allen: “ A Maori tiki. 1 dug it up when ploughing an old battlefield of the Maori War, and have always worn it since.” Jean Robertson: “Mascot; I have none.” The financial troubles are revealed of still another London theatrical luminary, in the person of Jose Collins, famous musical comedy actress. A evincidcnco is that both she _ and Oscar Ascho (who is also in impecunious straits) were at tho zenith of their success about the same time, in ‘ Maid of tho Mountains ’ and ‘ Chu Chin Chow ’ respectively. In private life Miss Collins is Lady Inness Kerr.

Eric Edgley and Clem. Dawc, flic two comedians seen some years past in pantomime, are leading a new revue couqj.iy, the ‘ Midnight Frolics,” appearing on the Fuller circuit in Australia.

Mrs Patrick Campbell recently returned to the London stage 'after an absence of three years, appearing in 11. F. Maltby’s new play, ‘ What Alight Happen,’ produced at the Savoy. It is a satire of the “ new-rich versus the now-poor.” Plumpkm Wilson, who had some rough spins in Australia, recently concluded a season’s engagement with Walter Hampden and Ethel Barrymore at the Hampden Theatre, New York, writes “Nero,” in the Sydney ‘Bulletin.’ During the season ‘Hamlet,’ ‘ The Alerchant of Venice,’ and ‘ Cyrano de Bergerac ’ were produced, 1 Cyrano ’ with uncommon success. Wilson, an old Bonsonian, was for years a member of Allan Wilkie’s Company. Another old friend who has been doing well in Coolidge’s Republic is Bob Greig, who has been playing a comedy part in ‘ The Student Prince,’ tbo musical version of ‘ Old Heidelberg.’ Melbourne papers report the death of Miss Ella Carrington at the age of 73. Miss Carrington first appeared on tho Australian stage at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, more than fifty years ago, upon her arrival from England as “leading lady” to George Coppin. Afterwards she formed a company under the name of the Taylor-Cirrington Dramatic Company, and' toured tho country districts of Australia and New Zealand, where she achieved remarkable popularity. Miss Carrington made several professional visits to India and Japan, as well as to New Zealand. Sho was one of the original members of Fullers’ Dramtic Company, which played many seasons at the Palace Theatre, Melbourne, Mr John Fuller, of Fullers’ Theatres, Ltd., who arrived at Fremantle a fortnight ago from tho East, said he had opened negotiations with Gilmore, of Singapore, the live-wire entrepreneur, and had arranged a new circuit for Hugh J. Ward companies. After finishing in Sydney the troupes will go direct to Singapore, then do the Indian circuit, and return to England. Mr Irvine Elston, who has led previous companies of Williamsons’ International Vaudeville to conspicuous success on their dominion tours, is again on tho warpath with tho latest organisation. This time ho has Gautier’s Dogs and Mantell’s Manikins, as well as other human stars to hurtle into public favor. But ho says this is the top-liner of all. Tho company opens at His Majesty’s Theatre on Thursday, September 2. mor’s Wife ’ has celebrated its l,oootb The Devonshire comedy ‘ The Farpcrformance in London—a truly notable event in theatrical history. The record is one which all concerned—author (Eden Phillpotts), producer (Sir Barry Jackson), and tbo members of tho latter’s excellent company—have every reason to be proud. Even as it stands it has rarely been beatea. Apart from musical comedies, there are only three instances in recent times of a higher score having been made— ‘ Charley’s Aunt,’ with 1,466 consecutive performances; ‘Our Boys,’ with 1,362; and ‘ Chu Chin Chow ’ (if that can properly bo called a play), with 2,238. And, of course, who knows but that ‘ The Farmer's Wife ’ may merely be at the beginning of its run? New Zealand saw this play at the beginning of this year. Hackhaus, who gives recitals hero on August 24 and 26, holds pronounced views concerning the ultra-modern composers, and these ho advanced the other day in a chat upon the new developments in music. ‘ Experiments! That is tho best word to use iu describing them,” he said. “In Beethoven, Chopin, and Schumann every note is iu its place, and no one could change anything without upsetting the whole scheme. But in the music of the ultra-modern men you might play 100 notes differently and tho eifect would not be materially altered. Such, anyway, is my opinion, though other musicians may think differently. Tt is very, difficult to say where this modern movement is leading. Music has developed through form and harmonic structure upon principles established through the ages. That is real progress! But these now propositions of ijuaner-tones and the rest seem to mean not, progress, but a retrograde movement. It is perfectly legitimate to introduce discords into music and resolve them harmoniously, but if you build up chords one on top of another in continual discords, what becomes of art? Where is music if you take no more notice of harmony?”

