MUSIC AND THE STAGE

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17835, 1 May 1926, Page 22 (Supplement)

MUSIC AND THE STAGE

The J. C. Williamson Company will open at the Theatre Royal this evening in “The Primrose,” which has just concluded a highly successful season in Wellington. Speaking of the production, a Wellington critic says:—-The humour is clean, wholesome, and really funny; the music; is catchy, abounding in attractive melodies that every boy in the street is sure to whistle and girls softly sing: the ballets are dainty and charming and the dancing most pleasing: and the scenic effects unusually brilliant and spectacular. The finished production in combination is something long to remember, and enjoy in the mere remembrance. George Gee is no stranger to Wellington audiences and his humour and obvious burlesque in this performance sparkle and scintillate all the way through. It lightens the strain which even a musical comedy imposes on the other principals. Margaret Hicklin, the acti»ess from England, is all that has been said- of her. Her sweet voice and her personal charm and beauty place her foremost among the best leading ladies of musical comedy. Dorothy Lena is attractive as Pinkie Peach. Hugh Steyne and Jack Cannot were excellent supports to George Gee in the humorous effect. Mr Levland Hodgson was outstanding both as a singer and as an actor. Mr Harry Wotton gave a fine character study of Sir Benjamin Falls, and Miss Rosie le Varde and Miss Reita Nugent were distinctly parties to the success of the performance. It is impossible to praise too highly the work of the ballet and the soloists.

Niobe, a pretty girl who hails from America, and is at present touring New Zealand with the J. C. Williamson Vaudeville Company, performs underwater endurance feats. In her glass tank of water with fish swimming all round her, she presents a , charming picture of the fabled mermaid. Niobe eats, drinks, sews, writes, and sings under water. Asked how she accounted for being able to perform the feats she does under the water, she said: “It is a question of the study of the correct method of breathing, and knowledge of swimming and diving. I can hear perfectly 'dearly under the water, and as you know, I can answer any questions the audience put to me. As for the fish, they are just ordinary fresh-water fish.” Mr Leo du Chateau has received a cable message from Mr Dan Carroll, which states that the Russian Cossack Choir’s reception in Adelaide was truly tremendous, and he claims it even better than the Sistine Choir, which he and his brother, Mr E. J. Carroll, brought out in 1921. The company will make their first appearance in New Zealand at Auckland, on June 7, and will be in Christchurch on June 15 and 16. Nellie Stewart will have a jubilee next year. It was in 1877 that she made her first stage appearance in a show known as “Rainbow Revels,” which today might be called a revue. The company, organised by her father Richard Stewart, toured Australia and New Zealand and went to India, Britain, and America. Leon Gordon, author of “White Cargo,” and leading man in the company presenting this play in Sydney, recently gave a special midnight performance of the play at the Theatre Royal. This iS a New York idea, and caught on with the Easter revellers in Sydney. The show was not an invitation one. The first curtain rose as the clock struck midnight, and Tondeleyo was poisoned to the tune of three o’clock in the morning. At the end of the performance its principals entertained the audience on the stage at supper. Bland Holt and his wife spend half the year at Sorrento and the other half at Kew (writes a Sydney “Bulletin” correspondent). At Sorrento they share the beautiful home of Miss. Coppin, daughter of the famous George. Bland is as young as ever and as upright as a sapling. He still has his dog-cart and tandem, but has compromised with modernity by learning to drive a motor car and having wireless installed. Harrie Ireland, the vamp of the Ilolt dramas, is a constant visitor at “The Anchorage,” Sorrento, but nearly all the others who fretted their hour with the comedian and his wife have made their final exit. Arthur Styan was the last to go.

