MUSICAL and DRAMATIC

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17234, 9 August 1919, Page 5 (Supplement)

MUSICAL and DRAMATIC

London is at preset hunting high «ad k»w .or its piquant little danaense, Mdlle. Lv.-u» Lopotova who disappear**} almost while the Alliambra audience was waiting to applaud her Her husband, also a member of the ballet, disappeared at the same time, so it is conjectured that the trouble is wore deep-rooted than the usual fugitive movements of these ardent terpsichoreans. Ml:e Lopokova is described as belonging to ,u o Dresden china coterie-fair of colouring, )c hpz retrousse, with a oi spring sunshine and delightful audacity -diffrnnj: widely from the tragic Tchernictieva, the visionary Karsavina, and the beloved I.vdia Kyasht, also in the ballet. Si" is exceptionally versatile and is said to l «> able to run from the frolics of "The' Good-natured Ladies" into a trifle of heartsearching tragedy with equal facility.

Mr. Thomas Burke, whose prose and Terse writings on London themes have bt'i 11 well received, becomes severe in a new volume, Out and About. ' when treating of the decline of the music-hall sill the ripe of revue:— "We have dozens o! genuine music-hall comedians en the f..>„e to-day, but they are all slacking. F.ime of them get absorbed by West End -•■».«. and at once, when they appear on the giatmtie American stages of some of our modern theatres, surrounded by crowds of elephantine women, they lose what-ever character and spontaneity they had. Gradually the individual is" being fro/en out. and the stages are being Jovled with crowds of horsey, child-aping women, called by courtesy a beauty horns: the show being called, also by courtesy, a revue. These shows resemble ?. review as much as a short story of popular macaw re? resemble a conte. They il»a'e the eye and blast, the ear, and instead of entertaining, exhaust.'

Mr Ralph Steele, one of the heads of the Steele-Payne Bellringers and Entertainers, died as the result of a paralytic rt.-okc ,1 few weeks ago at Durban, where the puny was then performing. Mr. R<=-e'.e *a.i a native of Bolton, Lancashire. He joined the Payne family in Australia, and married Miss Lizzie Payne, the oldest daughter.

Miss Ethel Irvi'.ig, who gave us " Lady Frederick ' ajnd other plays, is looking fear n theatre, as are many other people con- < --ned with management in London. For ftnif time past Miss Irving hsa been appear.ne in "The Chinese Puxzxle," bat she wshes to give productions of her own once more, and hopes to "present"' herself in ',}■■' name-part of Sardou's " La Tosca."

Dame Malik's Marguerite in ".Faust," in the curent opera season in London, is described by one critic as being very like lJame Melba, but rather less like Mariner,te. The critic writes:—"She kept ail the while trying to resolve a paradox. So far as she expresses the ingenious, she doe? u unconsciously, by th<> almost negative timbre of her purs, fiutey voice. nut *nw she conscionsiy tried to" be ingenious Fhe became sophisticated. Her opening rhrase, where she walks on with a prayerbook in her hand, was decisive as to this. E'-ery bar of the music fell from her lips .. tth the obviously studied and unconcealed art of the experienced singer, not at all with that artlessness that conceals art- that the true Marguerite would 1 give us."

It is just eighty-eight years since the di*ath of Sarah Siddona, the famous actress who inspired the picture "The Tragic Muse." This famous picture by Sir Joshua Reynolds was painOd in 1784, when Mrs. Siddons was twenty-nine and had not achieved the great celebrity which Lady Macbeth brought to her, a year later- She was a frequent visitor to Sir Joshua's house in Leicester Square. Hera, to trait? her own words "were assembled all the good, the wis«, the talented, tfao rank 3.nd fashion aS the age." Sir Joshua "often honoured" Mm Siddona "by his presence at the theatre." He approved n i her costumes, and of dot hair without powder. A status of this great aJdtres» and good womaa first public monument to a player ever erected in London— was unveiled on Paddington Green, by Sir Henry Irving, on June 14, 1887.

Mr. Lea. Walton, the talented monoioguiet of the Te Koa Concert Party, has decided to reside in Auckland at the conclusion of the Te KoS. tour. While fc England he established a reputation both as a reciter and character actor his portrayal of Valentine Brown in J. M. Barrie'i charming comedy " Quality *treet" being vary highly spoken of by the English press.