Cunedln's Leading Gratooptumo ffiiopa

[By LOITERER.]

Jottings on the people of the Stage and Screes and on the latest recorded Music.

j Accompanying Chaliapin,, the worldi famous singer, who is at present in Australia, arc his wife, three children (Martha, Marina, and Cassia, who is aged four), Miss Adams (a governess) M. Max. Babrinowitsch (pianist), a valet, a cljof, a manager, and secretary. When tho' world-famous singer Chaliapin, who has caused a sensation in Melbourne, came to tho Metropolitan Opera-house last year at the commencement of his New York operatic season, the Russian artist was given tho dressing room formerly-used by Caruso. He had long been a friend of tho great tenor, and one of his most cherished possessions is a painting by the Polish artist, Tade Styka, showing tho most celebrated of tenors, baritones, and bassos —Enrico Caruso, Titta and Feodor Chaliapin, seated together at a table. It was Caruso, too, who sang the part of Faust when Chaliapui macle his debut at La Scala, Milan, in the title role of Boito’s ‘ Mcfistofcle,' | with Arturo Toscanini ns conductor. | Tho many memories of his dead friend, I stirred by entering his dressing room so aroused the emotions of Chaliapin I that ho seized a bit of charcoal, and, I although he docs not pretend to bo a , poet, wrote some verses on the wall in i tribute to his brother artist. Those ! verses are now covered with a protec- ! tion of glass, and they remain as a * memorable and notable tribute to the tenor from the celebrated Chaliapin. RECORDED MUSIC Malcolm M'Eachern has one of the i finest bass voices in England, and iiio 'singing is always intelligent, his interpretation arresting. In tho latest disc bo has full scope in a lesser known setting of Kipling’s ‘On the Road to Mandalay,’- which is vigorously given and full of contrast and color. ‘ I’m a Lone Man,’ the Elsie April ballad, which is on tho reverse side of tho record, proves to bo an unusual and oddly attractive song, cheerfulness in ' adversity. B. C. Hilliain deserved a bouquet for his playing of the pianoforte accompaniments. F. H. Squire’s ‘ Celeste Octet ’ is certainly ouo of tho most capable com- , binations playing in England to-day, land its work on behalf of Columbia is ’hardly less appreciated thau its public appearnces. These date only from November, 1925. and m tho short period since then the members have won a big reputation. Over hero wo have j taken to their lighter productions, such | as ‘ Rose Mousse ’ and ‘ Whispering Flowers,’ Elgar’s ‘Canto Popularo ’ and Jlarting’s ‘ Der Schmcrttorling.’ Squire’s Octet now figures in anotlicr record worth having. _ This bears Gabriel Mario’s ‘La Cinquantainc.’ fitting in well with tho Octet’s more robust work; while there is some exquisitely delicate work in tho charming gavotte from ‘ Mignon.’ Two pieces that are finely adapted to Squire’s stylo are Corn’s ‘Baby’s Sweetheart’ ami Friml’s chanson ‘ In Love ’ —very alluring and melodic. Squire, by the way, does not “conduct” his Octet in the accepted sense of tho word. He is its ! musical director, and when he plays is j auxiliary to a complete body of eight ■ players. Tho extraordinary enthusiasm created by Backhaus during his pianoforte recitals in New Zealand adds a new interest to his records. Backhaus records , very successfully, though he may not j have that peculiar Hair for recording which enabled Moisievitsch and He j Grcif to excel on tho disc. Of his recorded works, tho following H.M.V. discs give a very representative glimpse of his musicianship:—o9ss, ‘ Bohemian Dance’ (Smetana); 0995, ‘Caprice Espagnolo,’ Op. 37 (Moszkowski) ; E 338, ‘Dedication,’ love song (Schu-mann-Liszt); 0788, ‘ Liebostraumo,’ No. 3 (Liszt) ; D7BS, ‘ Naila,’ waltz , (Delibes); DSBB, ‘ Polonaise in A Fiat,’ Op. 53 (Chopin); E33S ‘ Serenade,’ ‘Don Juan’ (Mozart), arr. Backhaus. Variations on a Theme by Paganini (Brahms) —D 1,019, Nos. 1 to 8 (Book 1) and Nos. 9 to 13 (Book 1) ; D 1.020, No. 14 (Book 1); Nos. 1 to 8 (Book 2) and Nos. 9 to 14 (Book 2); DBSB, ‘Waltz in A Flat,’ Op. 42 (Chopin). Latterly one hears much of Selma D’Arcb, and for her latest record she has chosen a fascinating song, ‘Les Fiiles do Cadiz ’ is beloved of Lipkowska and Galli-Curci, and both have sung it. D’Arco is not altogether happy in this, though tho song is brightly given, and tho music will not fail to appeal to those who esteem the thing first and the artist afterwards, and who admire Delibes. Bettor is tho soulful _‘ A Spirit Flower’ (Campbell-Tipton), given in English, and with beautiful tone. The pianoforte work is by the admirable Percy Kahn. Sullivan never wrote anything that was less than interesting, and his ‘ Overture di Ballo ’ is a great deal more than that. The recording of this, which has just been issued by Vocalion, is one of the most brilliant baud records to be heard for a long time. The hand of the Life Guards plays the overture, which covers both sides of a 12in disc, and is full of melody and clever harmonies revealed in splendid tone. The jolly theme which is worked out to furnish tho latter portion of the number is essentially music to live with. The “rondo” movement from Mozart’s 1 Sonata for Pianoforte and Violin ’ (No. 15), in B flat, has been played by Sir Walford Davies and Marjorie Hayward, and recorded complete by H.M.V. on two sides of a 1 Sin plum laboh record (C 107) in the Educational Catalogue. It is a splendid rondo, and magnificently played a,nd recorded with great spirit and perfect balance. It is one of the best Mozart “ snippets ” obtainable.

