STAGE FOLK

Evening Star, Issue 21079, 16 April 1932, Page 6

STAGE FOLK

Pat and Terry Kendall, the English dancers who were in New Zealand in | Love Lies ’ with Clem Dawe, are now in the revue 1 The Queen of Clubs ’ in London. A London paper says they give an entrancing waltz.

Mabelle Morgan, popular in pantomime and Fuller revue in New Zealand years ago, is in the revue 1 The Deputy ’ in England.

After an absence of seven years Ronald Colman is to make a brief return to the legitimate stage in the leading role of 1 Cynara.’ Frank Freeman, a member of the 1921 ‘ Maid of the Mountains ’ cast, is one of the directors of the Royal general theatrical fund at Homo.

In endeavouring to answer a question as to the name of the actress who left the stage, took up rescue work, and returned to the stage, a “local,” in this paper on Tuesday suggested Genevieve Ward. It seems to me likely that the lady was Ada Ward, who was in Dunedin in January, 1878, with the Lydia Howarde Burlesque Company at the Princess Theatre.

Patrick Curwen, who was Dr Lomond in Maurice Moscovitch’s presentation of ‘ The Ringer ’ in New Zealand in 1928, has been playing the same part in a revival of Wallace’s thriller at London Lyceum.

Joseph Haydn’s bicentenary will take place this year. Chief amongst the various memorial schemes to celebrate the 200th anniversary of ;the great composer’s birthday is that already begun by the people of the Burgenland to make Eistenstadt, the capital of the province, into a Haydn town, as Salzburg has become the. town of Mozart.

Prague has honoured Ignace Paderewski, the famous Polish pianist (whoso New'Zealand tour is remembered with joy and appreciation), in a way that is probably unique. One of the suburban quarters of the municipality is in future to bo known by the name of the musician-diplomat. Paderewski was in Prague on the occasion of the unveiling of the statue to President Wilson.

The critic of the ‘ Star ’ had occasion while expressing the warmest appreciation of Mr Ivan Menzies in the recent G. and S. season to challenge some of, his work. However, his criticism was mild compared with the following from the ‘ Southland Times apropos the comedian’s Ko-Ko: —“Mr Ivan Menzies elected to appear as a pantomime dame. He was very amusing, and entirely inoffensive when ho did not get in the way of those who were playing ‘ The Mikado.’ ”

Gus, Fred, and Bella Bluett, the family likeness apparent, are causing great interest in ‘ Bright Side Up ’ at the The spontaneous comedy of -.the younger Bluett is infectious, and at times Gus even manages to set his father laughing at him. Mabel Gibson and _ Russell Callow feature some romantic sketches and dances. Thelma Trott sings emotional ballads, Bertie Wright is his amusing self, and Jennie Benson does some speciality work in her accustomed artistic manner.

A critic commenting in the Loudon 1 Daily Telegraph ’ on the performance of I La Dame aux _ Camelias ’ by Madame Ida Rubenstein, says:—“Perhaps a great tragic actress might have triumphed over the difficulties of the Opera House (too vast and too cold for a straight play), but Madame Rubenstein is not a great tragic actress by any manner of_ means. She is a decorative but intensely artificial actress; her appeal to the eye is tremendous, to the ear not great, to the emotions non-existent. The 1848 settings for the play were exquisite, and M. Maurice Donneaud, as Armand, did well, but could not prevent the piece from seeming as distant from ns m space as it is in time.”-

It is twenty-one years since the eversuccessful musical comedy, ‘ The Arcadians,’ was first presented in Dunedin. The success of that season was remarkable so much so, that in less than three years the comedy was revived here and once more played to capacity houses. It is a sterling play written in three acts; rich in tuneful melodies, spectacular in settings, and unusual in plot. The first scene depicts a romantic glade in Arcadia (an exquisite sylvan scene), the second is the Askwood race course in London prior to and during the Cup race, and the last act is the Arcadia Restaurant, a fashionable rendezvous in London. Taking the pronounced successes this musical comedy has always enjoyed in conjunction with the Dunedin Operatic Society’s achievements it seems certain that the society will considerably add to its laurels with its presentation, late next Inonth, of ‘ The Arcadians.’

