THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3755, 2 March 1926, Page 76

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Bi

Pasquin.

Monday, March 1. George Ward and Co/s new revue at the-Princess Theatre last week was a satisfying medley of mirth and song. The “Hotel Guess” was its title —rather mystifying no doubt till it was explained by Mike O’Brien that the hotel which is the scene of the action of the revue kept its patrons guessing all the time. As usual Les War ton as Mike O’Brien, and Bert Le Blanc at Abe Cohen, the bellboy assumed tlie onerous half of the comedy roles, and were ably supported by York Gray as the Rev. Obe Joyful and Vernon Sellers as Jimmy Francis. Of course, Little Hermie, the visitor, as portrayed by George Ward, kept the audience in a perpetual chuckle. Without music no revue would be complete, and prominent among the numbers are “Yes, Yes, in Your Eyes” (Patsie Hill and the Snapshot Six), “New Orleans” (Dairy Yates), “Never Mind” (Carlton Chase), and a charming little duet “On& Till Two’ (Vernon Sellars and Patsie Hill). One new turn only was featured in the vaudeville section—that of Mae Ragae, whose dancing is immensely popular and wins unstinted applause. Phil Lopaz (the Dippy Juggler), the Marfayne Duo (xylophonists and piano), and the Littlejohns (jugglers) also contributed to the iirst-class bill. “The Green Goddess,” which Guy Bates Post and Jiis clever company will produce during their Dunedin season, was written by the great London critic William Archer. Arthur Jordan, the celebrated English tenor, who. lias been singing at the Exhibition, Mill be heard in Auckland early in May, when the Auckland Choral Society will give, in concert form, Gounod’s “ Faust,” with Mr Jordan in the title role. The famous tenor will also sing in “ Montana ” at Christchurch, and “ Judas M'accabasus” at Wellington. Mr Hubert Carter, the New Zealand tenor, continues to do very well in England, and is booked for some months ahead. John Ralston, who has achieved a striking success as Schubert in the J. C. Williamson (Limited) production of ‘ Lilac Time ” at Melbourne Theatre Royal, Mas born in Brisbane. If heredity counts for anything he should have been ‘ a so . n of the sea,” for his father w r as a captain w ho later settled down to the life of a pilot. He was the possessor of a beautiful tenor voice, however, and was very keen on the theatre, so much so that he constantly took young John to see the shows, particularly if they were musical. From the time he was nine years old young Ralston, who became noted as a boy sonrano choir boy, sang at concerts, in oratorio, and wherever else he got the chance to display his beautiful voice. His earliest recollections of stage artists was seeing the performances in Brisbane of Joseph Tapley, Violet Varley, Florence Young, George Lauri, William Elton, and others of that time. He particularly remembers seeing Florence Young in “La Mascotte,” little thinking that one day he would be associated with the popular actress in a leading role in that production. Mr Winter Hull, described as the only iSew Zealander M'ho has made conspicuous success in Film Land in America, is appearing in Auckland Majestic, rceounttj?K 20-minute chat incidents übout Hollywood, the inner life and romance of picture-making, illustrated by still and moving pictures. Wish Wynne, with her clear-cut character etchings, adds significance to the Majestic (Aucklaud) programme, and from her wealth of original London sketches delights the audience with her individual studies. With Mr Bernard Ivitchen to accompany her with incidental music, it is an act of infinite artistry. Another of the favourite J. C. Williamson folk is leaving the firm to win fresh laurels abroad. This time it is the clever and popular Floie Allen who is saying good-bye. She will sail for Amorica on March 3to try New York. Miss Allen 'will bo missed from the musical c-omedios, for she has amused and delighted New Zealand folk in many of them. Her last

