THEATRICAL NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20620, 19 July 1930, Page 10 (Supplement)

THEATRICAL NOTES.

COMING PRODUCTIONS. His Majesty's: To-night.—" So This Is Love," (final performance). Coming.—" Murder on tho Second Floor," "Tho Flying Squad" (Leon Gordon). Town Hall: Coming—Madame Florence Austral (soprano); Jan Kubclik (violinist). PLAYS AND PLAYERS. The St. Andrew's Society, which, in the past two years, successfully produced " Bunty Pulls tho String" and " A Scrape o' tho Pen," intends staging two of Barrio's plays, " The Old Lady Shows Her Medals " mid " A Well-Remembered Voice" in tho Concert Chamber on August 22 and 23. Rehearsals aro in progress with strong casts. Rowcna Ronald, the clever young Australian, has another important rolo when sho appears with Leon Gordon in " lho Squall" at tho King's Theatre, Melbourne. She is seen as a passionato Spanish-gipsy girl, Nubi, " Tho Squall," who plays havoc with the affections of tho men folk in a Spanish family. She is a tempestuous " vamp" who sweeps all before her, and makes a turmoil that almost threatens to develop into tragedy. Tho role is one of tho most striking that has yet been given Miss Ronald, and will provide her with unusual acting opportunities.

Ann Davies, who was leading lady with William Faversham, is to be associated with Leon Gordon in the first production in Australia of " The Squall," at tjie King's Theatre, Melbourne. In this play of sunny Spain, Miss Davis will have a picturesque role. Ann Davis made her first success on the American stage as Mary Turner in " Within the Law," played in the Australian production by Muriel Starr; but one of her biggest hits was achieved in " Tlio Outsider" (in which sho played Lalage Sturdee, the crippled girl. As Zoe in Finoro's *' MidChannel," with Conway Tcarle, sho added to her successes.

A unique experiment was carried out in the village church of Stoke Poges, recently. The belfry of the little Norman tower of this famous church has long been without a proper peal of bells, but on this occasion came the sound of the bells tumbling and crashing out their resonant notes. The illusion was produced by means of gramophone records conjoined with amplifiers and loudspeakers. In this way the villagers heard the bells of St. Margaret's, Westminster, tho famous peal of York Minster, and the carillon of Loughborough. Tho experiment was so successful that it is hoped in tho future to supply carillons in many churches by this simple method.

Tho season of musical comedy at His Majesty's Theatre has been a bright one, although most Auckland theatre-goers will agree that it was all too short. Regret that this evening marks tho close of the company's stay in Auckland will be tempered by pleasure at tho announcement of a possible return visit later in the year. The producer, Mr. Eric Edgeley states that if the experience of tho Now Zealand tour which the company propoce3 to mako indicates that the public desires further i-tage shows, a number of new musical comedies, and possibly ono or two revivals, will bo presented. The company will open at Hamilton on Monday evening, and will gradually work its way down to Invercargill. It is then proposed to present two other popular stage successes, " Follow Thru" and " Hold Everything," with the addition of revivals such as " So Long Lotty," and "Night Out."

The passing of tho old art of pantoniimo is brought to inind again by the announcement in Paris of tho death of Soverin. 0110 of tho greatest mimes that France has ever known. Ho was tho last representative of a school of acting that passes away with him. Severin, who was born in Ajaccio and trained in Marseilles, becamo one of tho heroc3 of pre-war theatre-goers On tho first day of the Great War, although he was officially too old for active service, ho joined the army as a " poiln," but by tho time the war was over pantomimo was dead. Severin himself could still arouse tho enthusiasm of his audiences but ho was alone in his glory. His efforts to attract disciples around him came to nothing, and his beloved art of miming seemed doomed to extinction. A few clays before his death Soverin agreed, after much hesitation, to break his lifelong silence—ho undertook to act a speaking part in a Provencal drama. " Before I leave this earthly stage," he declared, " I will prove that tho mime can speak when ho so wills." Fate intervoned. Severin has not spoken.

More than ono competent musical authority has described Florence Austral's voice as tho most phenomenal of the day. In commenting on tho approaching production of Wagner's masterpiece at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, London's best known critic said it seemed " grotesque to think of it without Florence Austral." This is ono of the sacrifices sho has made in order to undcrtako the Australian tour. Although cosmopolitan in her musical tastes this great Australian singer does not disguiso her lovo for lieder, not that " Tristan and Isoldo" is her favourite opera. And, in passing, it is worth noting that her German diction is so pure, that strangers often address her in that tongue. In Italian and Fronch airs sho is equipped to give an equally good account of herself. She can thus present programmes of infinite variety, to which the range and glorious quality of her voico aro fitted to do more than justice. When Madame Austral lias completed her engagement, of 30 concerts with Mr. E. J. Carroll in Australia and New Zealand, sho will go direct to Berlin, where sho has contracted to appear in the roles of Brunnhilde and Isoldo with the German State Opera.