One of the most interesting and useful ■:<! the repertoire theatres is that at Norwich. England- Daring the three years before the war the Norwich Players gave performance!,, which included - Twelfth^ Night" and "The Merchant of Venice," a Moliere play, arid a Biblical drama. The Norwich Players intend to resume their good work—-interrupted by the warin the autumn, with a revival of a Shakesperean comedy. Their performances are given in the Old Mnaick Boom, which dates from the twelfth century.

Mr. Hugh Buckler, an English actor 'veil known here, whose death on active service was mere than once mistakenly re-r-irUd. has lately been appearing in "The * ery Idea," a 'eugenic farce, at the St. Martin's Theatre, London.

Women are taking up management of theatres in England with much apparent >-»■*«. The latest aspirant is Miss Dorothy Dix, of Fair and Warmer. " I am determined to have my own theatre as scon as one can be got,'' said Miss Dix. MMy riay is ready, but all I can tel! yon about it at present is that it is by a well-known author whose work was interrupted by active service in France." Prospective actresa-roanagers beside Miss Dix include Miss-Iris Hoey. Miss Gina Palenne, Miss Kthel Levey. Miss Constance Collier, Miss Ethel Irvine. Miss Olga Nethereolo, and Miss Helen Raymond. Those in being comprise Miss Lilian McCarthy, Lady Wvndham, Lady Forbes Robertson, Miss Marie hr, Miss Doris Keane. Miss Lee White, and Miss riladys Cooper. According to a "London newspaper, Miss Marie Lohr's first year of management at, the Globe was "a triumph."

Mr. Sydney James, news of whose death m india ><> recorded by cable, was a remarkably versatile performer, whose talent aroused many thousands in New Zealand. Hi. was th« mainstay of the Strollers, a ■ ' stttrne comedy company which first • riled Auckland in May, 1916, and retiii'ip.l again in May, 19id, when they pre- -"! ted a revue of sorts, entitled "Come Intide," in which Mr. James pave rein to i>i<s many admirable qualities as a comedian In the company was Miss Madeline 1: issiter Mr. Jame» was a wonderfully ■!<■ --i ventriloquist, and his dummy, My, became a renl personality under j-he influence of Mr. James' deft manipui»ti n«, vocal and otherwise. He was also « > iip.iiie minn.nej'. and will be well rekii■i.'i'wieil for his burlesque on "Peg o' My IL- irt " and his ludicrous nightwatchm.in .-ki'ii.h in " Come Inside." Mr. James *»' extremely popular in his profession.

■\< a civic reception given at Oeeiong '■■■ "■sr Harry and Lady Lauder, Sir Harry .-iat->d his intention t<j retire from the stage -■(• irtly

>t. ('■>■ rgp and the Dragons,' by Mr. '■■leii Philiitiitts, has just been produced at Hi: ■ w. Miss Li Hah McCarthy. Although Mr l'l;il![M St* first won fame as a novelist, ' '■'if :■ !"/.en plays to his credit, in one "' t'.vi ' : win' '. Jit- has haJ a collaborator. -"''•'-' '•'■" hititr known of these pieces ■■'■' II:'' St-ci..( IV..man." dramatised in V:/. '■-■' mi v 'i« v,-: : • The Mother." 1913; ■'■■■'■ in (::■■ sari- y,-..i r . "The Shadow." .. yeai-. ;, k '<i Mr. H. R. Irving: produced ■' '•"<' v ''";. and : ppeared in, "'Hie ■\. .-•••' •!..• H ,use." in which Mr. PhillI" '•■- bad Mi. \fn, lior.aSrl Hastings as part But '-'' " St. ' ;o-.ra;c and the Dragons" i- i lumwl; A i:'d<'!Ti times, and, although '-'~'',*, :*"»"*• is 'iif.' in Devonshire, which Mr. Ph.'i pot;., kiinws -i> v-eP. the play is said l " '"' typifiil >i' Kr:-!'.-h life in genera!.

I'he ('uider-'lu Man" is Mr. Owen liar's latest venture at the Tendon Queen

The P->Wf.ton North Operatic Society has put "Th" Country Girl" in rehearsal. Musxco Deamattct's.