STAGELAND

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 133, 7 May 1932, Page 9

STAGELAND

(By “Jack Point.”) The Gilbert and Sullivan season ended in Auckland on Thursday with the presentation of “The Gondoliers.” Gladys Cooper's new play in London ran only three weeks. Frank Harvey, well known hero, was in the cast. Jose Collins, who was “The Maid of the Mountains” in London during the war years, was singing “My Heart’s Delight” and “Close Your Eyes” at tho Victoria Palace Theatre, London, when the mail left. The sum of £250 for tho relief of distress was raised at Adelaide by a concert organised by Gladys Moncrieff. “AA’hito Horse Inn,” the spectacular musical play, has been withdrawn after running for about a year in London. “Miss Hook of Holland” has been revived in London, with Jean Colin as Sally Hook. The original Sally was the late Isabel Jay. Phyllis Daro played the role in a rovival in later years. Moisowitseh will play at the Town Hall, AA'ellington, on May 19, 21 and 24. The itinerary is not yet complete. Palmerston North was included on the last tour.

C. B. Cochran, who has three of the biggest successes in London—- “ Cavalcade,” “Helen” and “The Cat and the Fiddle”—will probably figure in a new role next year, as a producer of grand opera. He is considering offers made to him from a certain source with adequate financial backing. “Potted” versions of stage successes in conjunction with the talkie programme have become popular in England and America. The same idea is to bo tried out in Australia. Gladys Moncrieff has been engaged to appear at the Capitol Theatre (Melbourne), Prince Edward (Sydney) and Winter Garden (Brisbane) in gems from “Rio Rita.” Backed by a male chorus of 20, and in original stage settings, Miss Moncrielf will render “Kinkajou,” “Song of the Lone Star Rangers,” “When You’re in Love, You’ll Waltz,” and “River Song.” The Melbourne Age reports the death, at Geelong, of Mrs Moore, mother of Mrs Hulme, who produces every year for the local amateurs, and Mrs J. Wyatt (Carrie Moore) of Sydney. Mrs Wyatt, who was the original Australian lead in “The Merry Widow” twenty-threo years ago and star of “FJorodora” and other musical plays, arrived in Australia from London a few days before her mother’s death. Miriam Kutner, a Wellington girl who has done well in the theatrical profession in America—she is Marie Moore on the stage—left New Zealand this week for New York, where she goes to fulfil theatrical engagements. Miss Moore has been on an extended visit to relatives and friends throughout the Dominion and Australia. She was a member of a Williamson vaudeville company which visited Palmerston North in 1926. Songs at the piano were her offering. .•ui announcement in tho Film Weekly is to the effect that the Prince of Wales is expected to bo a guest at “Pickfair,” tho palatial Hollywood home of Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford. It is anticipated that the Princo will be entertained by Mr and Mrs Fairbanks during his proposed trip to California for the 1932 Olympic Games, to bo held in Los Angeles. “Pickfair” is undergoing extensive reconstruction and redecoration. It is now reported that the Fairbanks havo hastened on this work in expectation of receiving a visit from “the most important guest they have ever entertained.” Although Prince George has visited “Pickfair,” the Princo of AVales has never been to Hollywood.

The Sydney Bulletin of tho last mail wrote as follows: The great stir of the opera was the triumph of Molly de Gunst as Aida. It’s nearly five years since the purity of her notes and her dramatic capabilities were pointed out. She was then just beginning her work with Madame Christian, the nun, now 84 years of age, in charge of the Garcia School of Singing. Madame Christian was in her girlhood a student of that master, and made some appearances in opera before the cloister called her; she also remembers Melba’s introduction to Marchesi’s classes. Molly de Gunst, who is a Bundaberg girl, has now been eight years with Madame Christian; she lias never been outside Australia, and her singing and acting as the dramatic and iil-fated Ethiopian princess roused the house to a wild outburst. Cheers and bravos swept like a great wind through the house, and flowers rained from the box where Surani, the Viennese Aida, sat. Surani leaned halfway from the box in her enthusiasm. She smiled, she clapped her hands—she was clearly delighted over the Australian girl’s success. Melbourne women have taken tho J. C. Williamson, Ltd., production of “Bitter Sweet” at the Theatre Royal as a representation of the fashions of the past and present, and are flocking to see this big show. From 1879 to 1932 fashions in all their varied changes are illustrated, the ultramodern being represented by Donalda AVarne and a number of other charming girls. So much interest has been aroused that J. C. Williamson, Ltd., receive everv day numerous letters from "women patrons with reference to the frocking in the production. Several of the writers are so keen that they ask for information as to the materials and making of the frocks, whilst others inquire as to whether the management would allow them to inspect the dresses with a close-up view behind the scenes.

( Henry Sayers, author of the song, ‘ Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay.” which was made famous by Lottie Collins—mother of the celebrated Jose Collins—in England and America about forty years ago, died in New York of pneumonia, says the New York correspondent of the London Daily Telegraph. Ho was 77 years of ago. At the time he wrote the song Mr Sayers was the manager of a. minstrel troupe, and he found his inspiration in a negro cabaret in St. Louis, where a negro woman known as “Babe” Codings sang Southern melodies. “Babe” Codings had about one hundred verses with a chorus of “Ting-a-ling-a-ling-a-boom-de-ay,” which was sung by a motley crowd. This was the basis of the song which became famous ad over the world. It was introduced into a musical comedy, “Tuxedo,” but failed to catch on until Lottie Collins took it in hand. She first heard “Ta-ra-boom-de-ay” while on tour in America. In 1890 she sang it at tho Tivoli, London, with such overwhelming effect that George Edwardos at once made her an offer to cross the street every evening after her performance and entertain the patrons of the Gaiety with its lilting refrain in “Cinder-Ellen Up-to-Date,” which was being played there. In the homo of the sacred lamp of burlesque the song was received with as much enthusiasm as it was on the other side of the road. Miss Collins came on attired ns a meek and mild and comely widow, who with a lightning kick and a mad swirl of her sombre skirts sang the famous song as she danced round in a circle on the stage. She sang the song in America from the Atlantic to the Pacific Coast at a salary of £2OO a week.