Campbell Copeliu, who crashed near Sydney in a plane on Bridge Day, has an unconquerable spirit of adventure. He tossed up once whether to be an actor or an artist or an airman. He’s tried them all, and certainly he acts bettor than he flies. Once when hard up in Melbourne he drove a taxi. But he had so many sociable friends in that city that he always carried a dinner coat under the seat, and when his “fare” said: “Come and join us, Cam,” ho would reply: “Just wait a moment while I change ”; dive into the body of the car, and pull the blinds down. When he came out again ho was the immaculate dinner or dance companion—and the taxi company didn’t suffer in consequence—not a bit of it! They came in for “standing time” while Copelin was entertained by his friends.

The British stage lost one of its few remaining “ old troupers ” by the death of Mr Herbert Waring, early in February, at the age of seventy-four. Ho had been ill for ten days, and died on Sunday at his home in Hammersmith, London. Mr Waring’s last stage appearance was in the role of Polonius in the all-star production of ‘ Hamlet ’ at the Haymarket Theatre last year. His real name was Herbert Waring Rutty, and he began his working life as a schoolmaster. But that phase lasted for two years only, and in 1877 he made his stage debut at the Old Adelphi in the revival of ‘ Formosa.’ From then onwards Mr Waring was almost continually engaged on the West End and provincial stage, appearing for several years with the Haro and Kendal managements, and later playing in a number of Sir George Alexander’s most notable productions. In 1920 Ive went to Now York to play in ‘ The Green Goddess.’ For many years Mr Waring had represented .the typical bulldpg Eng-

lishman on the stage, his broad figure, thick moustache, and deep voice-being particularly suited to this type of role.

In an effort to produce worthwhile plays which have been banned by the censor from public presentation, the Gate Theatre has been founded in London. To it only the members of a club founded by the actor Peter Godfrey are admitted. Up to the present time his club has 3,900 members on its roll. Only the front row in the theatre has seats, those behind consist of narrow wooden forms. The most expensive seat costs live shillings. Authors such as Eugene O’Neill, Max Halbe, George Kaiser, Franz Werfel, Maxim Gorki, and Ernst Toller have experienced their debut on this little stage, _ The best actors in London consider it a great privilege to play either for a small salary or for nothing at the Gate Theatre. Only 160 persons can be accommodated at one time in this theatre. A ship’s hell is rung one minute before the rise of the curtain.

It is officially announced that the cast of characters for the Dunedin Operatic Society’s next production, ‘The Arcadians,’ is as follows:—Jack Smith, Mr Stan. Lawson; Peter Doody, Mr Leopold; Bobby, Mr Jas. Macfarlaue; Sir Geo. Paddock, Mr 11. White; Percy, Mr Angus Gorrie; Reggie, Mr J. M'Donald; Sir Timothy Ryan, Mr E. Griffen; Jack -Withers, Mr K. Chisholm; Hooten, Mr D. Bell; Father Time, Mr A, Bicknell; Police Sergeant, Mr E. Bond; Sombra, Miss L. do Clifford; Mrs Jack Smith, Miss Anita Winkel; Eileen Cavanagh, Miss ’ ISa Duff; ■ Amarylis, Miss Gwenda Burt; Chrysea, Miss Tui Northey; Lady Barclay, Miss Jessie M'Lennau; Lucy Selwyn, Miss Nancy Oram; Damiatas, Miss Dorothy Sligo; Daphne, Miss Freda Elms; Beatrice, Miss M. Jolly; Marion, Miss Nora Shannon: Strephon, Mr Wilf. Robbins; Astrophel, Mr Alex. M'Dowall. It is noticeable that the cast includes nine of Dunedin’s foremost concert platform singers, not to mention the strength of the company as regards 'elocutionists. Rehearsals are numerous these days and particularly enthusiastic, and everything indicates an outstanding succegs,;