THE MODERN STAGE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17871, 30 August 1932, Page 4

THE MODERN STAGE

LONDON CONDITIONS MUSICAL SHOWS IN DEMAND “We had the warmest possible welcome at every New Zealand town we visited,” said Mr. Cyril Ritchard,. the Australian musical comedy star, speaking for himself and Miss Madge Elliott, on their arrival at Auckland on Saturday after an absence of over seven years iu London. “There is no doubt that this country wants living artists on tlie stage, particularly in musical shows,” said. Mr. Ritchard. “I am glad to say that there is a regular queue of them waiting to come across from Australia in our footsteps, with grand opera standing out above the rest.”

Speaking of the stage in London, Mr. Ritchard said that since the “talkio boom” hud subsided managers had realised that the theatre was on an even sounder footing than ever. They had taken murage and were going ahead with confidence. One effect of the rise of talking pictures had been to make managers, producers and authors begin a real search for new ideas and new talent. They realised that the theatre could not risk getting into a groove. This was very noticeable in. musical entertainments. American musical comedy proved too machine-made to hold tlie field, and while English composers and authors began to come again into their own, the Continent was heavily drawn upon, ’sometimes for complete operettas. There was a return from j&zz to tuneful music of tlie Viennese order. Mr. Ritchard cited Noel Coward’s “Cavalcade” as an outstandingly original production, staged at a time when national sentiment made the public welcome it with open arms. “I met Americans who told me that it made themfeel like patriotic Britons,” 1 > said, “i hey realised as never before that wo and they sprang from a common stock.” lii London a, really good show was assured of success, and expense had little to do with it. The number of poor and short-lived show's was amazing.