Airing Columbia records coniine; shortly designecl_ to brighten one’s duller phases, a disc giving instances of George Robey’s harmoniously philosophic touch is that record' ‘ Two and Two Together ’ and ‘ Conclusions.’ In these George is as funny as we know him to be of old, giving pretty clear proof that for all the years he has been entertaining an enormous public his sense of humor is still keen-edged as over. Then then is a record well worth hearing in Gilbert Child’s plaintive skit telling how ‘The Rich Sian Drives By in His Carriage and Pair ’ regardless of consequences to you and me and the rest of the inferior world.

For the dancing season three new fox-trot records have especial appeal. First comes a new recording of the popular ‘ Valencia,’ to ho heard everywhere nowadays, bracketed with the ‘Forgiveness’ waltz. Runner-up to ] Valencia ’ just now is * I’m Knee-deep in Daisies,’ vivid and melodious, with ‘ Leander ’ on the same disc. The third record is that of 1 Five Feet Two, Eves of Blue’ and ‘There Ain’t No Flies on Auntie*’ All are by famous dance orchestras, and will make a lively addition to the jazz list for winter parties. They are Yocalion issues.

Purcell’s ‘ Golden Sonata,’ for two violins, as played and recorded by Isolde Menges and Wililam Primrose (H.M.V., D 889), is described by a critic as “ perfect music, perfect playing, perfect recording,” and there is no doubt about it.

A novel departure is the recording of some old sea chanties' famous in our literature. ‘Bound for Rio Grande,’ ‘Blow the Man Down.’ ‘Tom’s Gone Down to Hilo,’ and ‘ Billy Boy ’ arc those chosen, and they reproduce effectively, the words coming through well and John Buckley singing the solos in appropriate fashion. R. R. Terry has done the arranging.

