THE STAGE

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19809, 28 November 1919, Page 4

THE STAGE

NOTES AND COMMENTS. (By THK LIAiFLIGHT MAN.) It is stated that the Taits will send (ho "Daddies” Comedy Company for a tour of the Dominion early in the New Year. .Mr John Tail, of the firm of .1. and N. Tail, who has been travelling round with tin l Lmclie I’olini Company in the North Island, left for Sydney by the Hiverina last week. During his visit to Wellington and Auckland .Mr Tait inspected llie sites of theatres which had been brought under his notice with a view to hn-ines.-. The. future may hold more interests in New Zealand for .). and N. Tait. than it docs at the present .Mr Ben Fuller has hern busy in America selecting artists for las firm's Australian and New Zealand circuits. The 'latest hatch includes Corporal Joint Nathan (novelty variety entertainer), the three Fishers (acronat M, -M Namara and Clinton (revue artbtsi. Artois Brothers (equilibrists). Rev Frank Gorman (The Singing '’arson!, and Ferry the Frog. Ferry the Frog lias been in New Zealand before, when he toured the circuit conducted bv the laic I’crcy Dix. " I’a Is First,'’ which is being shown on the screen at the local Grand Theatre, is an adaptation ol a novel. It is also a play, and the Australian rights of production have been secured by the Tatts. According to Ihe Sydney ‘‘.Morning Herald." Air Joint AlarCormnck. the Irish tenor, during his Australian tour, gave eighteen concerts in Sydney alone, tii recemts eertitiel at it 10.000 odd, whilst the amount he ultimately carried away in exchange for " notes issued '' amounted to I'”if.(Klo profit. Air George Highland, one of tbe J. C. AVilliamson producers, who has rot timed from New York after an absence of seven months’ play bunting, lias secured the following piece; for production in JO'iO : - " l.istou, Lester." a musical play, in which all the characters express their emotions whilst dancing; ‘‘Oh, Lady. Lady." n light musical play; "Tilly of Bloomsbury," a Loudon farcical comedy: and "Kissing Time,” -a New York musical success. The first .Australian actress to fa.cn the footlights in London was .Miss F.lir.a Winsfanley, married to n Air H. O’Flaherty, who was in the orchestra at the obi Vie. Theatre in Pitt Street. With a let ter of introduction to Charley Kean site went, to London about tooth Kean gave her a show as Aleg in " Guy .Mannering.” She was so successful that Iter engagement, ivith Kean lasted six years. Julius Knight (writes a Sydney ‘‘Bulletin’’ correspondent.) loathed .Marcus Sitperbiis, with which IBs name is oftenest. associated in Australia, and lie regarded Gil de Heranlt as one of his best parts, though his ambition was to play Hamlet. Harconrt Beatty hated to speak of King Charles IT., beyond doubt, the part in which he made ids name here; and, although J. C. Williamson's John Stofel will never ho forgotten, he fancied himself most as Kerry in Dion Houeicanlt’s play. During her seasons in Holland Aliss Amy Castles, who has scored a brilliant series of successes with the J. C. Williamson Grand Opera. Co., was a great favourite at Court. At Vienna, the Kmperor Francis .Joseph expressed deep admiration for Her voice a.nd art, and demonstrated his interest, by appointing Aliss Castles Chamber Singer to the Imperial Court, tbe only other prima donna, of British birth to receive such an honour being Dame Nellie Afelha. Miss Cast.les’s warrant of appointment was the last, signed by the late Emperor, The following incidents are recorded in conneetioiii with performances at. the Sydney Opera House : —On October 22. in ‘‘ AVhen London Sleeps," the heroine (LeMie Adrien) caught fire and had to lie extinguished. On October 20. in "The Dentil or Glory Hoys.” Rutland Beckett (the villain) fell on to a broken glass after drinking poison and had to be taken to Sydney Hospital. On October 2? the. hern (Roland Conway) shot at the villain, and the wad from his rifle wounded a hoy standing in the wings. He also went to tlm hospital. Afiss Afaude Fane, who is to make her re-appearance under the .T, C. AVilliamson management in the first Alelbnnme production of “ Theodore and C 0.," says that she saw all .the shows in London, Afis; Fane expressed the opinion that for staging, mounting, dressing and tHo beauty apd' charm of Hie Australian girls the productions in Australia, under th: J. C. AVilliamson management were in no way inferior to the musical plays niesented on the F.nglish stage. “ Tlie Australian chorus girl," added Aliss Fane, “ is easily nltoad of Ikt London sister, by reason of her sparkle and dash, her graceful deportment, her intelligence and the, ease with which she is able to step into a part when required." Some time in tile fifteenth century, in the valley of Vice, France, there lived a pressor of elot.lt, by name Oliver Basselin. Ho .had a gift for composing satirical verses, which he set to music. As his songs were snug throughout. the valley in which he dwelt-, they acquired ihe nickname of “val-" or " van-de-vire ” couplets. .In drifting away from the place of it-s birth,, the soubriquet gradually degenerated into the word ‘‘vaudeville,'’ and the character of the verses altered. A modern French vaudeville is a. little theatrical piece, interspersed with songlets; about I.S'j'J the French playwright Scribe wrote a one-act comedy-drama outi;led "Aliehel et Christine," and that, was perhaps the first that was rhn.Mened a. ''vaudeville. ’ AAhal wo call vaudeville is in France called " varieties ’’ or " variety." Alis.s Kate Hnwavde, mlio wrote and produced “ Possum Paddock," which has scored sneit sticc-ss in Sydney and Alclhounio, has been writing plays for more than twenty year- and has travelled all over rite vorld with theatrical companies- As a playwright she won the regard of Air Bland Holt, who advised her to pack up half-a-dozen manuscript-. and try them on the American market. Aliss Howarde accordingly went, off to the Untied Ftales, and landed in San Francisco. Then came the earthquake and Aliss Howard barely escaped with her life. She was staying in an hotel that was badly damaged and Inst most, ol her possessions, including the trunk containing the precious AI.SB. This experience taught Aliss Howarde to duplicate everything she writes. If she had not taken this precaution she might-have line! to rewrite a portion of ‘‘ Possum Paddock," the original Af.SS. having been partially burnt through falling into a fire soon after it was completed. The spectacular production “Eastward Ho at 1 He London Alhambra presents, in addition to the hitman i players, a. large animal east, asserted ' to include "canids, cats, dogs, doves, elephant*, jaguars, lions, owls, rabbits,' white _ mice, hedgehogs and hippopotami." Thoughtless persons who insist, on talking during a. musical performance, marring the pleasure of those who would listen to the music, we have ahvays with us. It is curious to note, says an American musical journal, that tins particular pest. M - ns already extant more than two thousand years ago. Tn tlie ancient, hook “ Keelesiastos" we road, " Speak, thou that art the elder, for it hecometh thro hut with sound judgment, and hinder not, music.” AUH'c Gina Pa'lenuc, an actress who lias mitered into management, in London, confesses that she is horrified at the cost, ol theatrical production, and incidentally at ibe urico of socks.

