DEVELOPING VAUDEVILLE

Evening Star, Issue 23354, 25 August 1939, Page 7

DEVELOPING VAUDEVILLE

PLANS Of NEW ZEALAND COMPANY THEATRE TO BE BUILT IN DUNEDIN . Just as the import restrictions may stimulate secondary industries in the Dominion, so they have already had the commendable result of setting up a ‘‘factory” for the manufacture of “ flesh adn blood ” talent that will eventually find an outlet in vaudeville and radio work in this country. This “ factory ” is controlled throughout New Zealand by Dominion Productions Ltd., which has its head office in Auckland, and it is for the purpose of commencing in Dunedin a branch in the form of a theatrette that one of the company’s representatives, Mr Roy Nelson, is at present visiting the city. The import restrictions are not giving any incentive for the artists to tour the Dominion, as they are allowed to take only a fraction of their profits away with them, so this company has been formed to develop the legitimate stage. The fact that in Auckland 40 students trained by Dominion Productions Ltd. out of 500 are already eiirning money as professional performers is a happy criterion of the lively interest that is being taken in its activities. . Theatres are being built in the four centres, and the one in Dunedin will have a seating capacity of 200. In conformity with the practice in America, the audience, will be able to actually see broadcast performances, as the stage can be made soundproof. Mr Nelson, -who was more recently with Universal Films, has himself had considerable experience of stagecraft. Ho was the producer of many stage presentations for Hoyt’s Theatres in Australia, and was also a pioneer in the radio field, being the first artist to be sponsored in Australia, where he had broadcast a feature over station 2YK, entitled, ‘ Robinson Crusoe,’ which was produced in 26 series. In the heyday of vaudeville Mr Nelson’s father, Mr Leonard Nelson, was featured with the Fullers in the Dominion and in Australia. and he was particularly widely known in Dunedin through such old favourites as ‘ Mr Booze,’ ‘ My Pal’s the Lamp Post,’ and ‘ Come With Me to the Paces.’ Mr Nelson was associated. too, with Gladys Moncrieff at the Capitol Theatre in Melbourne, was concert director for Madam Elsa Stralia, and has been the representative in the Dominion for Twentieth Century-Fox Films and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Mr Nelson was responsible for the success of the Deanna Durbin contest in New Zealand, and the winner, June Barson, is at present under contract to the company. The functions of Dominion Productions Ltd. were outlined to the ‘ Star ’ to-day by Mr Nelson. “No previous stage experience is necessary,” he said. “ Natural ability is the essential, and the company’s aim is to develop that talent in the atmosphere of the theatre. There is a song to suit every voice and a voice to suit every song, and given the sensibility the company’s experts see to it that the aspirants forgo ahead.” The reason why such confidence "was placed in natural ability as opposed to previous experience was that the cream of stage, screen, and radio talent overseas did not have any previous knowledge of the requirements in their particular field, added Mr Nelson. He instanced Harry Lauder, who stepped from the coal mines on to the footboards, and was an instant success. His only credential was his natural ability. The company had proved this truism in the case of Bertram (Rae, who had developed as a baritone. He had approached the company and was granted an audition. Before then he was milking cows outside Auckland, and already, in the short period of two and a-half months, he had made eight productions that would be sponsored as radio features by the company. A .particularly interesting aspect about its activities was its entry into dramatised plays about New Zealand, commented Mr Nelson. One written by an Auckland writer was called ‘ Portrait of a_ Lady,’ and it would run into 15 series.

The principals of the company, pointed out Mr Nelson, were particularly well versed in the art of the stage. Madam Altman, who was from

Vienna, had been associated with one of the largest deportment and physical culture schools there for 11 years. Mr Elton Black, a producer and a particularly versatile Scottish comedian, was well known in Dunedin several years ago as a member of a revue company. Miss Edith Culling was from America, where she was a make-up expert. Miss Culling is at present in Dunedin. Another of the objects of the company, said Mr Nelson, was to train mannequins and, as in the case of stage performers, to place _ them in positions. The managing director of Dominion Productions Ltd. is Mr Baden P. Creighton, who has been in the theatre business for 30 years.