THEATRICAL NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19454, 9 October 1926, Page 8 (Supplement)

THEATRICAL NOTES.

"The Arcadians" to bo Revived. Theatregoers will be interested to hear that the Auckland Amateur Operatic Society is producing shortly "Tho Arcadians." This is somewhat of an event in amateur musical circles, as this delightful musical comedy has only recently been released by Messrs. J. C. Williamson, Ltd., for amateur production in Australia and J New Zealand, The amateurs aro fortunate in securing a strong comedy caste for the famous comedian roles. I'eter Doody, the lanky jockev, immortalised by Alfred Lester, will bo played by Mr. N. McPherson, who witnessed Air. Lester s performances ill London upwards of fifty times. It is said to bo Sir. McPherson's principal theatrical ambition to play this part, and ip it he excels. ■ .James Smith, alias Simplicitas, tho 3bamorous aeronaut thrust into Arcadia, yv'W bo in tho hands of that old Auckland •favourite, Mr. G. L. Lyttelton, who has yebently returned after a prolonged absence in tho south. Mrs. Smith, the broad comedy wife of Mr. Smith, who falls in 3ovc with her own husband, is to be played by Miss Ethel Rao. Those who remember her magnificent performance of jast year as the Abbess of Whitby, will be amazed at tho.easo of her transition to light humour. Mr. E. Snell's fino voice will bo heard ■to advantage as Jack Meadows, and Miss 11. Hoskin's excellent soprano, in the part oV Sombra, will have amplo scope in her •fine number, "The Pipes of Pan. Aucklanders will bo pleased to welcome "back to the amateur stage Mr. Lon. Kevin, one who was intimately associated with "the society's earlier successes. Air. Kevin -will play 'Sir George Paddock. Bobbie is played by Mr. Dick Hahn, and Miss Beryl Net-tlefcon's charm and vivacity will >fnll expression in the part of Eileen Ca\nnagh. Another young amateur, who has been steadily coming before tho public, is Miss Audrev Dickinson, who will play Chrysea. All the other roles are now filled, including Dryope—Miss N. Scott. The chorus, under the baton of JVlr. Colin Muston, has the music well in hand, and the whole production is under fie direction of Mr.* Theodore Trezise, who has just returned to Auckland after successfully producing in other centres. Mr. W. J. "Crowther is in charge of the costuming and scenery. The society expects to produce the musical comedy early next month. . >.j * Plays and Players. Eugene O'Neill returned to New York from Bermuda recently, and brought back the completed manuscript of his play, "Lazarus Laughs." This play appears a certainty for production in New York in the new season. The full cast for the Auckland Choral Society's production of Sir Arthur Sullivan's "Golden Legend" at the end of this month will be as follows: —Elsie, Madame Winnie Eraser of Oamaru, Ursula, Madame Irene Ainsley, Prince Henry, Mr. Edwin Dennis, of Wellington, and Lucifer, Mr. W. Gemmell. Tho part of Elsie is considered to be one of Madame Eraser's finest roles, and she has sung a great number of times including the performances at the Dunedin Exhibition. This will be the soprano's first appearance With the Society since her return from gtudy abroad.

Puccini's last opera, " Turandot, Bcems to have won great popular success in Germany. The work was recently produced at the Dresden Opera wit& so much eclat that this theatre has. as the result, re-established its renown after a period of .depression following the war. T?ie Turandot of the Dresden cast was Miss ■Anne Roselle, the New York soprano, who is said to have sung brilliantly, and filled the role with a commanding stage presence. The audience included opera directors from many qities in Europe, theatrical managers, critcis, singers, and actors, and the scenes attending this premiere, recalled those of the time wnen Dresden was in the height of its artistic fame under the direction 'of Schuch and Seebach. The long-promised "combine" of six London theatres under the command of a New York management now seems to have become an accomplished fact. The control of His Majesty's, the Winter Gardens, the Shaftesbury, the Apollo, the Adelphi, and the Gaiety passes to Messrs. Gaunt and Shubert. Three of the theatres have for a ]png time past been recognised musical comedy theatres, and the three others have all in recent times come to be connected with musical comedies or the lighter type of entertainment- As a great many other musical comedy theatres already deal largely in American importations without Messrs. Gaunt and Shubert controlling them, the innovation cannot be said to be particularly drastic. An English manager has been appointed for the six theatres, Mr. Alfred Turner. It is probable that on the completion of the New Zealand tour of "White Cargo," Leon Gordon will return to Melbourne and other centres with some productions. Though originally ho was engaged for a complete tour of "White Cargo," the J. G. Williamson management is anxious to retain Mr. Gordon for a further period -with some new plays. So far a3 ho is concerned, Mr. Gordon says 110 would be happy to stay, for he finds conditions in Australia thoroughly congenial and playgoers have more than exceeded his expectations. Morover, he is anxious to write tin Australian play, and feels that a production typical of the country would achieve a big success in America. The new play Mr. Gordon is writing is entitled "Trade Winds." All the characters are men, no woman appearing in the cast. JHe hopes to complete the play shortly. Shelley's play, " The Cenci," was re--rived recently in London, when Miss Sybil Thornrliko made a great impression }>y the power of her impersonation of Beatrice Cenci, a rolo which is an epitome of tragedy. "Miss Thorndike has courage, staying-power and well trained experience," writes a correspondent, " and brought these qualities to her support in 3ier portraiture of tho hapless Beatrice." The sefenity of the end, where the girl and her stepmother, Lucretia, awaited their doom for the assassination of the iniquitous Count Cenci, was very touching. Tho rolo of Count Cenci was played by Mr. Hubert Carter with remarkable power. His fine voice never found so suitable a medium, lie represented the character as mad, of course, and his dealing with it from that point of view was the one explanation of the enormities to which Cenci had sunk. A troupe of midgets, 15 of the smallest people in the world, are to visit Auckland on October 25. They will appear at tho Opera House, presenting a varied entertainment which won them praise throughout tho worhl. These little people were engaged by Sir Benjamin Fuller and Mr. John Fuller at an enormous salary, and there is no doubt they will prove one of the biggest attractions ever presented in Auckland. a lt is the general impression that midgets aro a distinct race of people, having a country of their own, governed by themselves and living apart from tho world. Although they are. fully capable of governing themselves, they have 110 country of their own, neither are they a distinct race of people. There is 110 cblony of midgets. They are born of fullgrowu parents, and they grow until they roach tho ago of three or four and then etop growing. Their mental faculties continue to develop. All that really occurs is that they stop growing in height. Professors of tho largest institutions in tho "world have made a 3tudy of midgets for years, trying to find something that would mak© them grow, hut have been unable to »u3Cover~ anything up to tho present time.