MUSIC AND THE STAGE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17758, 30 January 1926, Page 22

MUSIC AND THE STAGE.

Associated with Dame Clara Butt and Mr Kennerley Rumford is a noted pianist, Mdlle Marie Antoinette Aussenac. who was born in Portugal. Prior to leaving London she gave a special recital before the King and Queen of England at Buckingham Palace. She is a pianist of great talent and unusual personality. Amongst Fuller attractions which arrived in W ellington by the s.s. Moeraki from Melbourne are the Romano Bros., physical culturists and gladiatorial exponents, who have just finished a very successful season in Australia. “The *niree White Kuhns,*’ who established themselves as firm favourites when they were in Wellington three months ago, axe also appearing for a short season before returning to the States. 55 55 55 Guy Bates Post, who will open his Christchurch season next month, makes ** correctness in detail ” one of his chief hobbies in life. It is not generally known that Mr Post is an ardent musician, but the great actor admits that music has always been almost a fetish with him. “ Music and art are re-relat-ed,” says Mr Post, “ and one cannot love the theatre and beautiful plays without loving music. Music broadens

one, as does everything spiritual and beautiful. Only culture and understanding make for that quality that is necessary for an actor, a musician, a painter, to be really ‘ finished ’—if one can use such a term—as regards his art. An actor who is really ambitious goes through many years of slavery in order attain his desire. “The University of Hard Knocks' is another important help towards the goal of success, and the majority of the great artists have graduated from that school of learning.” There is originality and versatility in the offering which will be presented by the Cavanna Duo who are coming to Pullers* Opera House shortly. It is billed as “ The Free Exhibition,” and is a distinctly new and entertaining act, which opens with a scene depicting the exterior of a circus tent. Harry Cavanna in the character of a side show impresario undertakes making an “ open ing” or free exhibition to show the natives the high class character of his show. This serves to introduce Nancy Cavanna, who presents her harp solo and singing number. Following this number, Mr Cavanna introduces his specialty “ wire walking ” in which he Is an expert. His tricks are many and original. His comedy efforts are extremely clever, and a brisk dialogue abounding in circus talk, adds much to the enjoyment of the offering. At the finish of the act, Nancy Cavanna dances the popular “ Charleston ” dance which has been the craze in the United States and England. Miss Cavanna is one of the best “ Charleston steppers,” having won various contests in the United States. 55 55 55 Since returning from Brittany, where «he spent most of the summer, Miss Marie Ney, the talented and attractive New Zealand actress, has had her time fully occupied, writes “The Post’s” London correspondent under date December 15. She is now in Mr GranvilleBaxker’s fine four-act comedy, “The Madras House,” first produced in 1910, and recently revived with considerable success at the Ambassadors Theatre. Miss Ney lately appeared in a littleknown 18th century play by Reynolds, “The Dramatists,” which was put on at the London College Theatre. She Is becoming known, too, as a successful producer, one of her experiences in this capacity being the production of a one-act play for the Pioneer Club Dramatic Circle in celebration of Founder’s Da}'. She has also undertaken to produce a Ben Jonson play for the Gray stoke ex-Students’ Club, so her time is fairly fully occupied. The first Australian actress to face the footlights in London was Miss WinStanley. She went to England in 1830, and Charles Keane gave her the part Af Meg in “ Guy Manner ing.” She was so successful that her engagement lasted three years. 55 55 55 One of the most remarkable contortionist acts seen on a vaudeville bill in Jfdboume for many years opened a •ttfcsota at the Tivoli on Monday (says •he Melbourne “Leader” of January 16). %hty are known as the Four Kaneys.