Frank Mullings’s singing is very popular with most gramophonists, and he is an opera star with a big reputation in England, Ho reappears, in a disc sense, in our own country in a fine new Columbia record in collaboration with Norman Allin, equally well known in vocal circles, and whose powerful bass voice harmonises finely with Mullings’s finished tenor. They sing with obvious vivacity in Offonb;ill’s ‘Jolly Gendarmes’ duet from ‘'Genevieve do Brabant,’ while Cooke’s stirring ‘ Lovo and War,’ which completes this record, is rendered with extraordinary power and feeling. SCREENLAHD JOTTINGS Mr J. D. Williams, who some years ago created quite a stir in the entertainment field in Australia, and later with the First National Pictures of America, is now associated with British First National, London. This company has i\o largest studios in the ivoild, at Elstrec, and Mr Williams in the ‘ Cinema ’ predicts that withiu two years Great Britain will regain her lost business in tho United Kingdom and will become the most powerful film producing country in the world. What happens when a pretty little “ hard-boiled ” actress hides from justice because of a crime sho hasn’t committed? That’s tho basic_ thought about which William Do Millo’s now Paramount production, ‘The Runaway,’ is based. In the hotel room of a man she loves, while “on location” with a movie company, he is accidentally shot and seriously wounded. Not knowing from whence the bullet came, and in a paroxysm of fear, tho girl dashes out to head for the hills. A young Kentucky mountaineer, on his way home, is appealed to for help, and ho agrees to take her across tho State line. No questions as to her running away—ho asks only two things—that she change her clothes and wash the signs of “ a painted woman ” from her face. So he takes her home—not at all tho chic actress, hut merely a very much frightened little girl in overalls a lot too big for her. Cbre Bow, Warner Baxter, and William Powell are the players in the cast. An earnest attempt is at last to he made to produce a really worth-while Australian picture play. A screen version of Marcus Clarke’s famous novel, ‘ For the Term of His Natural Life,’ is being prepared by the/ Union Master Pictures Company, and tho big sura ol £40,000 is to be spent on tho production in a courageous attempt to secure a world market for tho locally-made film. Mr W. A. Gibson, tho principal director of the company, announces that he has every confidence that this will bo the forerunner of many Australian pictures which should ho seen nil over the gloho. The cast will include Miss Marion Marcus Clarke, the well-known actress and daughter of the author; Miss Jessica Harcourt, the prepossessing young player “discovered” by the Williamson firm, Mr Mayne.Lynton, and Air Arthur Tauchert. The leading lady will bo tho established film favorite, Miss Eva Novak, of America.

1 Tho New Klondike,’ Thomas Meighnn’s latest Paramount production, which is due for early release, is a story which brings in the .atmosphere of the Florida real estate boom, with that of a baseball training camp Scenes are laid around a small Florida (own where the team is parked, and the hectic excitement of the boom resorts. Meighan is a baseball player who, on reporting for training, is told that he has outlived his usefulness so far as baseball is concerned. He quickly recovers from the shock, and stumbles into a real estate deal. Turning several pieces of property over, hr skyrockets to prosperity. The othoi players hear of his good fortune, and pet him to invest for them. This sudd.?u wealth wrecks the team—they n1 1 want to become realtors. Tliero is plenty of comedy as their fortunes touch the peaks and depths. Finally a point arrives at which they all walk out on Tom, and return to seek reinstatement in their team. He is left holding the bag on a big venture. There are a lot of hectic moments before ho finally succeeds. Lila Lee is featured opposite the star. It is stated that Rudolph Valentino and Agnes Ayres, who created such a sensation with _ the picture, ‘ The Sheik.’ arc making a trip to Australia and Nov/ Zealand with tho stage production of the great desert romance. Mr Philip Lyttou, of Australia, Is at present in America negotiating with the two stars. Valentino has proved himself to he a great lover on tho screen, but whether ho will meet with tho same success on Die stage remain? to ho seen. Agnes Ayres also has many followers in tlu? movie world, and when the company roaches the dominion the play, without doubt, will moot with any amount of support.