Melbourne women of forty years and upward have taken comfort from Pavlova (says a Melbourne writer). She is at will a zephyr, a sunbeam, a bird, a fair}’, a primitive woman doing a wild Syrian dance, or a siren. But, best of. all, she insists on her juniors getting a full share of the pleasure of applause. Melbourne busvbodies expected Pavlova would take umbrage when the audience clapped down the orchestra, and broke the inviolable law against .encores by recalling Mile. Rogers, a pretty English girl with a charming figure. Pavlova was delighted. K « K

The Don Cossack Choir opened its Melbourne season with a concert in the Auditorium on Saturday evening, April 17. More vivid singing it is hard to imagine, (says the “Australasian”). These thirty-five men in their sombre uniforms, and with an air cf military discipline, can give the faintest pianissirnos and the most forcible fortes; together with many of the intervening degrees of - sound. Their unanimity is astonishing, and their control Of rhythmic effects is equally remarkable: Their repertoire includes Russian

church music as well as very skilfulliy arranged folk-songs. In one of these there was much forcible whistling, and some exceedingly energetic dancing. Their conductor. Sergfc Jaroff, is clear-, ly a master of his craft.

Charles Walenn, the comedian who is appearing in Melbourne in Gilbert and Sullivan opera, under the J. C. Williamson management, is a member of a very musical family. His brother, Gerald Walenn,. now at the Sydney Conservatorium, was for many years a professor at the Adelaide Conservatorium. Also, he has two brothers and a sister cocupying professorial chairs at the Royal Academy of Music, London. With another brother, professionally known as Cecil Bath, Mr Walenn owns the English touring right, of “The Private Secretary.” which plavs all the year round in England, and, according to Mr Walenn, “is better than a gold mine.”

Arrangements have been finalised by Mr Hugh J. Ward for the New York case of “ Abie’s Irish Rose ” to go to Australia for the forthcoming presentation of that record-breaking comedy. This has been made possible by the courtesy of Ann. Nicholls, the authoress of the play, who, through its success, has become one of the world’s wealthiest women. Recent advices received from New York by Hugh J. Ward Theatres Pty., Ltd., stated that Miss Nicholls was holding auditions for a new cast for “ Abie’s Irish Rose ” in the city, to continue the fifth year’s run, when artists now playing leave for Australia. An indication of the remarkable appeal of “ Abie’s Irish Rose ” to theatregoers everywhere, the unusual step has been taken of forming a company, Ann Nicholls Productions, Ltd., to exploit the play throughout America and abroad. jj «.♦

j The axbount of interest attracted by the production of “ White Cargo ” in Sydney is indicated by the fact that hundreds of letters are received, weekly by the J. C. Williamson management from playgoers, expressing their opinion of the play. There has been also a violent controversy in the Press. Leon Gordon, who w*rote “ White Cargo,” and is appearing in it, says that one of the things that helped in the success of the production was the weather. Immediatelv “White Cargo” was staged, an appropriate steamy, moist and tropical heat came to Sydney, which gave exactly the right atmosphere for the play, which deals with an aspect of the life of white men in the tropical country of-West Africa, “where there aren’t no Ten Commandments and a rnan can raise considerably more than one thirst.”

How .well Sydney theatres are booked up for first nights, whatever happens has been learnt by a playgoer who thought he would like to join the happy throng (says a Sydney paper). lie is friendly with house-managers, but the best one could do for him was stalls in L row: another indicated seats two rows further forward, but at the extreme end; and an outside allotment in the third row of the dress circle was the offering of a third. First-nighters are now so strongly entrenched that they even nominate their successors in case of death or absence abroad. But disputes arise sometimes: then the management has to arbitrate. There are always people, of course, who notify the management that they do not require their seats. When such notifications come in by the sheaf it is a clear sign that the play will be a failure—public taste seems to average out in a quite remarkable fashion. * « u

Theatregoers who have seen “ Mercenary Mary,” the new Hugh J. Ward success at the Princess Theatre, have been curious to know whether the dark butterfly on Mai Bacon’s shapely arm is some new whim of fashion or a mascot device (says a Melbourne paper). As a fact it is neither. The butterfly was tattooed as the result of a “ dare ” by her young husband, Lionel Calvert, during his war service in France, wbere he was subsequently killed in action. On one of his brief furloughs in London he returned frotp. France with a snake tattooed on his arm, and when his young bride decided that she would do likewise, substituting a butterfly for a serpent. he tried to dissuade her by urging that the process was so painful that a girl could -not endure it. This had the unexpected effect of making Miss Bacon more determined than ever, and when he next saw her she proudly flaunted her tattoo butterfly.

