Music and the Stage

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17246, 12 January 1924, Page 25

Music and the Stage

Miss Gertrude Eiliott (Lady Forbes Robertson', the famous English actress, supported by her specially selected company, opens her Christchurch season on Thursday, January 17, in “ Woman to Woman. ' This will be followed by “ Bluebeard's Eighth Wife,” on January 24, by “ Smilin’ Through ” on January 28, and the season will close with “ Enter Madame,” which will be produced on February 1. The opening play, '* Woman to Woman,” is a powerful drama by Michael Morton( and Miss Elliott and her company have scored successes with it in the principal cities of Great Britain, America, South Africa and recently in--Australia her tour was one round of triumphs. The story of " Woman to Woman” brieflly is: Louise Deloryse iMiss Gertrude Elliott;, a Trench dancer, is the mother of a child whose father was an Engiish soldier m Fr-.nce during the “war. After many year rhe again finds hef lover, to learn that he is, and was. a married man. The dramatic conflict between the two women centres not round, .the lover, but round the child. The situations so created have much appealing beauty' in them, and the interest touches dcer> human Miss Elliott s company includes Wil- \ Lam Mollison, Mayne • Lynton, Lilias Waldcgrave, Herbert Milliard. Athol Forde, Milton Brooks. Anne M Ewan; J. B Rowe. T. M Olift. Gertrude Boswell and Dan MXcan.

Tho following tribute to Miss Gertrude Elliott is from the Auckland “ Herald ” :—Playgoers who hare been able to witness all the pieces in which Miss Gertrude Elliott has appeared will long retain a memory of her charm and the infinite variety of her art. They will possess recollections of her in appealing emotional drama in which she has been faultless, comedy in which she has been perfection itself, and cultured characterisation the keynote of which has been complete understanding and naturalness. ” There were four Musgrove brothers —George. Harry, Frank and Arthur. Sons of Harry are Harry G. (of the Sydney Tivoli) and Victor (with First National, Sydnev). Jack and Georga are sons of Arthur. Jack is Harry'3 right hand man at the Tivoli. A cable message from Sydney states that broadcasting tests carried out by the leading theatres with microphone.a pane: in the orchestra have resulted successful!)’, the hand-clapping and laughter of the audience being recorded with clarity. It is stated by wireless authorities that listeners-in hear more distinctly than the audiences at theatres, as, when the sounds the picked up by the microphone, they ar~ considerably amplified by the wireless station prior to transmission to subscribers. Mr Joe Brennan, the Dame of Mr Hugh Ward’s pantomime, *• Mother Goose.” at the New Palace Theatre, Melbourne, takes life easily and calmly ana ls so instinctively observe that much of hi? laughable grotesquerie when be la on the at age is leully

' | whimsical caricature of everyday hap- , | pemngs which in another context would ; bo too commonplace to provoke even i a smile. Although generally asso- ) * ciated with broad comedy in the - j minds of theatregoers, Mr Brennan lias - * /.n fact played dramatic roles with considerable success. t -j On the last night of “The O’Brien : ; Girl ” a box, draped with the Union - j Jack and decorated with bouquets, led i the audience to expect the advent ot a representative of the King (says the Sydney “ Sun ”). It was, therefore, a • somewhat surprised audience that | found itselr involuntarily rising to ’fcs j collective feet when, to the strains ot ■ a patriotic tune, the sisters Pounds, just at the rise of the curtain in the semi-light, advanced to the front of I the box. As soon as they awoke to the fact of what had happened, many, who j considered this was carrying the “ wel come homo ” campaign a little too far. sat down. | Alex F. Litligow. the Launceston | (Tas.) bandmaster is a compositor as , well as a composer (writes a “ Bulletin ” correspondent) He served his , time on the “ Southland Times” Maoriland), and some of the marches now popular with bands in various parts of the world—particularly in the ( U-S.A. where they have been shame- . lessly pirated—were roughed out while

he was slinging type. As a youth of *2O he won the solo cornet championship of Maoriland, and a couple of rears later he did it again. Bert Frost, brother of Sydney organist Lilian, is lending a hand in Lithgow’s orchestral venture as organist, secretary and treasurer—all honorary. Grace Palotta has r.o more forgotten Australia than Australia has forgotten Grace Palotta (says the Sydney “ Theatre ”). The memory still abides with thousands, and if she ever came back to the Australian stage she would have a great time—and so would we. It would be like renewing youth to some of us. For, according to Miss Isabel Ramsay, who paid her a visit the other day at Colombo, she is as young and as beautiful as ever. And she actually thinks ot making the experiment. She says, however, that she would not return to the stage un- j less she secured star roles. And why > should she not? She was a fine ! actress, and, in any case, to see her ' smile would be worth the gate money, j “ Strange how sometimes the mem- ] cry will play one a trick,” said Ada .ieeve, in a reminiscent mood. ‘‘l have been doing ‘Ain 1 ! yer Jim’ for .en years, yet recently in Melbourne I .it a big community singing gathering ! t the Town Hall, the words suddenly went right out of my memory. For a moment 1 looked blankly at the audience, then explained what had happened. I couldn’t for the life of • *< a : again. Then omeone in the Iront chairs prompted me with the missing words, and they came back to me like a flash again; I V have hear-I of other artists forgetting j line* they have been speaking night I after night for months, bu 4 this was 1

