STAGE FOLK

Evening Star, Issue 22685, 26 June 1937, Page 6

STAGE FOLK

Mr H. Stringer, New Zealand representative for Messrs J. 0. Williamson (N.Z.) Ltd. and J. and N. Tait, announces yet another attraction for New Zealand in Platoff’s Cossack singers and dancers, who are coming on the Rangitata to commence a Dominion tour at Wellington on July 31. This famous company numbers 26 artists, all of them exponents of the best in choral and solo work, as well as noted interpreters of the fascinating dances of their country. Not since the Don Cossack Choir’s memorable visit has such an attraction been brought to the Dominion. The members of the J.C.W. comic opera company playing ‘ Merry Widow,’ ‘ Southern Maid,’ and ‘ Maitl of the Mountains ’ are a very happy family. With Gladys Moncrieff and Cecil Kelleway to infuse bonhomie and cheerfulness, it is no wonder that the combination ranks as quite the brightest and happiest that has visited New Zealand for a long time. The bonhomie is infectious, and performances are a joy to company and audience alike. The Wellington , season commencing to-night concludes on July 12. The Christchurch dates are July 14-23, Dunedin July 24-31, Timaru August 2-3. Franz Joseph Haydn was the composer who perfected that great musical form which wc know as the symphony, and the 150 odd examples that he left are -foundation stones upon which all the later and greater symphonic compositions have been built. The Haydn symphonies are some of the most enjoyable and refreshing features in the realm of classical'music, and an especially congenial one is to be played at’ the Orchestral Society’s concert next Wednesday. This is the joyous fifth, in D major, and as far as is known it is being- played for the first time in this city. Messrs Tait are more than delighted with the receptions accorded by Aus-. tralians to Tito Schipa, the famous Italian tenor, who is galvanising audiences with the, power _ and beauty, of his wonderful tenor voice. Many countries have honoured this lyric tenor of world-wide triumphs. His programmes are varied, and include arias, operatic excerpts,' ballads, and the like. He will come to New Zealand later to charm with his likeable personality and voice of ineffable sweetness. He is a man of great personal charm as well as the leading lyric tenor of the present age. As is appropriate at this time, there will be a considerable number of English compositions at the concert by the Dunedin Orchestral Society on Wednesday night. The late Sir Edward German, for instance, will be represented by the evergreen ‘ Nell _ Gwynn ’ dances, while a feature is being made of two lovely pieces by Elgar— 1 Chanson do Mint’ and ‘Chanson de Matin.’ Montague Ring’s melodious and virile 1 African. Dances ’ will form another, bright of what promises to be an attractive concert. Miss Bessie Thomson was re-' appointed producer for the coming year at a recent meeting of the committee of the Dunedin Repertory Society. Her'first production will be ‘Libel,’ an entertaining three-act play by Edward Wooll. It will be staged in His Majesty’s Theatre for a four-night season beginning August f 4. j: The interest and enthusiasm associated with the play : festival inaugurated in Dunedin by the British Drama League in 1935, indicated- that: a wise step had been taken in the direction of public entertainment, and the creating of a higher standard of stage artistry. That the competition will be every bit as successful this year has been already demonstrated by the good entries received. Twelve one-act plays have, been entered for the festival, which will be held in the Town Hall Concert Chamber for three nights beginning July 14. The entries received to date are: Dunedin Repertory Society (2), Little Theatre Society (1), University Dramatic Society (3), and # one each from tlie Kaitangata Dramatic Society, W.E.A. Drama Class, Street Players, Belmont Players, Otago Womens Club, and Peter Pan Club (Oamaru). 'the adjudicator will be Miss Helen Gardner. After taking Dunedin review audiences by storm with ‘ La Vie Paree ’ during the past week, the Marcus Show will present its second production,- ‘ Broadway Vanities,’ at His Majesty’s Theatre o,n Monday evening ‘ Broadway Vanities ’ promises the same type of fast-moving entertainment' as made the first show so popular, with the same spectacular scenes, the like of which New Zealand; audi-. ences are accustomed to seeing only on the screen. The first presentation of ‘ Broadway Vanities ’ at Auckland) was almost as brilliant, an occasion as the opening of the season. “An amazingly wide-field is covered in the programme,” said an Auckland critic. “ There is a- decidedly French touch in most of the bigger scenes. American genius for striking colour effects and combinations is also there, both in the costumes and in the stage settings, the latter being- on a scale reminiscent of some lavish film. It is not only the settings and costumes that are good, however; the dancing, from ‘hot rhythm ’ of the modern American school to the graceful minuet of bygone times, is of exceptional merit, and there is a rapid series of specialty items bewildering in their variety. Scenes that will not soon be forgotten by the audience were ‘ Vineyard) of Girls ’ and ‘ The Land of Jade.’ In both, the celebrated ‘ Marcus Peaches ’ were prominently featured, carefully arranged against luxurious settings, to provide a background for tho highlyskilled dancing of some of the principal artists. In ‘ Vineyard of Girls ’ the features were a most graceful waltz by the Wikse Brothers and Armida, and a particularly clever dance of dedication by a girl. The versatile skill of Sharon do Vries was emphasised in ‘Tho Land of Jade.’ It was difficult to recognise in the slim actress, clad in exotic Oriental style and interpreting a difficult dance, the awkward, shuffling figure who a few minutes earlier had had the audience rocking with laughter as she performed an ama .Ing eccentric solo. The Clymas Troupe of dancers, three men and a girl, presented one of the most spectacular items in ‘ Tho Kiss of Death.’

A . aevere setting, an almost bare stage, and ghastly make-up provided a convincing atmosphere of the supernatural, in which the three men fought with shining sabres, while the pale figure of Death looked on. The company is well provided with comedians, and, the antics of Sparkey Kaye, Georg© Schreck, Fid Gordon, Harold Boyd, Ben M'Atee, and Leon Miller, accompanied by a running fire of humorous comments from one or all of them, not only kept the audience amused, but at times threatened to upset the equanimity of the other performers. This was particularly the case when the Belfords, a troupe of acrobats, were persistently interrupted by Ben M‘Atee’s nonsense. Particularly bright among the shorter items was Bob Dyer’s impersonation of an American “Hill-Billy,” a musical backwoodsman. Wearing a suit several sizes too small and the yellowest boots seen on or off tho stage, ho gave a clever performance with guitar, mouth organ, and ukulele. In contrast were the typically Spanish singing of Sofia Alvarez and the playing of five accordionists and an uproarious burlesque of a ‘ fan dance.’ ” Yehudi Menuhin’s father, Mr Mosho Menuhin, has written from California, giving details of the family’s plans. The next tour of Australia and New Zealand will be made in 1940, and not in 1939, as has been announced at this end. It will probbly last for five months, from April to July. By arrangement with Mr E. J. Tait, Yehudi and his_sister, Heiphzibah, will give sonata recitals in Sydney and in Melbourne. In the Californian home a year of carefree _ life with practice and reading of music as a recreation instead of a duty has now given place to earnest preparation of the repertoire for the coming season. In October touring will begin with a series of concerts along the Pacific Coast. Thence the route traverses various States until New York is reached. By February of next year, when Yehudi leaves for England, he will have given 40 concerts—a concentration of activity which shows that he is entering on the bustling, inexorable life of the adult virtuoso at last. In England he will give 18 recitals, three of them being in London. Then various Continental cities will hear him,_ and be will return homo to California next May. During the tour lie is to play six programmes, each consisting of throe concertos, witli the principal orchestras in America and Europe. He will -give eight sonata recitals with his sister.