THEATRICAL NOTES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22006, 12 January 1935, Page 9 (Supplement)

THEATRICAL NOTES

COMING PRODUCTIONS His Majesty's Theatre To-dny.—Frank Neil Itevuo Company season. January 19.—" Ten Minute Alibi " and " The Wind and the Rain." THEATRE AND CONCERT HALL Tschaikowsky's great Sixth >Sy jnphonv, in U Minor, 4 the " Pathetique, played by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, under Serge Kousseirtzky, will bo broadcast from IYA at 2 p.m. to-mor-row. A symphonic programme, contributed principally by the studio orchestra, will bo given from the same station, commencing at 8 p.m., and from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. IYX will broadcast selections from operas of three centuries. 2YA will present 'La Tosca " in its complete version from 8.30 p.m. Other items of particular musical interest to be broadcast during tho week will include an hour of modern pianoforte music irom i) p.m. to 10 p.m. from 2YA on Monday. The soloist will bo Mr. Frank Hutchens, a distinguished New Zealander and a professor at the Sydney Conservatorium. An hour of chamber music will be broadcast by IYA from eight o'clock on Wednesday evening, and Mr. Hutchens will contribute a lecture on Bach, Brahms and Beethoven, illustrated by musical examples, from 2YA at 8 p.m. on Thursday.

One of the most notable musical comedy productions ever staged by J. C. Williamson Limited opened a season in Melbourne on December 22, when tho Christmas attraction, " Roberta," was staged for tho first time in Australia. With music by Jerome Kern, and libretto and lyrics by Otto Harbach —a partnership which has been responsible for some of the biggest musical comedy successes tho stage has ever known —" Roberta " represents the " comeback " of the musical comedy stage, for it is up to the standard of anything the composer and liberettist have ever done. Headed by Madge Elliott and Cyril the cast of favourites will include Ethel Morrison, who was engaged in New York for the role of Aunt Minnie, the modiste whose trade name is "Roberta," Leo Franklyn, Frank Leighton, Jean Duncan, Dorothy Dunckley, George Willoughby, Mary Rigby, Marie Le Varre, Leslie Crane, Mona Potts, Mona Zeppel, Charles Zoli, Phyllis Ferguson, "Millia Engler, Arthur Clarke and others. The entire production is produced by Cyril Ritchard.

A visit behind the scenes of the Russian Ballet Company, now at the King's Theatre, Melbourne, under the J. C. Williamson Limited, management, gives a striking indication of the amount of hard work involved in the preparation of the programmes. Even when the artists are not appearing on the stage they are exercising, or practising, although during the day they have also been engaged in rehearsal, taking up the entire morning and portion of tho afternoon. Natasha Bojkovich, the prima ballerina, declares that this work is never finished. "We have no social pleasure," she said, in her quaint English, rounded out with many expressive gestures. " We are doing this all the time. We go nowhere, see no one, and move from the theatre to our home, then back again, and so on. Work! work! work! " she exclaimed. "Sometimes, when we have a little time for ourself, we would like to go about, and see the places and the people, but then we are so tired that we decide we must rest, so as to be prepared for the dancing. So we go nowhere." All the members of the company are unanimous on one point, however, and that is, it is a healthy life!

The production of the Viennese light opera " Die IHedermans," is exciting considerable criticism in Sydney as the producer for the Fuller Grand Opera, Mr. Charles Moore has created a precedent by presenting this opera in modern dress. All the other operas arc costumed according to their period. Miss Jocelvn Dixon, (" Jocelyn Yeo ") the well-known Auckland dancer, who has been appointed ballet-mistress to the company, has received fine press appreciation for her work. The Sydney Morning Herald's critic wrote: "An exceedingly enjoyable feature of the performance was the "Blue Danube " ballet, arranged and danced by Miss Jocelyn Yeo with a company of girls. Miss Yeo is a product of the Cecchetti School of Dance, in London. She proved herself in ' Die Fledermnns ' as in ' Aida,' a graceful and expressive solo dancer, as well as an interesting choregrapher. The ballet delighted the audience with its gracious swirling figures." The Fuller Grand Operas will, later on, be seen in New Zealand and it is to be hoped that Miss Jocelyn Yeo will come over as solo dancer. She is remembered by many as a clever young dancer in Miss Cecil Hall's recitals before she left for London, where she trained with Idzikowski and other great Russian exponents of the Cecchetti Method of Dancing. New Zealand would be more than interested to see one of their own dancers who was so successful in London.