MUSIC AND THE STAGE

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17218, 8 December 1923, Page 10 (Supplement)

MUSIC AND THE STAGE

BY THE LIMELIGHT MAN

Madame Lyda Lipkovska, the famous ivussian prima donna, who has been broug.it to .\ew Zealand by Air E. J. Gravestock, appeared at the Christchurch Theatre Royal on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, and will appear again to-night and on Monday. The novel touch is given by the singer appearing in some striking costumes, her idea being to give the appropriate atmosphere to her songs by wearing dresses of the period. Madame Lipkovska has the art of wearing clothes ns to the manner born, and she carried off triumphantly what would undoubtedly he a dangerous experiment to other venturesome people. The Russian artiste is fn-’r-hairod. slight of build and youthful looking. She has a pleading personality and a bright manner. From the musical point of view, the cormrts gave the audience evorv satinet inn. Madame L-nkovska m*»v he described as a soprano. most at hopie in tYn florid or br'"~nra stvle of mns*'c which so often co-front* ooerntic sopranos. She is n verv c Wer singer, whose tec 1 * Twe-e has been lvVMv developed frills, r-ns. and eaden Z a s are hHI. ljou+l prod—e.«d. and when anything BT^oi«n v d.flSenlt in tu wav of vooal is demanded she rise.* nohlv to the occasion. SUo Urings a thorough to all her songs, which jit-o oli >nvocted w’th q ch°rm hv thi s very accomplished actress- j sing-r. | ' r * Tr„ mn i, r(lv Ri-hon, of the R-m- • phrev Comedy and Oa«rotip Companv who onen.s an Au-Mand sop. * t r-KnHmas. is a Londoner, who. ho fore tai-ing nn the role of entrenreneur. was famous as a sinter. Up. nn _ peered at most of the principal events throughout Great Britain, some of his important appearances being at the London Opera House . (Hammerstein Season), Queen's Hall Promenade Concerts under Sir Henry Wood, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Royal Albert Hall, and the first performance | of ‘‘ Parsifal ” at the Sheffield Festival ! 'p 1911. Air Bishop has sung under the baton of most of the famous conductors, including Hans Richter and Niktoh. Air Bishop has much faith in the future of Australian artists, and throughout his tours abroad has always had a number of them with his company. Few could have better claims to the title of cosmopolitan than Miss Gertrude Elliott, the celebrated actress at present appearing in Auckland. Miss Elliott was horn in America, of Tri«h parents, was brought up in England, and married n famous Scot. Sir Johnston Forbes Robertson, who is the acknowledged head of the English stage. She has won the applause of every large city in Great Britain, Europe, America, Canada and South Africa, mainly as the star of her own dramatic company, but often in association with her distinguished husband Aliss Elliott is touring the Dominion under the J. C. Williamson direction. Her repertoire includes 44 Woman to Woman,” “Bluebeard’s Eighth Wife,” . “ Smilin’ Through,” and “ Enter j Madame.” The company supporting bar includes William Mollison, Mavne Lvnton, Lilias W alder grave. Anne M’Ewen. Athol Forde, Herbert "Wil- ! Hard, ATdton Brookes. Gertrude Bo.swoll, T. M. Oliff and J. B Rowe manx of whom are artists with English reputations. Air G. L. Petersen, the well-known advance manager for Wirth Bros.’ Circus, arrived last week to make arrangements lor a tour of New Zealand, to begin at the Bluif about December 10. Always seeking novelties in order to . maintain the exceptionally high standard they have set for themselves in catering for the entertainment for the j whole of Australasia, the Wirth Bros, regularly scour the civilised world for the very latest, and, as the result of Air George and P. Wirth’s recent toure, some new and thrilling acts will be seen

