THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3853, 17 January 1928, Page 72

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL.

B y

Pasquin.

Tn last week’s programme at the Princess Theatre Fuller’s Follies put on an excellent entertainment. The revue was entitled “ Miss U. S. A.,” and proved very popular. It was rich in song and dance, but the outstanding feature of the whole show was the comedy work, which was contributed not only by Stud Foley, but also by Little Iris and Nat Gould. Freshness, originality, and variety are the principal characteristics of the entertainment that is offered by those two irrepressible Scots. Flora M’Donald and Dalton Payne, and they are every bit as popular as their colleagues. “Up in Mabel’s Room.” the farcical comedy presented at His Majesty’s Theatre on Saturday night, proved a scream of laughter from beginning to end. The story is all about the difficulties that a young man meets through being foolish enough to make indiscreet presents to an attractive young widow in Paris in iiis pre-nuptial days. After his marriage to another woman his wife learns of his follies, and then the trouble begins. His endeavours to get out of it are screamingly funny, particularly the antics of his butler, who gives him so-calied assistance.- W. J. 0. Barr’s Comedians are a very talented company. Miss Zara Clinton, the leading lady, is an English actress who was brought over from Canada, where she was under contract to the transcanadian chain of theatres for seven years, and she was seen in a splendid character study. Mr Billy O’H-»nlon is a youthful actor, and he too was seen to advantage in the comedy work. The remainder of the company are all well-known actors, and include Messrs Eric Harrison, Warwick Beattie. A. Brandon Cremer. Thomas M’Dermott, Misses Hilda Attenboro, Shirley Cooke, and Sybil Atholwood, and they filled the various parts allotted to them in first-class style. “Up in Mabel’s Room ” will be played for one week, and on Saturday another farce, “ Oh! Richard! How Could You? ” will be presented. The Italian grand opera season at the St. James’s Theatre, Sydney, and Princess Theatre, Melbourne, will represent the most important theatrical enterprise Sir Benjamin and John Fuller have ever undertaken. The company is one of the largest and best equipped of its kind in the world; it includes over 100 people. The scenery and costumes are all being imported from Italy. A chorus of 48, an orchestra of 40,. and a ballet of 20, together with solo and specialty dancers, will support the group of celebrated soloists. Very fortunate were the Fullers in securing Signorita Margherita Flor and Olga Poletti’ (sopranos), and Signors Alessandro Rota and Arturo Tamburrini (tenors). These artists have created a sensation in Europe, where thej' have been acclaimed to.be the finest grand opera stars of recent years. In addition to the artists mentioned above the company includes Rosita Silvestri and Nina Mazza (sopranos), Brandisio Vannucci and Antonio'Gilardi (tenors), Franco Izal, Francesco Frederick and Antonio Fedele (baritones) . Nina Algozzino and Euridice Primmer (mezzos). Arturo Fumagalli and Antonio Alfieri (bass), and Arturo Bioni (basso comico). The conductors are Govanni Gonsalez and Ernesto Gonsalez.

The J. C. Williamson people are also bringing a grand opera company to Australia this year. Sir George Tallis, chairman of directors, says that La ' Scala, Milan, represents the perfection of operatic presentation, and “we have endeavoured to reproduce as far as possible the La Scala quality. Practically - all the artists have been identified from time to time with one or other of the operatic productions at. this theatre. On arrival at Florence last March I met Mr Nevin Tait, who had devoted upwards of 12 months to preliminaries. We spent two months visiting various centres. At La Scala we heard Arangi Lombardi, our dramatic soprano, and at Madrid Hina Spani, principal soprano for the Wagnerian roles. Francesco Merli, the leading dramatic tenor,’ was first heard at La Scala, and subsequently at Covent Garden, London. At Nice, in ‘Aida,’ with Signor Paolantino conducting, we discovered Minghini Cattaneo, mezzo-soprano. Angelo Minghetti we engaged from Covent Garden, London, and La Scala, z.t Brussels we heard Apollo Granforte in ‘ Rigoletto,’ and induced him to . rejoin our organisation. From La Scala we engaged the Wagnerian tenor, Ettore Cassabianchi.” The Australian baritone, _ John D. Brownlee, and the popular Toti ’ dal Monte will also be in the company. Owing to the inclusion of the Wagnerian operas the company will consist of six tenors, six sopranos, six .baritones, three mezzos, three basses, one bass comique, and two first and two second conductors. Gaetano Bavagnoli, known throughout Italy and South America, will be the principal conductor. The opening production will be “ Turandot,” Puccini’s last opera. The production was transferred from La Scala to Covent (garden, and it will be brought to Australia. Merli will be heard in the role he created at both these opera houses.