and from their first entrance they keep the audience enthralled with the remarkable use's to which they put their agile bodies. Chaliapin, the famous Russian basso, who will give twenty-five concerts in Australasia, will leave for Australia on June 4. Under his contract with Messrs J. and N. Tait, Chaliapin is to receive a guarantee of £20,000, and a percentage of the receipts. For his recent Albert Hall concert, when 8000 persons attended, he received a fee of £I4OO, and for broadcasting a group of songs he was paid one thousand guineas. Anyone who wants to know what is the correct form in men s wear should consult Miss Ella Shields (says a Melbourne paper). She is an authority. All her male clothes are made at the most exclusive London establishments. As soon as the Prince of Wales sets a new style, Miss Shields’s tailor supplies her with a model, whether it be a dress waistcoat, Oxford bags or a bow tie. Her wardrobe in men’s attire alone is worth more than a couple of thousand pounds. Jack Cannot, who plays Peter Wither-

spoon in “ Leave It To Jane,” the brilliaYit musical play which will be presented by J. C. Williamson, Ltd, at the Theatre Royal this evening, is of French descent from the nobility of France for at least 300 years. He came twelve years ago to Australia, undei engagement to J. C. Williamson for twelve months. He has been down under ever since, and has established himself as one of the most popular comedians that have ever appeared iff New Zealand. Elsie Prince, who is appearing as Jack in “Jack and the Beanstalk,” at the Princess Theatre, Melbourne, is one of the best dressed principal boys Melbourne has yet seen. During the performance of the pantomime Miss Prince has no fewer than nine charges of costume. Of them her gleaming suit of mail in the Wagnerian finale to the first act is probably the most striking. More than 20,000 glittering silver sequins were used in the making of this suit which sheathes her from head to feet is flashing radiance. Another arresting costume is the white silk wedding suit, with richly jewelled head dress, she wears in the beautiful ensemble at the final curtain. Mr task in the staging twice a day of “ Jack and the Beanstalk,” for there are twenty changes of scene (says a Melbourne paper). These include an elaborate and artistic series showing different stages of growth of the magic beans. The scenic artist’s restraint in the choice of colour in these particular scenes has given a pleasing effect, for in keeping wholly to green and silver he gives very well the suggestion of a huge mass of bean vines. With bean fairies dressed in the same soft shade of green, and a vivid scarlet note introduced in the costumes of the tiny bean-flower children, the effect is unusual and a pleasant change from ths rainbow colouring of most transformation scenes. Josie Melville waved good-bye to her Sydney friends last Saturday as the Orama moved from the wharf; the little lady is on her way to London for further study (says a Sydney paper of January 14.) Not even Dot Brunton has a warmer popularity with stage people than Josie, who, remaining unspoilt by the quick successes which followed her elevation from the chorus to I play lead in “ Sally,” a part that exactly fitted her, is just little Josie to 1 everyone. As an artist she has distinct

limitations: but in such parts as Sally and the similar little lady in “ Good Morning, Dearie,” she will repeat her Australian triumphs in London, if London gives her the opportunity. Anyway, everybody who has met the natural, warm-hearted actress will wish her the best of luck. Walter Cornock, the principal comedian with F. Gayle Wyer’s revue company at present appearing at the Melbourne Bijou Theatre, has had a most interesting and varied career. He first appeared with a dramatic company, and later on in the title role of C. J. Dennis’s “Sentimental Bloke.” He has also appeared in vaudeville as a monologue entertainer with signal success; but his entry into revue has been the biggest hit of his career to date, and he has more than fulfilled the hopes of his greatest admirers (says a Melbourne paper). Walter Cornock is a comedian who never does the same thing twice; he rarely sticks to the script, and is often the despair of those unfortunate artists who have to speak lines with him—they never know what he is going to do or say next.