•appearance here was with “ Wikiflower ” and “ The Cousin from Nowhere.'’ Although Eden Phillpott’s play “The Farmer’s Wife,” had been refused by innumerable managers before he could get it produced, it now holds the London longdistance record for a modern farce comedy. “The Farmer’s Wife” is a play of quaint rustic types, who gather at Applegarth Farm. In many respects it is reminiscent of the pre-war triumph “Bunty Pulls the Strings.” It is full of homely wit and sparkling dialogue, and not the least of its attractions are the effective settings. The new company will include the following English artists who have all appeared in the English presentations:—Doris Johnstone, Townsend Whitling, Susan Richmond, Frances Cave, Edwin Brett. Douglas Vigors, Graham Stuart, Emeline Orford, and Violet Ley. D. W. Griffith is soon to start work on the biggest motion picture he has ever attempted. It will be Marie Corelli’s story, “The Sorrows of Satan,” and it will be produced on a scale greater even that “The Birth of a Nation” and “Intolerance.” Walter Fuller writes from London:— “Thi s is s staggering place for a day or two. I felt like Rip Van Winkle, only that my 20 years’ sleep had been in New Zealand, instead of in the Catskills. I saw the famous Russian ballet a few evenings ago —a marvellous show. The music was provided by an orchestra of 52 pieces under Eugene Goosens. After seeing this show I came to the conclusion that we in New Zealand have never seen -the elementary steps in dancing. There were eight prima ballerinas, all wonders, and to see them singly or together was something I will not forget in a hurry.” Grace Warner, daughter of Charles Warner, who visited New Zealand in 18891890, died in London recently. Miss Warner was a member (>f her father’s company. During their New Zealand season some of the plays in which they appeared were “Captain Swift,’’ “The Lady of Lyons,” “Hamlet,” “Drink.” Charles Warner wa s famed for his Coupeau in the last-named piece. One of the most remarkable contortionist acts seen on a vaudeville bill in Melbourne for many years opened a season at the Tivoli (says the Melbourne Leader). They are known as the Four Kaneys, and from their first entrance they keep the audience enthralled with the remarkable use? to which they put their agile bodies. The Four Kaneys will be seen in New Zealand about the middle of tTio year. The famous comedy “The School for Scandal” recently broke the record for any production of the play in New Yc’k. The record was 50 consecutive performances by the Augustin Daly Company in 1891, commencing on January 20. L'he fifty-first performance of the recent revival was given on December 5 last. Cyril Ritchard and Mamie Watson are becoming more and more popular in London.

Mary Miles Minter’s grandmother died in circumstances which attracted disagreeable attention. Mary’s grandmother had always been the object of her adoration. Hearing that she was critically ill, Miss Minter telephoned from New r York to Los Angeles to ascertain her condition. On account of the welh 1 nou-n family estrangement, Miss Mi liter’s mother, Mrs Sliclhy, refused to answer tha telephone. Whereupon Miss Minter appealed to the Los Angeles police to find out for her the facts relative to her grandmother’s condition. The police complied with the request. Turbulent scenes both for and against followed the first performance in Germany of a naturalistic drama in three no** entitled “Lusitania.” bv Alfred Doeblin. The first act depicted nassengers of the Lusitania shortly before the sinking of the vessel. The second showed the drowned at the bottom of the sea, and the final scene the survivors arriving in port.

At the Cafe de Paris, London, a few n fjits ago, I watched Cuili-Guiii, the Egyptian conjurer who is mystifying the nest End (says a staff writer in a London paper). After choosing a card, M'hich Guili-Guili did not see, I held the pack firmly in my hand. One swift knock from the magician’s indiarubber hands sent all the cards fluttering to the floor—except one. I found I was still holding the queen of spades—my card—between my finger and thumb. Making a signet ring appear on a walking stick held at both ends is another utterly baffling trick ho performed. At the end of the perform ance ho gave me a pound note. I grasped it tightly. There was to be no trickery this time, thought I. But when I opened my hand, the Bradbury was merely a scrap of paper! Ibis story of Henry Kemble appears in Mr W. Pett-Ridge’s “I Like to Remember”: At the Haymarket Theatre, after one or two re-engagements, he was left