It is interesting to note that Mr E. J. Carroll, the well-known theatrical and concert manager, who is controlling the visit to New Zealand and Australia of the brilliant Viennese violinist Miss Erica Morini has previously brought the Sistine

Choir, ..the ..Don Cossack Choir, Kreisler, Friedman, Stefansson, Edna Thomas, and other famous artists to these shores. Mr Carroll is confident that Miss Morini will justify' the reputation she has established beside that of Kreisler and Heifetz.

Gustave Slapoffski, the doyen of conductors, has an association with Gilbert and Sullivan productions of close on half a century. At the conclusion of the Wellington season Mr Slapoffski was handed a handsome floral offering, and Strella Wilson and James Hay, their faces wreathed in smiles, * cajoled the embarrassed conductor on to the stage, and insisted on him replying. This Mr Slapoffski did in a few effective words.

The “ Rose Marie ” Company will play at Christchurch from February 20 to March 3; Timaru, March 5 to 6: Oamaru, March 7; Invercargill. March. 8 and 9; and at Dunedin from March 10 to 21.

The Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company is concluding its tour of New Zealand. “ The Chocolate Soldier.” in addition to the favourites in the Gilbert and Sullivan repertoire, was staged at Wellington, and Christchurch and Timaru are to be played. The tour ends at Timaru, and the company then returns to Australia.

Ashton Jarry, who takes the part of Inspector Bliss in “ The Ringer,” has previously been in New Zealand with Lawrence Grossmith, Ada Reeve, Marie Tempest, and Guy Bates Post.

New Zealand is to have a visit from the Royal Sunbeams Revue Company, an organisation of just on 30 clever Australian children, all trained at the studios of Miss Chrissie Royal, Australia’s foremost instructress and tutor of the National Duo, the Eleven Wonders, Jackie Clarke, and the’ Sunbeam Acrobats. A comprehensive tour of the Dominion has been mapped out. Jackie Clarke will be one of the leading members of the company, which will tour under the management of Mr R. A. Cleland.

Ltd., are negotiating with Robert Loraine, the English actor-manager, for a tour of Australia and New Zealand with Bernard Shaw plays. When George Gee came to Australia some years ago he was “ boosted ” as a noted London artist. When he returned to England and scored a sensational success recently in “The Girl Friend,” he was greeted as a “ discovery.”

Mr Phil Smith, the well-known comedian, is acting as dame in Frank Neil’s pantomime, “ Mother Goose,” in Sydney. Elinor Glyn, novelist, is likely to go into vaudeville in America.

Miss Molly Plimmer, of Wellington, is appearing at the London Apollo Theatre in Mr Robert Loraine’s presentation of Edmond Rostand’s heroic comedy “ Cyrano.” Miss Plimmer has two parts—the strange girl in the first act and Sister Martha in the convent scene at the end. Mr St. John Irvine referred to Miss Plimmer’s acting in pleasing terms in his account of “ Cyrano ” for the Observer. Count Fillipino, late of the Gonsalez Grand Opera Company, has come through the herculean task of forming a grand opera company at Adelaide, and with commendable enterprise and perspicacity got it to Perth, where no less than eight different grand operas were produced, which showed a net profit of over £5060. This success, incited a season at the Princess Melbourne, which, according to the best critics, compared more than favourably with much higher-priced presentations.

Empire Theatres Ltd. propose building a Melbourne theatre on the site of the old Morning Post building. The cost of the theatre will be £250.000, with a seating capacity of 3400. Rufe Naylor has the arrangements in hand. A writer of John o’ London’s Weekly suggests the following as the best plays written since the war, with the reservation that no author is represented -by more than one of his works:—“St. Joan” (G. B. Shaw), “Juno and the Paycock” (Sean O’Casey), “Abraham Lincoln” (John Drinkwater), “The Conquering Hero (Alan Monkhouse), “The Constant Nymph” (Margaret Kennedy).

In March J. C. Wiliamson Ltd. will present for the first time in Australia the beautiful young Canadian actress Margaret Bannerman. An actress of exceptional personality, Margaret Bannerman, after successes in Canada and the United States, went to London and created a furore in Somerset Maugham’s remarkable play, “ Our Betters.” It will be in this production she will make her first appearance in Australia.

“ Abie’s Irish Rose ” closed on October 22 after occupying the Republic Theatre. New York, for five and a-half years, and establishing a world record with 2327 performances. But it has not yet left New York. The company has merely removed to the Bronx Opera House, where it will embark on what is known as an indefinite run.