A beautiful Australian girl who takes the part of Tilli in “Lilac Time,” at

the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, is Mascotte Ralston. How she got her name is rather romantic (says a Melbourne paper). At the time she was born her father, John Ralston, who plays Schubert, the composer, in the production, was playing “La Mascotte.” He decided that such a circumstance was a heaven-sent opportunity of avoiding baptismal difficulties. With such a name Mascotte had to take up a theatrical career. After commencing in the chorus she was appointed understudy to Winnie Collins in “Primrose.” and played her part in Sydney. Later, she understudied Nellie Payne in “The Street Singer,” and also played her part for several weeks in Sydney. As Miss Ralston is only nineteen, she has made an excellent start along the high road to success in a theatrical career. 55 55 55 There is an extraordinarily large number of pleasant and amusing items packed into “The Music Box,” as well as some beautiful stage pictures (says the “Australasian”). Besides the wonderful orange grove, which is the star turn of the scenic effects, there is an original and effective dance scena, “The Fisherman's Dream.” A drop scene shows with startling realism sunflecked ocean depths crossed by the shadowy forms of fishes, and then the scene changes to a submarine cave. After a ballet of mermaids and fish, a fisherman in a dream penetrates to these ocean depths,* sees a lovely star-

fish emerge from a shell (this is not good natural history, but it is very pretty to see), and angles for her with a collar of pearls. Caught at last, the starfish tears herself loose, but dies of terror, while the fisherman floats to the surface again. It is a pretty and original fantasy, and carried out very well. ss :* :•! Afrikander, the intrepid trainer, who amazes audiences at Jack and the Beantalk by his mastery of five full-grown lions and two large tigers, achieves results by kindness, not .by fear (says a Melbourne paper). “Lions and tigers," he says, “are just as amenable to sympathetic treatment as are dogs and cats, and anyone who thinks to browbeat them into subjection will not only fail hopelessly, but probably run very grave risks of prompt and severe, if not fatal, retaliation. Of course some form of persuasion is needed to induce any animal to do unusual things, although in many respects what my lions and tiger#, do is not really unusual, it only seems so. The persuasion I use is to reward obedience or attempted obedience with dainty tit-bits dear to them. It requires an infinite fund of patience at the beginning, but gradually they begin to realise that if they do the thing I want them to do they will be rewarded, and a new trick is mastered.”

Australia’s oldest actress is Miss Fanny Wiseman (Mrs South), who has just celebrated her seventy-ninth birthday. She is a native of Melbourne. All who have long memories (says Sydney “ Theatre ”) will recall Fanny as Topsy in her own version of “ Uncle Tom’s Cabin ” at the old Melbourne Princess Theatre, Spring Street; her singing of “ Golly, Ize So Wicket ” being a classic and her cliaff-bag dance a riot. When Fanny Wiseman was a girl of fifteen she played Juliet, Lady Macbeth and Portia to big English actors visiting Australia; while it is only about a year ago since, at the Perth Theatre Royal, she recited a fine piece of verse dedicated to the blind soldiers. It was written by her youngest daughter, the wonder of it being that she could not only give it, but that she could have memorised it in so short a time. Miss Wiseman is now living at Perth (West Australia), where the public intend giving her a benefit. She has been playing for sixty-eight years, having started as a youngster of seven, and richly deserves a testimonial, especially as of late years her health has not been too good.