Js=U lic-i UcCJ U=U Usaj UczJ Ucil Uc U Ueil UctJ UuiJ llt=U Ucz the first time I had ever had such a disconcerting experience myself.” Ada Reeve started her stage life at the age of six in the part of Little Willie in “East Lynne.” She never remembers having staee fright—that was to come later when the confidence of extreme youth had worn off—but on one occasion she was sick, and the management was at its wits’ end to find a substitute. The artist laughs at the reminiscence now. Failing to find a suitable child, one of the actors was deputed to get under the bed in the death scene and deliver the child’s last word 6 while a dunmiv represented the body. No one but the critic of the local paper appeared to notice the man under the bed, but the pressman gave the show away with the amusing comment: “ Little Willie has grown considerably since we last saw him. His boots were projecting from under the bed.” Referring to “ Little Nellie Kelly,” which was produced in Melbourne recently. a Melbourne paper says:— “ Little Nellie Kelly ’’ made her debut at the New Princess in a triumph of movement, melody, mirth and goodwill. Ovations were the order of the night. The first was given to Mr Hugh J. Ward when he entered his box a few minutes before curtain rise. Thereafter the entrance of each old favourite caused a hiatus in the show, while a capacity house boomed a welcome home. For sheer gorgeousness of col our, catchy music, excellent dancing and abundance of fun. George M. Cohan’s ” Little- Nellie Kelly ” is one ot the best shows of its kind that Melbourne has seen for a long time. Zest is added to the comedy by the intro duction of a real plot—the loss of a valuable necklace and implication of Nellie’s lover.”

An actor from Maoriland tells me that masterpieces from old Ingersoll’s brush are still to be seen in some of the “ smalls” (writes a Sydney “Bulletin ” correspondent), I recall an ingersoll drop-curtain at Picton. Above a groggy Windsor Castle a flag as big as the tower stood in tho breeze, as if it had been cut from tin. On Father Thames, Noah. his wife. and their three sons and daughters-in-law had stepped out of a tiny ark into something that might pass for a skiff : eight oars were in the air and eight in the water. In the foreground a cock-eyed cow’ grazed among flowers as large as cabbages. But bucolic Maoriland accepted bis works of art as the things proper to the occasion : and I daresay many a better man’s product was condemned for no other reason than that it was different. Novelty acts are always a popular feature of pantomime, and in this particular direction ‘'Mother Goose” at the New Palace Theatre, Melbourne, is notably strong, no fewer than four specialties having been provided by Mr Hugh J. Ward for that production. The Flying Torpedo, a daring turn by the Mirano Brothers. Italian athletes, is described as a spine freezing' sensation. The Littlejohns, two clever young performers, give a delightful juggling interlude with a setting that is a veritable blaze of

jewels. No fewer than a million R Milestones have been used to adorn their costumes, properties and a beau tiful back cloth that is really a cascade of gems. The- completion of this draping which is covered with gems as closely as a fish is with scales,, took two years of patient work to accomplish. Other notable acts in “ Mother Goose ” are those of the marvellous Fredos, quaintly humorous acrobats. and the Royal Wonders, a band of merry youngsters who do amazing things.

Who has won great praise for her brilliant acting in “ Sally, which is coming to Christchurch shortly.

] The event, of the week in Sydney j musical circles has been the Melba I concert in the Town Hall (writes a correspondent of the “ New Zealand Times”). As it was tho only on© given by the diva, and incidentally her first appearance before an Australian audience, since her return from Europe earlier in the month, much interest was naturally centred in it. Melba was not a disappointment. The years have dealt- very gently with Dame Nelly. Her arrival on the platform was the signal for a storm of applause seldom or never heard in a New Zealand city. The dame is still the queen of song, the darling of Australian hearts. Gowned in flame, with a magnificent bandeau of diamonds across the soft, wavy hair, which the art of the Old World still keeps beautifully brown and youthful, Melba presented a truly regal figure as she swept on to the platform. The hand-clapping, interspersed with coooes, was literally deafening. The songstress bowed and curtsied with the grace of a girl. Melba lias never let j herself get to avoirdupois, as have so many of her sisters in the realm of song. The milk-white shoulders and arms might well be the envy of many r "•omaii, say, thirty years her junior.

