STAGE DISCOVERIES

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 July 1935, Page 10

STAGE DISCOVERIES

VIVIEN LEIGH’S SUCCESS I think I may say without exaggeration that all London is ringing with the praises of Miss Vivien Leigh, my latest “discovery,” at the Ambassadors Theatre (writes Sydney W. Carroll, in the London “Daily Telegraph”). Miss Leigh is far too sensible to be affected unduly or to her detriment by whatever may be said or written for or against her. I congratulate myself upon having encountered on the threshold of her career a young girl whose mental balance of mind equals her physical poise, one who can bring a divine sense of humour to meet the many vicissitudes and setbacks that are certain to be her accompaniments to fortune so long as she pursues it. I cannot and Jo not claim any special powers of discernment in my self-appointed task of finding “winners” in the theatrical field. I am, or have been, blessed with a good deal of luck in the game. I contend that there is no royal road to the choice of popular favourites.

Hard work, concentration of purpose. training and discipline play far greater parts than are generally supposed. A girl who is good-looking, intelligent and responsive, and who is willing to listen to advice and act upon it, stands, as she should do. quite a reasonable chance of success upon the stage. The sort of creature who can never hope for a footing there is the self-sufficient, smirking nincompoop who refuses to take her job seriously and who regards it as a mere avenue to laziness and luxury and self-indulgence.

Vivien Leigh as an actress and a potential “star" of high rank may have a great deal to learn, but at least she is ready and anxious to acquire all the knowledge about her profession that she can. Her personality is charming in the extreme, but its possessor realises that something more than personality is called for in the struggle up the ladder, and nothing will be left undone by her to attain perfection as absolute us it can be found. 1 have at the moment, alas, no interest in her film career—a section of her ambition to which she must in future devote at least half her time—and I envy Alexander Korda the privilege he will have of moulding to future cinematic shape the talents of one of the mose receptive and sensitive natures I have ever in a long life, experienced. He must go slowly with . her. for her physique is, I fear, not as strong as I should like to see it, and her highly-strung temperament calls for the kindliest of consideration. 1 trust him and his abilities, however, sufficiently well to believe he will not be lacking in this.

ADVICE TO ASI’IKANTS Aspirants for dramatic honours must remember that there is really no such Hiine: as a "discovery” in the theatre. Whatever is won there has to he worked for. Every detail must he discussed, weighed up and given its proper value. The girl who thinks that fame comes as simply as an apple falls from a tree will find herself sooner or later bitterly mistaken. Miss Leigh, alike with Miss Hopper.

met several, indeed many, disappointments before hard work set her on the road to success.

It is grand to think that old England can turn out all this promising material out. of which we hope to see emerge the Bergners, I lie Bernhardts and the Duses of the future. The ser viceable part played by our theatri cal training schools in the evolution of this material must not be overlooked. The selective judgment shown by the casting directors of film and theatrical companies must also not be ignored. Such a man as Aubrey Blackburn, employed by Basil Dean, for example, is a tower of strength to both sides of the entertainment world. Dramatic critics also have many chances which they often take of spotting desirable talent. Certainly we theatrical managers cannot blaim all the credit in “discovering” talent for ourselves. What we are justified in saying, however, is that the work of our producers, the skill in direction of such controllers of the stage as Auriol Lee make the task of the budding tyro easier and. happier and that the practice we afford our youngsters in rehearsal and performance proves invaluable to them. The ambitious beginner needs plenty of nerve, power of attack, power of retention, control of body ami mind, sensibility, judp;merit, clear diction, a sense of timing, a regard for variety and a love of repose. Throw in as well beauty of figure and face, glory of voice, breadth of movement and subtlety of brain, and what critic can withstand the appeal? Only the jaundiced or the prejudiced or the would-be poseur!

It seems grossly unfair that any one person should he blessed with al! these merits I have enumerated, but it sometimes happens, and when it does fame comes "in a night," and small wonder.