out of the new piece. Approaching the box office, where advance booking was going on, lie spoke authoritatively to the clerk, “Be so kind as to tell me is Mr Henry Kemble taking part in the forthcoming play?” The clerk replied that the name of Mr Kemble was not included. “Make a special point,” directed the old actor loudly, “of informing the management that people are inquiring.” Last year over 40 plays were produced in Sydney’s leading theatres. Forty per cent, vere musical comedies, 25 per cent, dramas, and 35 per cent, comedies. A number of productions did not rise above the revue class, and these figures do not include vaudeville, which undoubtedly has a vast following. The most popular musical comedy was “Wildflower,” which toured Australia and New Zealand continuously for 12 months. There is a theatre in London where those players who regret the passing of the palmy days when the “Adelphi drama” held sway at many of the most famous playhouses will still find this one-time popular form of entertainment reigning supreme (says a London paper). This is the Elephant Theatre, New Kent road, the only remaining house in London where what the late Mr G. It. Sims christened the “transpontine drama” flourishes as strongly as ever. Under the direction of Messrs Alfred and Sidney Barnard, this theatre has for some time past been presenting a stock company in revivals of all the most famous melodramas of the past. A typical one was that thrilling and dashing romance of Walter Howard, “Her Love against the World.” In the gallery at the opening performance an enthusiastic audience of several hundred people, to the accompaniment of monkey-nut cracking and the sucking of icc-creani “cornets, cheered the play through its four long acts, applauding the popular members of the company on the occasion of every entrance and exit; rising to their feet and yelling at the first appearance of Mr N. Carter Slaughter, the idolised producer and “leading man”; and, finally, booing the villain and hurling epithets at him in such a loud tone t(iat the commissionaires were compelled to solicit a little restraint. In the intervals these enthusiasts of the “gods” adjourned to the bar, where they bought saveloys (handed steaming hot across the counter), ham rolls, popcorns, and more ice-cream cornets. One almost expected to find the stewed eels so famous in former days, but this item had apparently not survived. Mr Herman Klein tells the following story in his recently-published book, “Musicians and Mummers”:—ln 1920 Mr Klein became musical critic in New York on the New York Herald. One night he went in good time to the Herald office to write his notice of an opera. It had been splendidly performed, and he wrote his account in glowing terms of the music. After his notice had been despatched to the composing room he remained for a few minutes to chat with the head of his department, and mentioned casually that the popular Miss Fritzi Scheff had had a narrow escape that evening from a heavy piece of scenery that had fallen over and missed her by a couple of feet. “What!” exclaimed the department chief, suddenly getting very excited, “you haven’t ‘featured’ a thing like that in your article?” Glancing at the clock, he rushed from the room, and in less than three minutes returned with the “copy” in his hand. “Here you are! You have 10 minutes in which to cut it down and devote half your space to what happened to Fritzi Scheff. This is far more important than the performance, and you can make it as sensational as you pleascu If you don’t the others will!” He was right. Next day all the papers contained big headlines announcing “Fritzi Scheff’s Close Call ' and her “Narrow Escape from Death.” About her brilliant performance there was scarcely a word! Miss Marie Tempest, entertained at dinner by the Gallery First Nighters in London recently, delivered an entertaining speech in which she reviewed interesting personal reminiscences. In America, not long ago, one man wrote to her and said it had been the dream of his life to give her a dinner party, and that if she would consent to be his guest, he would treat her “like Royalty.” (Laughter.) On that wonderful evening she reached the hotel selected—the Plaza —and found a huge queue of guests awaiting her arrival. At the end of the row wus a little gentleman, who shook her by the hand, took her to the table and gave her the most amazing dinner imaginable, with wines, orchids, and the rest. Her host sat next to her during dinner, and at length put down his knife and fork and burst into a hearty laugh. “Wltat are you laughing at?” inquired Miss Tempest. J will tell you,” replied her neighbour. 'When I was a small boy I had a very poor upbringing. I hadn’t a bean in the world, and used to sell paper boats, which I made myself, on the corner of Ludgate Hill, and with the pennies I saved I used to go to the gallery to hear you sing, and I made up my mind that it ever I got any money yon would be the first person I would try to get at my table. That gentleman,” said Miss tempest, “was Mr Charles Chaplin.”— (Laughter and cheers.) DAME CLARA BUTT. His Majesty’s Theatre was filled to overflowing on Tuesday for the first concert of the season given bv Dame Clara Butt and her associate artists, Mile Aussenac, -Mr Kennerley Rumford, and Mr Roy Ellett (accompanist). It is almost superfluous to say that Dame Butt’s singing was faultless. Her performance was the work of one haviDg an absolute mastery of the vocal art, and was an object lesson as well os beiug a delightful entertainment. The registers were equalised, and the voice was under absolute control from its fullest capacity to the faintest pianissimo. Thero was complete command of the mezza di voce, so important in the expressing of emotion, pure vocalisation of the vowels, and distinct enunciation of the consonants. Every word of the text could be clearly heard by the audience, a matter in which large numbers of singers fail badly. The audience applauded constantly and heartily, and many floral tributes were handed to the singer.

Mile. Marie Antoinette Aussenac is a solo pianist of note, and she held the audience from the first chord. Her playing speedily dispelled the idea current in some that feminine playing is always—well, feminine—and that a lady can never get the full tone from a pianoforte. Her fortes were heavy and massive, she possesses a remarkable digital facility, and she displayed a perfect control of every variety of tone colour. Mile. Aussenac’s rhythm was always flowing, t/d her playing was characterised by emotional warmth. The bravura passages were glitteringly brilliant. Perfect enunciation characterised the vocal contributions of Mr Kennerley Rumford, and it is indeed a pleasure to be independent of the book of words. His excellent baritone voice carried well and his readings were finished a.nd evinced the cultivated vocal artist. The National Anthem closed the proceedings, the last verse being sung bv the’ audience. Mr Roy Ellett proved himself an efficient accompanist. Popular programmes were also given to delighted audiences on Thursday and Saturday nights.