The Somme,’ in my opinion, is the greatest war film yet made in this or any other country,” says the kinema correspondent of the Daily Mail. “ One point- of the film which ex-soldiers will appreciate strongly is the way in which that terrible and ever-present enemy—mud —has been presented. No other war film has shown the devastating effect this had upon the mind and body of the fighting man. A sensational moment* is provided by the first appearance of the tanks.

The death at Springwood, New South Wales, of Christie Simonsens removes another link with old theatrical days. As advance agent and front-of-the-house manager for Bland Holt he was one of the best-known figures in Australian and New Zealand stageland 25 to 30 years ago. When Bland Holt retired his manager followed his example, and finally settled down at Springwood.

Judith Anderson, who returned to America after a disappointing season in

Australia, is playing the lead in “ Behold the Bridegroom ” in New York.

Lorna Helms, who has toured New Zealand under the J. C. W. banner has returned to Australia to play in A The Girl Friend.” Others in the east are Annie Croft, Reginald Sharland, Leo Franklyn, Gus Bluett, Marie la Varre, Rowena Ronald, Frank Leighton, Rosie le Varde, Winnie Tait, and John Stuart A cable message from New York announces. that the British moving picture enterprises controlled by Lord Beaverbrook and Lord Ashfield have combined with the First National Company, of the United States, for the production, distribution and exhibition of films in Britain (says the Australasian). This news is particularly surprising, because Lord Beaverbrook is the proprietor of the London Daily Express, which devotes unusual space to films, and most of that space to pungent criticism of American films and the American moving picture industry. Lord Beaverbrook also owns the English Rathe Freres (there are also 1* rench and American Rathe Freres) and has other interests in British film production. Lord Ashfield is the chairman ? r ° vinc i a l Cinematograph Theatres, -i’ largest exhibiting company in Britain. This company owns the New Gallery Theatre in London and 120 theatres throughout Britain. The third party, First National, handles the films in which Colleen Moore, Constance Talmadge, Richard Barthlemess, Harry Langdon, and others appear. The message may be interpreted to mean that, as a response to co-operation between other British producers and German companies, Rathe Freres of Britain, supported by a powerful exhibiting group, intend to combine with an American company in producing films in Britain. The passage of the British Film Bill must be regarded as a contributing cause. The Englishman likes other things beside sex appeal; he is interested in sport, politics, religion, and.-jnsects, things that are real and that are happening every day. This statement was made by Mr G. Bernard Shaw at a private presentation of a series of Nature films at the London Pavilion, Piccadilly Circus, W.; recently. Mr Shaw added: “Exhibitors believe that the public is entirely occupied with something they call sex appeal. You may take the greatest trouble to make a most beautiful film, but the exhibitors will say, ‘ Where is the sex appeal? ’ and if it is not there they simply will not believe that the public will be interested. There is a place called St. Paul's Cathedral, where Dean Inge preaches; there is a building in Albemarle street where people go to listen to scientific lectures, and halls all over the country where political speeches are listened to. Where is the sex appeal in these places? The two people who since the beginning of the film business have proved the greatest attractions I should say are Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford. In their films there is- no sex appeal. The public wants to see something that really did happen as a relief from the wonderful films showing things that never did and never could happen.” Michael, the terrier in English productions of “ Peg o’ My Heart” (the remarkably successful Irish comedy in which Sarah Allgood appeared in New Zealand years ago), is dead. He was known to thousands of playgoers in Great Britain, and lived to the age of 18 years. He appeared in 1053 consecutive performances of the play. He knew his cues and the exact moment when he had to start quarrelling with another dog “ off.” Once he was lost, and a paragraph was printed in the newspapers. Hundreds of dogs, all alleged to be named Michael, turned up at the stage door, only to find that the canine actor had resumed his duties. His name was always on the programme. The Bishop of London, as president of the London Public Morality Council, has forwarded memorials to the Lord Chamberlain of Great Britain and Mr T. P. O’Connor, president of the British Board of Film Censors; the former signed on behalf of 123 organisations, and the latter by representatives of 153 organisations. The memorial to the Lord Chamberlain mentions that profane and improper language has recently been used, particularly in (1) plays depicting scenes of life outside the United Kingdom differing materially from conditions of British national life; and (2) some plays dealing with the Restoration period. It is stated that fre-. quently the latitude claimed for such productions on artistic grounds is calculated to lower the general standard of good manners and to shock religious feelings and thought. The memorial asks that the Lord Chamberlain should notify licensees that his’ regulations will be strictly enforced in future plays of every description, and adds that in a similar matter in respect of music halls a fine proved an effective deterrent.