11 Everything in musical comedy,” she says. ” is provided by the management, oven down to the actor’s socks, and mv manager tolls me they cost 8s 6d a pnir.” lUdllc Palermo considers that tlie erase fot rovue is waning, and tliat ihcre mill he a return to the host style n; musical comedy, with a light hub sustained plot. lleferring to war plays in a recent interview, Mr .Albert'do' Conrvillc, who controls a number of English prodnevmns, said " Personally I think plays that arc war pl;jys in any sense of tim word are finished for many years to come. 1 think the majority of people arc feeling so sore about the tragedy ol it all that a long time must elapse before a war play grips an audience. You cannot present the ‘ illusion ’ of war to men who have felt it and smelt it and seen. Ihe cleverest producer cannot hope to present a picture that will convinre an audience of expert' critics—and (he hulk of men in lingland to-day come under this category. They have seen war."

tdteu the world has wondered over Pietro Mascagni; why his first opera was his one and only success. Tho solution offered is that he was overborne. by his initial success. If only " (.avalliera Rnsticnna ” had not been so well received - just a little hit of success, enoftgh to encourage Piotrb. ‘'When,” said his admirers', “would the maestro offer another gem to the world':”’ Pietro for answer gave them “ l/Amico Fritz.” “I Uiuitzau,” “Zanetto.” “Silvano,” “Iris,” “ |, c •Marchcza.” and in Jin7 “ l.odolotta,” lint he did not succeed aAi before. People looked at each other and said, “ Mmm, pretty good, hut, it isn’t at his best. But such is the curious mind of the world, Mascagni continues power! u] in reputation. He need never have written another note. For that beautiful phrasing in the intermezzo. and tor the dashing action of the opera, the first realistic, commonlife music-drama, Mascagni deserves to live. A man who gives the world one such beautiful idea and song of beauty is a hero greater and mote potent than conquerors of peaceful lands or soldier warriors.

! hough them have been orrasionnl “ ‘Shakespeare revivals” in Tendon recently, there has been nothing corresponding to the continuous production ol Irving, ! ree and earlier actor-man-agers. In ‘‘ Last Words on the Drama,” hv Henry Arthur Jones, now appearing in pamph I iorm in England previous to collection in. n hook, the dramatist veiers to the loss this causes iu the fiaitung of actors‘ 1 Me have largely lost our standards and traditions of Shakespearian acting. We can no longer give a tvorthy performance of hh great tragedies by an all-round eompaity trained in the delivery of hlank tcr.se. 1 shall ask what hopes we may nurse of restoring Shakespeare to that, leadership of the English theatre which he held from his own dav until a generation ago: how we can best train a. body of actors and actresses to render bis character in such a powerful and convincing way as to make his plays attractive to popular audiences ; how wc can persuade our playgoers that he L not an antiquated bore, whose personages talk interminable lengths of stilted, nnnatural verse; hnt a warm, living human playwright, who has deeply interesting stories to tell them in heightened. hut ouite natural, language; am! a_ universal panorama of ever-varying life and character to unfold before the in.”

