GIRL MUSICIANS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26614, 10 November 1947, Page 8

GIRL MUSICIANS

STAGE ACT FROM WANGANUI

ORIGINAL PLANS CHANGED Though many have achieved some degree of success on the Australian or overseas stage, New Zealand vaudcvills acts are extremely rare. Among the few are the Bridges sisters, from Wanganui, who are at present touring their homeland with the Tivoli Company. Eleven years ago they left Wanganui to study at the Sydney Conservatorium, with the idea of setting out on a career in serious music. It was Sir Ben Fuller who altered their ideas and turned their musical activity into its present channel. “We were really raw when we first got into show business,” Miss Nancye Bridges told the Daily Times. “We didn't know how to dress for the stage, how to ' sell ’ a number, or how to choose our music to suit the audience." Their first lessons were learnt under the firm but friendly guidance of Queenie Paul, well-known in vaudeville circles, at Melbourne. Then the act was booked by the Tivoli Circuit, where they picked up valuable lessons in the secrets of stage success from the many American acts, such as the Mills Brothers, who were on the same bill.

"American acts usually have only one or two routines,” said Miss Bridges, “ and they were surprised to find that, because of comparatively short engagements and frequent returns, Australian acts boasted extensive repertoires in most cases. But the Americans certainly taught us a tremendous amount about ‘ putting an act across.’ " The original trio comprised the two Bridges sisters and their brother, but with the outbreak of war he left to join the R.A.A.F., and since the war he has been a producer of light programmes with the Australian Broadcasting Commission in Sydney. In consequence, the trio for the past six years has included Australian girl pianists, Miss Jean lloban, another Sydney Conservatorium trainee, being the present partner in the with the girls is their mother, who is manager, driver and general factotum to the act. I cion t know how we could get anywhere without her,” said Miss Bridges. ‘When we left Melbourne to catch the flying boat, mother drove us the 575 miles to Sydney and thought nothing of it. In their years on Ihe stage the girls have covered every State in the Commonwealth, and have made scores of broadcasts. They claim one of the most extensive repertoires of any comparable musical group, and their technical ability extends to more instruments than tnose which they use in their act. Although they made war loan tours with will Mahoney, they concede that they have not vet tried his famous trick of dancing bn a xylophone and playing the instrument with mallets tied to the feet. Their one disappointment on the tour is that the company has not played at Wanganui, but they intend to spend a month’s holiday there when the tour is completed. Several years of work and travel have been tiring, they say, and their hope is that during their holiday they can forget such things as violin bows and xylophone mallets exist.