A FAMOUS FATHER

Evening Star, Issue 21318, 24 January 1933, Page 6

A FAMOUS FATHER

TOURED WITH SIR HENRY IRVING VISIT OF SIR JOHN MARTIN-HARVEY'S SON Son of a famous father is Michael Martin-Harvey, now in Dunedin with the Dame Sybil Thorndike Company. His father is Sir John Martin-Harvey, a celebrated English actor, whose own play, ‘ The Only Way,’ is world renowned,’ and some interesting glimpses into the life of Sir John were given by his son to-day during an interview by a ‘ Star ’ reporter. Every eighteen months Sir John made a tour of Canada, producing the latest plays, said his son. On his last tour he produced ‘ The King’s Messenger,’ written by a very promising young dramatist in London, which had, proved a great success; his own famous play, ‘ The Only Way ’; and Sir Henry Irving’s ‘ The Bells.’ The Irving play was so successful that Sir John presented it at Hammersmith on his return. to London seven weeks ago. The play had captivated London. Sir John appeared in the original production of ‘ The Bells ’ with Sir Henry Irving as a juror in the court scene, and every evening he was given an opportunity to study the work of the great actor. However, Sir Henry found that the play made such heavy demands on his vitality that he was forced to close the season. Mr Martin-Harvey’s mother also appeared in the play, but at that time romance had not sprung up between her and John Martin-Harvey. The aspiring young actor was not a favourite with Sir Henry, who was wont to describe him as a “ faddy fellow.” On one occasion he wore to rehearsals a pair of new shoes with pointed toes. Sir Henry looked him up and down, and remarked: “Boy, you have new shoes on?” “Yes,” replied the young man, whom fate had called from the profession of a naval architect to the drama. Sir Henry’s comment was: “Remember this, young man. You come here to work, not to earn new shoes.” He later toured the United States with Sir Henry. Sir John’s reminiscences were to he published shortly, said his son, his life story first appearing in serial form in the ‘ Daily Mail.’ A most romantic and interesting story of the creation of the great play, ‘ The Only Way,’ would be included in the reminiscences. Sir John and his wife were on tour in the United States with Sir Henry, and even then MartimHarvey had aspirations and the belief that one day he would become a great actor. He was discussing his ideals with his wife as they were seated in a horse-drawn tram on one of Chicago’s thoroughfares. He said that he wanted a play which would figure chiefly about himself. “ Can’t I have a part, too?” asked his wife, and Martin-Harvey replied: “Yes, but a smaller part than mine.” At that moment the tram stopped outside a bookshop. Mrs Martin-Harvey told her husband that a volume of Dickens would suit him, and she promptly bought a copy of ‘ The Tale _of Two Cities.’ They returned to their home, read the novel, and immediately commenced the dramatisation of the Dickens story.

“ Nearly all the dramatisation was done by my mother and a very peculiar old fellow, Canon Langbridge,” said Mr Martin-Harvey. . “ When the play was shaped my father, deciding that he would have a shot at doing his own plays, left Sir Henry Irving’s Company. One of his friends backed him for £2OO, and one day when he was walking in London he saw that the Lyceum Theatre was available for lease for three or four months. He decided that the Lyceum was the very theatre he wanted. Sir Henry Irving, whose theatre it was, was then touring the provinces. With further backing of £2OO from the friend my father secured the theatre. He started work immediately on assembling the cast. My mother was Mimi, and my father was Sydney Carton, and they were supported by other players who Had been in the Irving Company. My father became a star overnight. In tire first and second acts the audience was very cold and not likely to move. MV father did 1 not know what to do. He told his troubles to my mother before the third act, the now celebrated revolutionary scene. “It is your acting that counts —not what tiro audience thinks,”, said my mother. Ho went on filled with the spirit of acting. The get was a tremendous success, the audience realising the art of my father." There was little chance of Sir John visiting New Zealand for at least four voars, said Mr Martin-Harvey. Lady Martin-Harvey’s health would not permit her to make the long trip at present, Sir John, said his son, designed all his own productions. He was a painter of some distinction, and his oils, done when touring the States with Sir Henry, were now treasured. Incidentally, Mrs Martin-Harvey’s father, W. 11/Margctson, has exhibited at the Academy for the past nineteen years, and she' has been thrilled on numerous occasions in Australia and New Zealand in seeing reproductions of his ' The Sea Hath Its Pearls.’ Her grandfather. Joseph Hatton, was also a member of the Irving company on the first American tour.

When Sir John and his son were last together, they wont to Germany at the invitation of Max Reinhardt to see some of the famous German’s productions. In 1910, he had produced tire great Greek tragedy, ‘ (Edipus Rex,’ at Covent Garden for Sir John and ; his effects, with 400 people running through the theatre murmuring and eventually clamouring and roaring on the stage, were electrically sensational. It was in ‘ CEdipus Rex ’ that, as a boy of nine, Michael Martin-Harvcy made his first appearance on the stage. His part was to lead in the blind prophet, Tyrasias. in company with his father he attended the yearly festival in the square at Salzburg, where Reinhardt produced ‘Everyman.? He was a genius, and his creations wore bewildering. He had discarded the low German costumes and had used costumes, which were (particularly beautiful, from illuminated manuscripts. In 1928. Mr Alartin-Haryey was a member of five all-star English cast associated with John Barrymore in the production of ‘ Hamlet.’ Remarkable settings and scenery by Pan] Edmund Jones were used, and London went “mad” over the unusual production. Others in the east were Constance Collier, Ben Field, Fay Compton, Courtney Thorp, and young Jeavon Brandon Thomas, a son of the actor who made ‘Charley’s Aunt’ famous. Barrymore’s reading of \ Hamlet ’ was totally unlike any previously seen in London. Mr Martin-Harvey never tired of watching Barrymore’s treatment of the scene with the ghost. He took it more slowly and deliberately than Sir John Martin-Harvey, whose Hamlet is famous. His conception of the graveyard scene was also remarkable. For Barrymore as an actor and a gentleman,' Sir Martin-Harvey has the highest admiration. The American was kindness itself to every member of his company and the theatre attendants. For charm, ho ranked with Dame Sybil Thorndike and Air Lewis Casson. The talkies were strengthening their hold on the people,; The reasons .were

obvious, said the actor. The legitimate theatres which gave comfort at a low price were few and far between, while the public; could rest in the lap of luxury at inconsiderable expense in the picture houses. However, the stage would come back into its own. Many new theatres were being built in Loudon, and the American combines which had acquired London theatres were being broken up, Englishmen once again buying the properties. When the Americans were in possession they imported their own companies, and many English actors and actresses were displaced. That was now changing. The talkies were a great field of study for young actors and actresses, and many of the films were superb. The Germans wore marvellous producers of pictures, hut it was to be regretted that few of tlic pictures were to be seen outside Berlin.

In his youth Air Afarlin-Tlarvoy studied the'danco under Isadora Dimcan. and many of her ideas have been used for the dance prelude to the Greek play to he presented on Thursday night. Mr and Airs Afartin-Harvey are to present music in movement with their original interpretations^