~ ** # Teddy Nable, an old Pollardian, always kindly remembered here, is an Australian who has probably played Lord Fancourt Babberly in “ Charley’s Aunt ” in more countries than any other actor. Years ago he played the title role in “ Charley’s Aunt ” in South Africa with a superb cast that included Claude Flemming as Sir Francis Ches ney and Beatrice Day as the real aunt, Donna Lucia. Mr Nable has not only piayed “Charley’s Aunt” throughout South Africa, but in India, Burma, the Straits Settlements, Philippines, Siam, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. This is surely a record (says the “Theatre”). The Australian’s performance of the part was considered by many as equal to Penley’s, and h e certainly never clowned the role for the sake of cheap laughs. Nable, like May Beatty and Billy Percy, was for many years a valued member of Tom Pollard’s famous opera company, playing Sir Joseph Porter (“Pinafore”), Folbach (“Falka”), Bicoquet (“Paul Jones”), Nick Vedder (“Rip Van Winkle”), and other roles. He is a most versatile actor, and in the East has repeatedly run his own shows. 5$ 55 55 The production of a play by an Australian author is such a rare event that the audience at the Athenaeum Theatre on January 9 must be pardoned for the violent enthusiasm it displayed over Tal Ordell’s three-act comedy, “Kangaroo Flat” (says a Melbourne paper). The extraordinary demonstration at each curtain showed beyond doubt that the absence of Australian plays from Australian theatres is not the fault of the big, generoushearted, critical, but patriotic theatregoing population, which is ready to recede with open arms its own authors as well as its own actors. It is not what you would call altogether a comedy of manners. If it has crudities, it is because it deals with the crudities of life, and these, of course, the author is not responsible for. The thing about the play which appeals to the student of drama is that it hangs together. And it is extremely funny in places. Mr Ordell has gone to the small selection for his material. He gives us a new Dad and a new Mum. There is Jimmy, the rouseabout, and Bob Ashley, the young drover hero, and Carson, the squatter villain, and the city adventuress. 55 55 55 It is doubtful if in Australia’s theatrical history there has been witnessed such a popular farewell demonstration as that which was accorded Miss Gladys Moncrieff at the Theatre Royal last Friday night, when, as Sonia in “The Merry Widow,” she made her final appearance in Australia prior to her departure for America and England (says the “Australasian” of January 16). When the popular musical comedv star made her first appearance for the evening she was received with a thunder of applause from all parts of the house, while her female admirers in the gallery literally screamed with delight. It was some time before Miss Moncrieff was able to proceed, and she was obviously affected by the demonstration. Everything she did throughout the evening, particularly the solos which fall to the lot of Sonia, resulted in similar outbursts of enthusiasm. At the final curtain there was one of the most remarkable scenes ever witnessed on the Australian stage. The audience rose practically in a body and cheered Miss Moncrieff for several minutes. Floral tributes of every shape and size, and presents of various kinds, were handed up or thrown on to the stage, and in a few minutes the company was almost hidden by a wall of flowers, and lines of streamers from all parts of the theatre. Miss Moncrieff responded briefly, thanking the public for the manner in which it had always received her. The proceedings were brought to a close at a late hour with the singing of “ For They Are Jolly Good Fellows,” “ Auld Lang Syne ” and the National Anthem.

Dusolina Giannini, the American soprano, received thirty-six curtain calls at her recent debut at the Berlin Municipal Opera, states the San Francisco “ Argonaut.” Appearing in the role of Aida, she achieved the rare triumph of evoking cheers before the act was ended. The soprano was born in Philadelphia of Italian parents. Her father, a tenor, sang with Adelina Patti for many seasons. Miss Giannini is a pupil and protege of Mme. Marcella Sembrich.

Nearly half the artists of the Budapest State Opera went on strike recently as a protest against the appearance of foreign singers on that stage. The strike was started on original lines. In the course of the performance of Rossini’s “Barber of Seville” Don Sebastian had to sing his song to Rosita;

instead of which the respective artists sang the proclamation of the Strike Committee, declaring at the end that the strike had started and the production was finished. The audience protested energetically, and the Strike Committee expressed its willingness to finish the performance and start the strike on the following The death is announced at Hampstead, London, of Cecily Staunton, an Auckland girl, who was the chief contralto in the Charles Turner-Annis Montague English Opera Company many years ago. She made a great reputatation as a singer in Auckland, and married a German organist named Goidenstedt. They crossed the Tasman Sea, and joined up with the opera company. Her most notable parts were Orsini in “ Lucrezia Borgia,” Siebel in “ Faust,” Lazarillo in “ Maritana and when the company went in for light opera she was a notable Fatinitza in Von Suppe’s alluring work. After her husband’s death she went to England, ; and her second husband was a Dutchman, one Gaetjens. They lived for years in Holland.

“ WHIRLED INTO HAPPINESS.”

