STAGE AND SCREEN

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 21 February 1925, Page 13

STAGE AND SCREEN

ITEMS OF INTEREST. The Fuller firm, with characteristic enterprise, are arranging for another grand opera season by the Gonzalez Opera Company in the near future. The next Williamson Vaudeville Company to tour New Zealand will probably be headed by Long Tack Sam.

Mr. George Ellwood, the wellknown New Zealand musician, has returned to the Dominion, after having spent many years in the greatest, art centres of the world.

Mr. Ellwood proposes to establish a Conservatorium of music in Wellington for the purpose of encouraging gradual progress and steady work in the study of the musical art. The Continental system of Solfege, by which is meant the analysing of the rudiments of the m.nsic, will be introduced.

There is shortly due in Melbourne a delightful comedy production, “So This is London,” which will introduce the famous actor, Thurston Hall. “So This is London, is a comedy of the English and the Americans —and the joke is on both. Mr.'Hall is on neither - side, he says, for he points out that his mother was American and his father English. He is of striking appearance and fine physique, being 6ft high and 14st in weight. He plays the roie of an American business man, who visits London and finds that the English are quite different from what he had expected with his prejudiced opinions.

“ Cappv Ricks ” was presented for the first ‘time in a capital city at the Athenaeum, Melbourne, recently, and scored an instant success with the first-night audience. The outstanding success) of the prodtrction was the presentation of the character of Cappv Ricks by Ward Lyons, who gave a fine performance, and cleverly presented the two personalities of the shipowner. Elspeth Robertson, as Florence Ricks, was excellent; Herbert Stallard, as Peaslev, was most satisfactory; and Walter Dyer, Loris Bingham, Cecil Scott and Noel Griffiths gave satisfaction. The production was excellently staged.

Assisting Miss Ethel Osborne in her concert programmes are William Hunter, tenor, Tdin Williams, violinist, and Madame Marie Borman, pianiste.

“ What Money Can’t Buy,” now being staged at Melbourne Theatre Royal, with Maurice Moseovitch in the leading role, is an interesting mixture of Royal romance and modern business. It provides Mr Moseovitch with wonderful opportunities for powerful emotional apting in the role of Hale Maddison, a financial magnate. An important role is played by Nat Madison, Mr. Moscovitch’s son,'whose stage name curiously enough is the same as that; of the character played by his father. This is Mr. Maddison’s biggest part since he opened in Melbourne. In some respects, “What Money Can Buy” is reminiscent of Anthony Hope’s popular romantic plays, “The Prisoner of Zenda” and “Rupert of Hantzau.” There is plenty of thrill and dramatic action in the play, and an appealing love interest.

“There has been a great revival in interest in opera in Australia as the result of the Melba opera season only recently closed,” remarked Mr. Clive Carey, a master in singing at the Adelaide Conservatorium of Music, who is at present on a holiday visit to the Dominion. Air. Carey, who came out to Adelaide from England to take up his post with the conserve tori um, states that in the near future an opera school will be commenced at the conservatorium, of which he will probably be principal. “The time is now opportune for this departure,” commented Mr. Carev “ 1 feel certain that there is a great scope for the progress. oi‘ opera in Australia-. The climate lends itself to the operatic temperament, and I can see no reason whatsoever why the scheme should not boom.”

Mr. IT. Nevill Smith, the New Zealand baritone, gave- a very successful recital in New York last month. Mr. Nevill Smith also broadcasted twice from big radio stations there, and during Ins stay in New York opened a studio.

Mr.. Seymour Hicks, the London actor-manager, opened his Auckland season at the Opera House on Wednesday with “Scrooge” and “Sleeping Partners.” During the season “The Man in Dress Clothes” and “Broadway .Tones” will also be staged. Supporting Maurice Moseovitch, the Russian actor, in “The Outsider” in Sydney, are Jean Robertson, an Australian girl, who lias been starring in Belasco productions in New York, G. Kay Souper, Arthur Greenaway, William Stack, Nat Madison (Mr. Moscovitch’s son), and Eileen Sparks. PICTURE PARS. “Feet of Clay,” Cecil B. De Mille’s great picture to follow “The Ten Commandments,” has been released in New Zealand, and its reception has been almost as great as that of its forerunner. “Scaramouche,” a Metro-Paramount release, from the story by Rafael Sabntini, will be released in New Zealand shortly. This picture brings to the screen a great star in the. person of Ramon Nbvarro. '‘Scaramouche” was produced by the same man who made “The Four Horsemen,” and is a story of the chaotic days of the French Revolution.

The Paramount company, who is working with Gloria Swanson in Paris at the present time, making "Madame Sans Gene,” paid a visit to the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte to take some special scenes. Permission for this had, of course, to be obtained from the French Government. “Madame Saris Gene” will be one of Paramount”; “Second Famous Forty ” to be released next year.

Zane Grey’s “Wanderer of the Wasteland ” has been produced by Paramount. This story has been one of the most popular of Mr. Grey’s, and the screen adaption is said to he excellent. The picture has been produced in colour, with an effect, that well merits the trouble that has been taken over it. The cast will include Jack Holt, Knihlyn Williams, Noah Beery, and Billie Dove. “Wanderer of the Wasteland” will he one of Paramount’s specials for the coming year.

“The Mountebank,” by William .J. Lock, comes to the screen in the title of “The Side Show of Life.” It deals with the adventures of a circus clown who becomes a general during the war, falls in love with a titled English lady, only to come to the bitter realisation, when the war is over, that once a clown, always a clown.