I'he English stage is .the poorer by >l. 11. Ir.ynig s death. He had not attained the heights of his gifted father, hut he was a sound actor, whose work displayed tho mind ot the scholor. Critics, of course fsays a Sydney paper), differed as to the actor’s methods, as, indeed, they always will differ where the higher drama is concerned! Xotably was this the case with his Hamlet. The long line of nohie Danes challenged him. Irving's conception, however, did nut suffer so very much by comparison, if the prejudices invariaitiy associated nith first impressions are disregarded. Wrings Louis XL, immortalised by ' icutr Hugo iu “ Xotre Damn.” was perhaps a role in which the older Irving had won fame. In the version staged liy H. If. Irving in Australia, he drew a vivid picture of the cunning old king, whose craftiness was not equalled hv the heartless Richard 111. One recall's how powerfully ho brought out the utter hypocrisy of the man who crossed himsell while the Angelins toiled, and kissed the image of the saint <m his cap as he condemned his enemies io gruesome torture. and declaimed against the people while depending on their strong right arm : or, as burdened wiih the crimes of years, he momentarily sought relief in Iho merry company‘of the peasants- “The Lyons -Mail, ’ with ijj; double parts of LcsnrqiiPs and Dubose, is an old-time favourite which fairly tests the actor. H. IL Irving, a deep student, of criminology v had great scope in the play. First produced m Haris in 1800, with Lacressoniere in the dual role, it was transplanted to England with Kean as Lcsurques. So popular did it become that Trying, sen., retained "The Lyons -Mail” in his repertory for twentyeight years. I here, was another part in which H. R. Irving showed his art in its highest form--Mathias, in "The Hells,” an adaptation of ErckmannChntrian's play. “The Polish Jew.” It is_ recollected as a memorable performance. His father achieved one of his greatest triumphs in this stirring drama, his own version, at the Lyseniii, London, in, 1871. Forty years la ter the son opened the Queen's Theatre with it, and kept it in his repertory throughout his colonial tour.

M!SS DOROTHY MURDOCH. DAME AIELBA’S PROTEGE. “I think shy will bo one ol Uie world's greatest contraltos-!’ 'I hat On vs the -Melbourne " iTerald ”) ts tun career predicted by Dame Nellie Melba lor .Miss Dorothy Murdoch, the youthful singer who has hooked her passage to England by the Ormonde on .] a unary M. When asked recently by a J.ondon interviewer whether there were any ‘'budding Melbas’’ in Australia, Or.me .Nellie mentioned the names of Stella- Power and Dorothy Murdoch. I he, diva has urged Miss .Murdoch to take to the, operatic stageHad (he gifted Australian not made ai rangemeut.s lor her departure, she would have appeared he.ro in the role ol “Cannon.” However, she is so eager to roach London that she would not accept the engagement offered. Originally it was Miss Murdoch’s intention to become a solo pianist. It was her skill in this branch of music that provided the passport- for bor to enter fho East Melbourne Couservatorimn as a Graham Moore scholarship student. 'When directed to take up a second subject, she had almost decided to give preference to the study ol 1 hr- ’cello, when someone persuaded* her to give singing a trial. The decision changed her whole musical career. I’nknow;n to Mbs ß Dorothy, opportunity was knocking at the door, tor she had no idea that she could sing. Dame Nellie Melba made the discovery one day when Miss Murdoch was diligently warbling exorcises in Miss Anne Williams's singing ehtss. After that no mure 'lime was-spent m mastering pianoforte compositions, Now Miss Mntdoch has u contralto voice of remarkable richness and purity, Iter range covering three oetares. She call lake the, top oas clearly as a fenot. -Miss Murdoch is tfrenty-oue years of age. and is a daughter of Mr and Airs George Alurdoch, Giffard Street WilHamsfown. * ’ As a pupil of Kerr Seharte, Miaj Atiirdoch carried off nutnv prizes tn the pianoforte sections at the A.N’.A. competitions some years ago. caittiic' a- \ arious times the championship* ottered ty competitors under Ig. 14 |.‘, lit and IS rears of age. 5 About four years ago she secured the Ormond scholarship which ,»t}Tit'o-l her to iipciipir a student ut the tui, Mly Couita'vauiiiuuv