FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

Evening Star, Issue 20985, 26 December 1931, Page 14

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

[By LOITERER.]

SoWags on the people off fito Stage aad Stereos mid on the latest recorded Mnsta.

Joseph Hislop, the celebrated British tenor, was giving recitals in South Africa at latest advices. His accompanist was Carl Tillius, a Swedish pianist.

Dodo Watts’s role in ‘ Marriage a la Carte ’ at London Prince of Wales Theatre did not satisfy critics, who referred to her irritating affections and unnatural speech and gestures. Seymour Hicks, the English comedian who was in New Zealand some years ago, is to co-star with . Marion Lome in a new play in London, For some time Mr Hicks has been devoting his energies to tho talkies.

Mr Fritz Hart, conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, was a passenger from Sydney by the Niagara. He has been invited to conduct the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra for three months. Mr Hart is composer of many orchestral works and several operas.

Alfredo, the violinist, introduced a novelty act to London Palladium when he presented a band of nineteen Sprinzceana Tziganes, a finely-balanced orchestra featuring light music. A tumultuous welcome awaited tho players. Various halls are returning to melody, a happy augury.

Noel Coward is making stage history. He is earning £1,200 weekly from royalties at the age of thirty-two. ‘ Cavalcade ’ continues to play to packed houses at Drury Lane, London, producing £650 a week in royalties. ‘ Bitter Sweet ’ and ‘ Private Lives ’ are touring the English provinces and the United States, and bring in a steady revenue. Mr Coward also draws large sums from sheet music and gramophone recordings. His earnings from ‘ Bitter Sweet ’ are estimated at £40,000. He received £IO,OOO as author-producer and actor for a ten weeks’ season of ‘ Private Lives.’ He is at present holidaying in South America, and expects to return to London with a new play.

Richard Maunder, the young Wellington lyrio tenor, has been offered, on the recommendation of visiting celebrities, including Joseph Hislop, an engagement in Australia for next year.

Ethel Morrison, the New Zealand actress, here a few months ago in the Williamson shows, ‘ The Second Mrs Fraser ’ and 1 Hay Fever,’ will return to America in February. Miss Morrison is now playing the cantankerous old Mrs Boucicault in ‘ Let Us Be Gay ’ in Sydney, and was to go to Melbourne for the Christmas season in ‘ As Husbands Go.’

Astra Desmond, widely known as an oratorio singer, had the role of Ortrud in the presentation of ‘ Lohengrin ’ by the English Company at Covent Garden. She was making her first appearance with the company, and acquitted herself well. Philip Bertram was tho king; Parry Jones, Lohengrin; Josephine Wray, Elsa; and Arthur Fear, Telramund.

‘II Trovatore,’ ‘ Aida,’ ‘ Rigoletto,’ ‘Un Ballo in Maschera,' ‘ Norma,’ ‘ Madam Butterfly ’ ‘ La Tosca,’ ‘ Cavalleria Rusticana,’ ‘ Pagliacci,’ ‘ Carmen,’ ‘ Faust,’ ‘ Andrea Chanier,’ ‘ Fedora,’ ‘ Manon,’ and ‘ Samson and Delilah ’ are amongst the operas to bo produced by the J.C.W. Grand Opera Company, now being organised as the result of the interest of Messrs George Nassoor and S. E, Chatterton, of Sydney.

Phyllis Birkett adapted ‘ Jane Eyre ’ for the stage, the version being presented at the Kingsway, London, last month. Charlotte Bronte’s novel was hard to adapt, it being difficult for Miss Birkett to transfer the true Bronte atmosphere to the stage. Ann Wilton was Jane, hitting off the right mixture of uncompromising self-respect and demure modesty; Basil Gill did Rochester; Lucy Edwin was grim Grace Pool to the life; and Miss Birkett herself was horrifying as the mad Bertha.

News comes that Zlatko Balokovic, brilliant young violinist, became seriously ill on board his yacht Northern Light when 180 miles off Sydney, and was transferred to a tug and taken to hospital for an operation for appendicitis.

Signor Foil! has left Sydney for Italy to undertake the task of selecting principals for the grand opera season that is to delight Australians and New Zealanders next year. He reaches Genoa on January 2, and will there meet Nevin Tait, of the firm of E. J. Tait, then setting out on a four weeks 5 quest. Signor Folli has had long experience in the business side of operatic ventures—in Milan ; Switzerland, Geneva, Zurich, and Lodi. He was with the Gonsalez Opera Companies of 1916 and 1928.

It has now been definitely decided that ‘ As Husbands Go,’ the comedy by Rachel Crothers, the author of ‘ Let Us Be Gay. 5 will be a Christmas attraction in Melbourne. ‘As Husbands Go, 5 which is the story of what Paris did for a wife and a widow holiday-making in that city of pleasure, will be played by an unusually fine cast, including such popular artists as Ethel Morrison, Iris Derbyshire, Campbell Copelin, Leslie Victor, Harvey Adams, Agnes Doyle, Rene Jope, Katie Towers, and others in what has been described by the Sydney newspapers as “ a perfect cast.” The play will be produced by George D. Parker.

Miss Hilda Godber Saunders, a young Aucklander, has been acting as understudy to one of the principals in ‘ Cavalcade,’ Noel Coward’s play, in London. Miss Saunders has been in England for two years, beginning her theatrical career in Australia and then graduating to the British films. Her work as juvenile lead in ‘ When Knights Were Bold ’ on the English stage secured her a part in ‘ Cavalcade. 5 Miss Saunders was born in Wellington, but went to Auckland early in life.