THEATRICAL NOTES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21792, 5 May 1934, Page 11 (Supplement)

THEATRICAL NOTES

COMING PRODUCTIONS Town Hall. May 17.—Bohemian Orchestra Concert May 21.—Royal Auckland Choir Concert. May 31.—Horace Stevens unci PouishiiofT Season Opens. Concert Chamber. To-niglit and Until Tuesday.—Little Theatre Society, " The Apple Cart. THEATRE AND CONCERT HALL Works by Schubert will bo presented from IYA for .in hour to-morrow afternoon, commencing; at 2 o'clock. The Little Theatre Society's 34th production, " The Apple Cart," Bernard /Shaw's satirical comedy of English politics in 1980, should meet with popular favour when presented at the Concert Chamber for a four nights' season, commencing to-night. The booking indicates that the. society will probably enjoy some of the largest audiences that it has yet experienced, for the visit of the famous author to New Zealand has engendered increased interest in his works, and " The Apple Cart" is regarded by many as one of his best dramatic efforts. "Without independent means, ambitious young singers would be unwise to venture overseas, no matter how line their capacity," declared Mr. Horace E. Stevens, the" Melbourne baritone, who returned recently to his native city, where he sang as a choir-boy and practised as a dentist. In association with the pianist Pouishnoff, Mr. Stevens will tour Australia and New Zealand. Ho has not seen Australia since he left with the Imperial Forces. An impromptu song in a Regent Street, London, cafe on Armistice night won him the chanco to appear with Sir Henry Wood at the Queen's Hall, leading to Covent Garden and a reputation as the finest English " Wotan" and the world'?; greatest " Elijah." During his early aays in Melbourne Mr. Stevens sang at the opening service of St. Paul's Cathedral, and was choirmaster at Christ Church, South Yarra. His soprano voice lasted for the extraordinary term of 10 years before resolving into a resonant bassbaritone. From his pinnacle as a world-famous pianist and composer, Percy Grainger does not look upon the ordinary world of music with the superiority that is generally credited to genius. He admits that he likes jazz. " And why shouldn't I," he asked. "Anything that adds to the popularity of music should be encouraged. Jazz, after all," he added, " is another form of music that is intended to make it more intelligible or give it a greater appeal to a section of the people who otherwise might not be reached by the appeal of music. I certainly do not join with those who declare that jazz is a debasement of music." Percy Grainger's views will bo doubtless received with delight by that large section of people who take their music syncopated. At the annual meeting of the Howick-Pakuranga Musical Society, the following officers were appointed:— President, Mr. Arthur Cherry; vicepresidents, Mrs. H. Beckett, and Messrs. G. A. Newton and F. P. Rishworth; honorary secretary and treasurer, Mrs. W. D. Hughes; producer, Mr. R. F. Newton; musical director, Mr A. .T. T. Judkins; pianist, Mr. R. G. Wvman; committee, Misses A. Cave, K. Casey, and Messrs. J. Hughes, C. Johnson and R. Beckett; wardrobe. Misses K. Casey, M. Cave and M. Sutherland. For the season's production, the two-act operetta, " Your Royal Highness," with words and music by Arthur A. Penn, was decided on. Following on the success achieved by " What Every Woman Knows," by Sir J. M. Barrie, the Garrick Dramatic Society has decided to stage another charming and beautiful play as their fourth production for 1934. This will be " Michael and Mary," by A. A. Milne, one of the most brilliant of contemporary playwrights. Commencing his career as a dramatic critic, Mr. Milne now offers his own plays to the public. Ho is gifted -with such delicacy of touch that he can wri'te verse for children and make it child-like, beautiful prose, comedies like " Belinda " and create whimsical characters like Mr. Pirn in " Mr. Pirn Passes By." The English film version of " Michael and Mary " was shown in Auckland last year.

Mr. Bernard Shaw's latest play, "On the Rocks," was presented for the first time in Berlin recently before a full and extremely enthusiastic house. There were no dissentient voices. Berlin theatre-goers are evidently better informed than the provincial audiences in Germany that have occasionally, since the triumph of the Nazi cause, howled down his plays with cries of " Down with the Jew Shaw." The enthusiasm may be partly explained by a programme note which describes the play as "a critical confession of faith in the leadership principle." Mr. Shaw is always taken so much more seriously abroad 'than ho is in England. His sallies at the expense of 'Democracy and Parliament were greeted with joyous merriment.

Sir Benjamin Fuller announced recently that a public company, with a capital of £250,00U, would be formed under the name of the Royal Grand Opera Company. It would buy the Palace Theatre, Melbourne, organise the season for the Melbourne Centenary celebrations, and establish the opera company on a permanent basis, stage big spectacular musical comedies at the Palace and present ax-tistic films there. There would be a season at the Palace every year, he said, and after its completion the company would tour the Commonwealth and New Zealand. It would be engaged the whole year round, though there would, of course, be changes in the personnel. Sir Benjamin Fuller has sought to establish a permanent opera company for a long time.-