in New Zealand. Prince Guiseppi Bignoli (the smallest jockey and comedy artist in the world), Bert Hughes and company of Indies and gentlemen who play basketball on bicycles (a very clever act(; the Egocbago Troupe of | bullfighters from South America; Big Alfredo, Spanish clown ; and trained dogs' from Cuba ; Alimi Wharton and Louie Camelle (duo jugglers extraordinary) ; Evans and Perez (the equilibrists without equal). These are a few of the new artists who will make their first appearance in New Zealand, together with the rest of the company, contributing to a programme that only : Wirth Bros.’ wonderful organisation can enable to be presented in one performance. There are also several new animal acts, while the augmented menagerie, with its rarities from all parts of the world, including the largest herd of elephants ever seen in New Zealand, with baby Jessie, the smallest elephant in the world. Air Ronald Rilev, of the Allen Doone Company, which is now appearing at the New Princess Theatre, Melbourne, is ambitions to shine as a playwright. He has already written several short dramatic sketches which have been successfully done in vaudeville. One of the display windows at the an amazingly varied collection of souvenirs acquired by Allen Doone in the course of his wanderings, including many trophies of the chase. The popular actor-manager is a keen sportsman and is never more happy than when ho can turn his back on the theatre and with dog and gun seek sport afield. “Intimate” - theatres have existed for a good many years in the leading cities of northern lands. Nok (says tli“ “ Aro-us”) Alelbourne is to be provided with one —the reconstructed Athenaeum Hall. From the front of the stage to the front of the dress circle the distance will he only 35ft. In circle stalls and gallerv there will be room for an anrlience of 1150. It is exr»ect«*d that the new theatre will open in Alay, with Ada Reeve as the star. ) A pig played a leading hut unrehearsed part on the first night of “Sweet County Keiry” (produced by the Allan Doone company) at the Princess Theatre (says the “ Australasian”). There was a farm yard scene with a good deal ol live stock about in the wav of pigs, poultry and pigeons. A merry old marketing counle wishing to join a country dance dropped their pig, which immediately hounded over the footlights on to the piano, and fin- _ ally fell into the orchestra. It was the greatest success of the evening—the r audience roaring with laughter. If the pi'i- could he persuaded to do it again “ Sweet ‘ County Ferry” would he an enormous draw. L *.* Seldom has a whirlwind farce made such a hit as has been registered by Hugh J. Ward’s new offering at the New Palace, “Tons of Money” (s«va tho Alelbourne “Table Talk 7). Thu

enthusiasm with which it was received by a packed first-night house has since been maintained. An outstanding feature of “ Tone of Aloney ” is the personal triumph of Dorothy Bruntou. Her piquant vivacity and the artistic finish which her work reveals are an abiding joy. Charles Heslop, the engaging young London comedian, succeeds on the instant. His comedy is a diverting I blend of mental and physical alacrity ! that is refreshingly novel. Fulminations from the pulpit are t great house-fillers (writes a “ Bulletin ” , correspondent) ; but the difficulty is to I get them going. In a company I was connected with we used to book the , local hall for two nights, but advertise, one performance only. We would invite j all the parsons to come along and see I that our version of “Sappho” was not ! as luscious as our press pars hinted it was. Some would refuse in letters that j were usually good advertising, l»ut the majority came, and were audibly shocked—we always put them near the press-seats. Their running comments brightened up next day’s papers. Alongside appeared the intimation—announced, too, before the performance closed —that in response to many requests “ Sappho ” would be repeated for one more night. It was invariably j the second performance that drew the ( bumper house. ATr Henry Russell, who has just arrived in Alelbourne to undertake the artistic direction of the Alelbourne season of grand opera, is a son of the Henry Russell well known as a songwriter some sixty years ago, some of his songs being “ Cheer, Boys, Cheer,” “ Woodman Spare That Tree ” and “ A Life on the Ocean Wave.” A second son is Sir Landon Ronald, the composer and conductor—another of Alelba’s discoveries. Air Henry Russell says that j grand opera in America is largely main- } tained by millionaiies, and adds:— I “ From the theatrical business man, T regret to say, T have always had opposition. Instead of helping me over my difficulties, the people have made the rents of their theatres prohibitive. It i is the more refreshing, therefore, to j find a large theatrical firm in Australia | risking enormous sums to give AusI tralia opera, especially when it stands a chance of not making a penny. That firm is doing what the millionaires do in Great Britain and America, and the Government does in France and Italy. Opera is the most expensive luxury in the world, and the fact is that British people are nrepared to pay less for it than any other people in the world.”