TWO GREAT OCCASIONS

Evening Star, Issue 23029, 6 August 1938, Page 19

TWO GREAT OCCASIONS

RUTH DRAPER'S BRIEF SEASON The very heavy demand for reserves for the two recitals to be given by Miss Ruth Draper at His Majesty’s Theatre on Thursday and on Friday next indicates that Dunedin playgoers are not unaware of the quality of the supremely accomplished artist J. C. Williamson Ltd. is affording them the chance of hearing. Ruth Draper, by general acclaim the supreme exponent of the art of the diseuse and monologist, comes to the Dominion at the very apogee of her astonishing career, with the inprimatur of London, New York, and the Continent stamping her performance all gold and 18 carat at that. Miss Draper made her debut in New York in 1915 in a small part with Marie Tempest. It was her only appearance in a play, and thereafter she devoted her highly individual gift for characterisation to the development of the monologue, which her genius converted into a vehicle of entertainment that nobody deemed possible. She became the darling of New

York, and conquered London so completely in 1926 that (rare honour for an American) she appeared by Royal command at Windsor Castle before the King and Queen in that year. Miss Draper’s Australian season has been in the nature of a succession of triumphs, with houses crowded nightly, so that New Zealand could have been dropped from the itinerary, but Messrs J. C. Williamson, feeling that they owe their Dominion patrons at least a limited number of opportunities of hearing their best attractions, decided that the star should make fifteen appearances in New Zealand, including these two in Dunedin. Messrs J. C. Williamson feel that to “ puff ” this great artist is to attempt to “ gild the lily,” and are content to quote a brief extract from the authoritative and authentic London ‘Times’ as follows: — 11 It is not mimicry, it is not caricature. It is fluid criticism, continuous and pitiless, drawing its strength less from Miss Draper’s power to represent a particular character' in particular circumstances or to suggest the presence of being invisible in her drama than for the genius with which she draws her audience,, which is mankind. into her critical net.” Full particulars of prices and bos plan arrangements are advertised.