JOYFUL MUSICAL COMEDY. “ Whirled Into Happiness,” the second production of the J. C. Williamson musical comedy season, will be presented on Friday, February 8. at the Theatre Royal. Of this kaleidoscopic pot pourri of pretty girls and tuneful music a leading Sydney critic writes: “ That simple, genial, wide smile, that kindly, innocent, beaming simplicity—it could only be Athol Tier! Australia’s unique comedian: so it does not really matter so much even if the income tax isn’t reduced. There are other pleasing matters in ‘ Whirled Into Happiness ’ that will keep the booking office busy for some time. There is Dorothy Lena, dainty and vivacious as a singer, and a delightful jazzer. And Mona Barlee, sweet and charming, with a remembered trill in her beautiful voice. And Jack Cannot in a convivial part of a millionaire hat manufacturer; and as a ludicrous coiffeur; and a host of other clever

people; and ballets, and gorgeous staging and dresses. Yet, amid this plethora of dancing, the most graceful of all is Reita Nugent, whose two dances, ‘ Sleep ’ and ‘ Fairies,’ are simple but altogether entrancing. A powerful voice and a pleasing personality mark Leyland Hodgson, who takes the leading part and makes an outstanding impression. The show, too, once it gets really going, no audience would want to stop. ‘ Whirled Into Happiness ’ is lavishly equipped with the ‘ joj r germ.’ Its music is entrancing, its comedy clean and good, and its costuming and general artistic environment equal to anything the J. C. Williamson firm have ever presented in Sydney.”

AUSTRAUAN PLAYS. FORTUNES IN THOSE THAT ARE POPULAR. The remarkable success of this year's revival of “On Our Selection” shows that there is a great demand for good Australian plays which ring true (says the Melbourne “ Herald”). And people who think that only a few Australian plays, possessing a special appeal, have taken the public fancy in years gone by, will be surprised to hear that the proportion of Australian plays that have held interest after long years, is greater than that of imported pieces of a corresponding type. Of about 100 Australian plays that have been produced, most were a success in their day, according to an authority. At one time Bland Holt and William Anderson specialised in Australian productions. “ The Mystery of a Hansom Cab,” produced first in the 'eighties, and recently translated to the film, is occasionally revived in different parts of the Cmomonwealth. “ The Kelly Gang ” is another survivor. ‘‘Robbery Under Arms.” the adaptation of Rolf Boldrewood’s story, and “ The Term of His Natural Life,” from Marcus Clarks book, seem to have a permanent hold. Bland Holt made his chief success in Australian productions with “ The Breaking of the Drought,” first staged at the Lyceum, Sydney, on Boxing Night, 1902. It had a phenomenal run all over Australia, and made a fortune for Mr Holt. Two years later William Anderson, also with a loss record i»

successful Australian plays, produced “ The Squatter’s Daughter ” at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne. It. was the greatest of his financial successes, and won him a fortune also. ' The greatest record in success, however, has been made by “ On Our Selection,” adapted from Steele Rudd’s book, which, first produced in 1912 at the King’s Theatre here, has been in almost continual revival for nearly fourteen years all over Australasia. “ 'Possum Paddock,” produced originally at the Theatre Royal, Sydney, by Kate Howard, has been pla> r ed constantly during the last decade in various parts of Australia. “ The Sentimental Bloke,” was another success outstanding from a chain of Australian plays each of which showed that the public is prepared to appreciate wellconstructed drama in a local setting. It is interesting to note that the first play connected with Australia was performed neither in Australia nor in London, but in Paris. On November 24, 1792, “Les Emigres aux Terres Australes ” was produced sA the Theatre

des Amis de la. Patrie. Suggested by the travels of La Perouse, it depicted the adventures of exiled French aristocrats when confronted with the “noble” savages of the Australian bush. Its supposedly Australian background bears, of course, no relation to fact. The first dramatic performance In Australia was given in the eighteenth century by convicts, who staged “ The Recruiting Officer ” in honour of the King’s birthday. The first written plays published in Australia were three historical dramas and a farce, which David Bum published in Hobart in 1843. The impetus of the gold discoveries was felt in the dramatic as in other spheres of Australian life, and the modern history of the drama of an Australian basis may be said to date from the 'fifties. Australian plays of note produced in London have been George Darrell’s Sunny South.?' Alfred Dampier’s adaptation of “ Robbery Under Arms,” and “On Our Selection,” which Bert .Bailey took to England.