Of the celebrated “ Stiffv ” and “ Mo ” Revue, who are now having a successful season at the Opera House. Talking about popular music, Mr E J. Tait, who has returned to Sydnev from a trip abroad, said, “ Yes. We Have No Bananas ” was being replaced in New York by a new air entitled “ Cut Yourself a Piece of Cake and Make Yourself at Home.” * o Prudence Vanbrugh, daughter of Violet and niece of Irene, has scored a big success as Princess Flavia in a Haymarkeb revival ot “ The Prisonei of Zenda.” A tall, dark, graceful girl who resembles both her mother anther aunt. Prudence is only twenty The first pantomime introduced t the English stage was “Tavern BiL ers,” and was by J-olin Weaver. Tlr was in 17C2, and it was produced a

_)rury Lane. The great originator o' pantomime in Fngland was. however John Rich, who devised this form oJ entertainment as we know it in 1717. Rumour has it that a new syndicatio shortly to be formed in London be tween Hugh D. MTntosh, Charles Gul liver (the vaudeville circuit manager and Charles Cochrane (the revue prince). The. first star to be shot on to the theatrical horizon under this combine (says a Sydney paper) will b - Toots Pounds, who. after fulfilling a few dates on the music halls already hooked, will separate from her sister Lorna. A musical production is to be chosen as the medium for this glitter Ml* Florenz Ziegfeld. who has just presented his eighteenth annual ed;tior. of the “ Ziegfeld Follies” in .New York, has decided that this will be the last of the series. Although this is what might be termed an American theatrical event, it has a universal &p- ---; plication and bearing. The first revue | produced by Mr Ziegfeld eighteen ! years ago served as a world-wide patj tern, and other producers paid him the j compliment of appropriating his title, i li I can produce" no more ‘Follies,’” says Mr Ziegfeld. 11 because I have spoiled the public, and no theatre is large enough and the prices charged are not high enough to meet the expenses. The original ‘ Follies * cost less than £3OO to produce and between £<oO and £BOO to run. The eighteenth version cost more than £BO.OOO tx* stage and £OOOO weekly to run. The cost of rehearsals has jumped from £2< K) . £2< (0 When the first show was produced the chorus ■- t m< i ■ £l2 Now thi ■ st is £70.”

Charles B. Cochran, the “ produer,” is disillusioned about London aste (writes u London correspondent ) the “Bulletin.”) Asked lately to jin in a **’ symposium ” on tko quesion of changing one’s views on imx>rtant matters, he let the others >rattle about religion or polities, and .alked of his own business:—“ 1 thought once that the British public .ranted new ideas in the theatre. I’ve jkanged my mind. ‘ The Merry Widow ’ is packing Daly’s. The most successful >ox-offiee play at the moment is ‘ The hisoner of Zenda.’ The most successtil musical comedy recently had a diferent title, but the same situations, -he same jokes, and even one of the actual players popular at the Gaiety twenty years ago. The scenery and costumes looked the same. The most successful reveuo has tho humour of clie music hall of twenty-five years ago. • Anna Christie,’ wonderfully acted, lost money : ‘ Chauve Souris ’ lost money ; ‘The Miracle.’ lost money: and so on—l could till a column.” Perhaps the publicity man whom the Coch•ans and the rest have hired has had something to do with it. He can and does use as many superlatives about the rottenest show as about the best—wherefore tho public begins to take no notice of any recommendations. In act. it cynically says that everything new is poor, and flocks to the old acoordingly. # j An old woman has taken New York j by storm. An old woman who it frankly old. wrinkled. frail, ill. at limes wizened. Without the least ve» | tije of artificiality to gloss over he; | i age, she has made Broadway bow ! Broadway that loves youth. An old woman with a wonderful art. Eleanora Duse, perhaps the world’s foremost tragedienne, packed the Metropolitan Opera House for her first performance there in twenty packed it wit l ) devotees of art and fashion And whib she “ gloried in her age.” as one critic said, Duse stirred up the ternal question of how many women should meet the rears—placidly, or with a fight * 3he is 62. To-day artists are talking about the elderlv Duse who disdains her •make up.” They arc applying he. evident philosophy to everyday women. Would it do for them h “ Eleanora Duse stood there, tired, elderly beautiful. and unabashed, said one dra , matic critic after seeing her act. “No \'o Titian tresses °fresh from the hun factory. No ‘ uplifted ’ face and no operated cuticle. Age. fine, mellow, velvety, accumulated age- such as woman usually fears and loathes and j .detests., this strange woman actually J starred. Bernhardt at 74 looked , younger than Duse at her-much lighter | age.” And another critic wrote of her . ' “ She appears before the cruel foot- ! lights, old. thin All the signs of j physical weakness are there, cheeks j hollow, hands and arms on which years j are written. You know that vou see j the last of a great career She con- j quers age by ignoring it. Her soul is young.” But how would it do tor j every woman to accent her age that j way. to parade her wrinkles, to depend on her brain and her soul to keep her attractive after the relentless years have crept on ?