THE STAGE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16737, 19 May 1922, Page 11

THE STAGE.

NEWS AlfD NOTES.

(By the “ LIMELIGHT MAN.")

After hearing Miss Clarice Coles, a young Sydney contralto, sing. Dame Nellie Melba said :—“Tell the Sydney people that she must- get away to London at the earliest opportunity. Hers is indeed a beautiful voice.” A public movement has been started to provide funds to enable sli.ss Coles to go to London for further study.

51 r. Allan Wilkie believes that the day of great actors is pa«st; that while audiences, through higher civilisation, have lost something of their responsiveness. and are no longer played upon like strings, the present-day actor has lost something, too. “ TVc have been trained to repress our feelings, till now we can no longer express great emotion or tragic force with the old facility. The peasant with the instincts of a gentleman makes the best actor.” A unique attraction appearing in Sydney under the J. and N. Tait management is the original and complete company of Irish Players, from the Abbey Theatre, Dublin. in “Tlie TT hite-heaided Hoy.” This remarkable organisation is now in its sixth year, and Australia is the sixth country of its triumphant world’s tour. “The TVhi.te*headed Boy” is described as “ a play of all periods and of all lands.” Tt is a very fine comedy of the Hie of a family which has iivod for years in a country parish. The complete company, which has been brought to Australia so that the production may bo complete in every detail as given for years by the Irish Players, comprises twelve artists.

The last -of Dame Nellie- Melba’s concerts lor the people, given at the Town Hall, Sydney, last month, ended with a. great emotional scene. Melba had sung her Inst group of songs, concluding with the greatly-admired Tcst-i’s

“ Good-bye.” But no gooy-bye was allowed at this stage by the vast audience. Another song. “ Cornin’ Through the Rye,” had to bo given. Then, as the applause did not cense, tlie singer raised her hand to command silence, and voiced a farewell in tones full -of the deepest feeling: “M.v dearly beloved public this is the last of my concerts for tho people, and, believe me. I am full of emotion to-night. I am perhaps singing to my darling Australian .people fqr the last time. T have been singing many years now. and I am sorry that this is my last concert. I am going to Europe very shortly. Good-night, and thank you all.” Thereupon the orchestra struck up “For She’s a Jolly Good Fellow.” Some 4.000 people sang it lustily,, standing, and cheering wildly at the end. All who could thronged around Melba. who plucked her many floral offerings to pieces and scattered the flowers among the eager crowd. Then, with a “ Thank you very much,” Melba made her escape.

Sweet Nell Stewart, the star of the actors’ matinee, got a reception that would warm old Kosciusko in midwinter (says the Sydney “ Bulletin.”) TV hen she flung one shapely leg over and sat down on the Capulet wall, the house took several minutes to tell her glad it was about it all. Nell was clad in sapphire-blue tights, a fine lawn shirt, a sapphire-studded sword bolt, and a doublet of blue and ivory brocade. Her little cameo face was framed in a cap of blue and white carrying a cheeky iridescent feather. She made a winsome Romeo, and her speaking voice is rich as ever. Nellie had to come back and bow a dozen times at curtain, and she was pelted with violets from the boxes and stalls, while a conventional floral heap was being laid at her feet. Her final bow was in front of the definitely-dropped curtain. “ Nothing but a dodge,” she chirruped, to bring me close to the footlights so you may see niv wrinkles.” Tt was sfarjorie Bennett as Juliet, not Nellie aK the slim, fuzzy-beaded Montague, who looked too old for tho part. Marjorie's farcical comedy accents were really a handicap to the Romeo; but the little blonde lady could not stop tlie veteran artist from making a triumphant finish.

Rosa Raisa, dramatic soprano of the Chicago Opera Company, who played the part of Elizabeth in “ Tannhauser, ' and Giacomo Rimini, famed baritone of the same company, wlio has been heard in various roles, have signed a

contract to appear on the concert stag* in Australia within a feu - months, according to Frederic Shipman, managing director of tlie International Tours. Ltd., of Sydney, Australia.

Dame Clara Butt and her husband, Mr. Kenncrley Ru inford, had a novel experience at Vancouver, British Columbia. The Cululol Theatre was occupied by a theatrical company, but tlie difficulty was got over by the famous concert artists appearing after the

conclusion of the theatrical performance. 'Hie concert started at 11 o’clock each evening, and ended at 1.30 next morning. Despite file cold weather, the audiences were large and enthusiastic.

According to the “ Sydney Morning Herald” 51r Frederick Shimpan has arranged for a tour by the London String Quartet, who will arrivo iu August next year. Tin’s eminent combination consists of James Levy and Thomas TT . Petrie, violins: H. Waldo TVarner, viola ; and (’. Warwick Evans ’cello. Mr. Shipman, was also in touch with Raul Dufault. who continues in fine voice and excellent health. The popular Franco-Canadian tenor had been touring Canada a great deal, and had so many dates ahead there, and in tho northern States of America, that lie declared bis earliest Australian date would be September. 1923.

French theatrical managers are much concerned over the amusement tax. Recent meetings in all the larger French cities are said to have given opportunity for bitter expressions on the part of the managers, who declared they were only just able to balance expenses, and that if new taxes were added it would mean either closing or a rise in the admission price. The latter solution is considered out of the question, as the public already are protesting at having to pay more than the pre-war price. Only one happy note lias been beard in the discussion of the problem thus far. Comedians in all parts of France have decided to form a syndicate' of their own. pledging to put on the best French farces on a profit sharing basis if the. managers consent to give up their copyrights. An interesting musical event this year will he the forthcoming celebration of the Jubilee of Trinity College of Tin sic (London). Tlie College was founded in 1872’, and from a comparatively modest, beginning hqs grown to such Miraensiono that for this Jubilee year the collegiate buildings are in process of enlarge tent and alteration to form an impomg structure to correspond with the important world-wide, position the college holds to-day -a position that has been accomplished without a penny -of State aid, by the

cians of foremost rank. The cedebra--tioas will take place on June 14, 15 and 16. appropriately enough just after Trinity Sunday, when a number of musical and academic ceremonies pill be held. 51 any New Zealanders have passed the examinations *of the college. “ Trinity ” to-day is an Empire institution. “When I was her© previously,” Miss Diana TVilson said to an Australian interviewer, “ I used to regard the London musical comedy stage as the peak of perfection, and this. doubtless, eluded my perspective of what was being done in Australia. I am now convinced that it would do many English and American producers good to see the work Australian girls are doing. I found the English girls tired and lazy and physically far less attractive than their clever, hard-working Australian contemporaries. If you tell a London producer that you have played in Australia, you are regarded in the provincial class : the standard here is in many instances higher than that obtaining in London. T visited the elusive fashion centres of Vienna., Paris, and other largo cities. but, from what T have seen of Melbourne and Sydney women, they are quite as well dressed as their Continental sisters. and generally wear their clothes better.”