THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3994, 30 September 1930, Page 64

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL.

By

Pasquin.

It is probably news to most concertffoerg that Jan Kubelik has written six concertos for violin nnd orchestra in recent years. When he played his own Concerto No. 5 at Queen’s Hall, London, to an audience of 7000, the huge assemblage gave all the signs of adulation, and tendered the famous man a magnificent reception as he stood before them handling with reverence his priceless Stradivarius. Kubelik comes to Dunedin on November 12.

Ethel Morrison received a warm welcome from Melbourne playgoers when she ynade her appearance in “ Little Accident.’ at the King’s Theatre after an absence of some years', during which she made a name for herself on the American stage. Miss Morrison was born in Wellington, New Zealand, and has shown her versatility on the Australian stage by her appearance in comedy, including the Australian tour* of Marie Tempest, and m Gilbert and Sullivan opera. Miss Morrison is fond of travel —she has' vis.ted South Africa, the United States, England, Ireland, and Scotland —but she declares that the first night of a new play still has its terrors for her. Herbert Mundin, who was principal comedian in “Rio Rita ” in New Zealand last year, is in “Open Your Eyes ’ in England.

The death is announced at Sydney of Mr John P. (“Johnny”) O’Neill, the veteran Irish comedian, so well known to Australian and New Zealand theatregoers of an earlier generation. He was associated with John Sheridan, Holloway, and other producers of the time, and was a first-rate actor. His last appearance here was with the Fullers in Tom Haverley’s revues at the Princess, round about 1918.

Lewis Shaw has returned to London after an 18 months’ tour of Australia and New Zealand, says a London paper. He has been playing the name part in “ Young Woodley,” and that of Raleigh in “Journey’s End.” Since his first appearance at the Haymarket at the age of 12, Lewis has had a uniformly successful career on both stage and screen, and his last West End performance in “Deadlock” is still remembered by those who saw it. He is now 20.

Not only is Jan Kubelik a great artist; lie is also a great man, with a heart that goes out in sympathy to the unfortunates of the world. In Adelaide, during his recent Australian tour, the great violinist played at the Sunday afternoon service of the City Mission, his playing on behalf of the unemployed having a striking response in the hearts of the men. The famous man, who has, in the course of his astounding musical career, been almost overwhelmed by official recognition in lands of many nationalities, was at his simplest facing the large mission audience, which he enthralled with his wonderful playing and the naturalness of his personality. Francis Bushman, a former silent picture idol, has ‘been touring the Loew vaudeville circuit in the States in a solo turn.

Bernard Manning, whose Mikado was such a striking feature of the last Gilbert and Sullivan season, will return to New Zealand with the “New Moon” Company in November. With Nancye Stewart and her husband. Mayne Linton, in “ Red Kisses,” a melodrama at the Grand Opera House, Sydney, are associated such well-known people as George Willoughby, Felix Bland, Jack Settle, Claude Holland, Jack M'Gowan, Dorothy Dewar, Ruth Hamilton, Grace Savieri, and a singing ballet.

David Belasco, the film magnate, says if he were a younger man he would go into the making of silent pictures tomorrow’. There has been a decided slump in the patronage of the movie industry in New York, says the New York correspondent of the Manchester Guardian. and the question is being asked whether the talkie w’as not a mistake after all. Belasco is one who thinks it is. is.

Vesta Tilley’s husband. Sir Walter de Frece, is resigning his seat in the House of Commons, because of the severe illness of his wife. Miss Tilley attained fame as an impersonator of male characters.

Dorothy Seaeombe, an Australian girl, has married the son of Billy Merson, comedian, in England. She was in NewZealand with Laurence Grossmith, but has appeared in British pictures as well. Paderewski, the brilliant pianist, is proud of his silver hair, says a London writer. He makes no secret of his satisfaction that Raoul de Koczalski, his rival in Chopin playing, is bald. “ I play with lights full on,” said Paderewski, “ but Raoul has to take refuge in semi-dark-ness, with only a small lamp on the piano.” What is to become of the Piccadilly Theatre, w-hich was opened only two years ago ? asks a' London writer. In a circular to shareholders the directors state that the year to June 30 last has resulted in a loss of £9OOO. The liabilities at that date amounted to £24,000, of which £ll,OOO represents unpaid ground rent and income tax. There is no immediate prospect of finding a tenant for the theatre, they add, and it is impossible to pay the debenture interest now due. They propose to borrow a further £40,000 on prior lien debentures, but to do this the permission of the present de-benture-holders must be obtained. Opposition to the proposed creation and issue of further debentures is coming from the shareholders.

An Auckland girl who has made a success of her career as a dancer is Jocelyn Dixon (known on the stage as “Jocelyn Yeo ”). At an early age she was taken by hex- mother to London, where she was

engaged by the beautiful and famous Russian dancer, Karsavina, as a member of her ballet. Miss Dixon studied with the famous Idzikowski, of the Russian Ballet, and made such remarkable progress that she was selected to join the late Diaghileff’s great Russian Ballet, where, after two weeks, she was promoted to solo danseuse work. She toured Europe with the ballet. She passed the most difficult of all dance tests —the Advanced Cecchetti examination, and was the only entrant in London to secure honours. She was selected to demonstrate the Cecchetti method at several of the dance teachers’ annual conferences in London. Twice this New Zealand girl was principal dancer with the Christmas pantomime at the Lyceum, London. On one of these occasions mention was made in the London Graphic that Jocelyn Yeo had beaten the great Nemtchinova’s record of 32 pirouettes on one toe, having attained the remarkable feat of 40 pirouettes, and this on a sloping stage.