Vivacious, pretty, and radiating pleasant personalities, Dollie and Billie, billed as musical comedy beauties, made an instantaneous “hit” at their first appearance at the Tivoli Theatre on Monday afternoon (says the Melbourne “Leader” of April 17)- The girls work in a delightful stage setting, and infuse lots of ginger into their work. The audience is never given time to think, but is overwhelmed in a whirlwind of Song and dance. The girls dance delightfully, their stage version of the mueh-talked-of Charleston being a revelation in itself. Their singing of catchy syncopated airs, notably the tuneful “Ukelele Lady,” evoked storms of applause, and the newcomers were obliged to give several encores. In the manner of dress the act is a little daring. The girls seem to vie with each other in a back to nature move. Nevertheless the act is quite refreshing to vaudeville patrons. :*:

Mr £. J. Carroll, besides bringing out the Don Cossack Choir and other musical attractions to Australia and New Zealand (the Den Cossacks arc already in the Commonwealth), has secured in London “The Best People,” a play which has just opened in the Metropolis, and “Outward Bound,” a spiritual istic play which had a big success. Mr Carroll is establishing offices in London and is making every effort to obtain all the most eminent artists and tiie best plays for this side of the world. Ik; saw Krcisler in. New York, and the famous violinist told him he was quite willing to return for a second tour to Australia and New' Zealand. He also met Stefanson in the States and found him deep in the Wilkins Expedition to the Arctic, but there is every possibility- that he. will also pay another visit to Australia and New Zealand after he has finished a lecture tour in Great Britain. Rebecca West and Stephen Leacock are two other famous author-lecturers who will probably journey to the Antipodes to lecture under the Carroll management during the next year.

Now that it is known that Feodor Chaliapin is definitely coming to New Zealand and Australia, it is interesting to recall ho whe dawned upon the operatic world outside Russia, to become one of the mdst illustrious artists the grand opera world has ever known. In the middle of July, 190!?, only a few days after Giulio Gatti-Casazza had been apdinted director of the famous theatre of La Scala, Milan, he decided upon a production of Boitos opera “Mefistofele.” The compeer, Arrigo Boito, the conductor Arture Toscanini and Mr. Gatti-Casazza, himself, were all three greatly perplexed as tp who should be engaged for the title role. A basso of exceptional merit was not to be found and, at length,

someone suggested that the part be rewritten for a baritone. This, however the composer refused to do. One day, a compatriot told Mr Gatti-Casazza about a young singer who had been electrifying Russian audiences by his extraordinary interpretations, and who in the speaker’s opinion could be counted upon- to create a sensation in Milan. A telegram was promptly sent off to Feodor Chaliapin, who immediately accepted the engagement for ten performances at 1,000 lire an evening. The engagement of the Russian singer caused great indignation among native bassos then in Milan. Even the press and the public joined in angry protests. But when the evening of the performance arrived the tide was turned into unanimous acclaim for the visiting artist. To-day Mr Gatti-Cas-azza is fond of telling the story of Chaliapin’s youthful triumph under his management, which marked the point of departure for a brilliant international career, and he never failed to add that so great was the general enthusiasm that some disturbers who dared to hiss were indignantly driven from the theatre. Miss Gladys Moncrieff, the Australian musical comedy artist, achieved an immediate personal triumph in the name-part of “Riki Tiki” at the Gaiety Theatre, London, a cable message states. At the fall of the curtain the audience awarded her chief honours. All the critics praise the beauty of her voice, her skill, the sureness of her singing, and her experienced style. The “Daily Telegraph” says that she should prove’ a valuable acquisition to the London musical comedy stage.

MR CHARLES EERKELEY.

POPULAR MAN IN ADVANCE. Had more of the friends of Mr Charles Berkeley, the poptilar advance manager who has been associated with J. C. Williamson, Ltd., for many years, known that he was leaving for Sydney, via Auckland, this week, there would have been a very large and representative gathering to wish him bon voyage and good health (says the Wellington “Times” of April 24). “Charlie” has been one. of the best-liked representatives of the big firm who cross the Tasman, and his friends are legion. At various times he has been actor, manager and producer, and was one of J. C. Williamson’s most versatile men. It is not generally known that the genial Charles was at one time a member of the literary staff of an English

paper, and that he wielded the pen in New Zealand, but the lure of the footlights was too strong for him, and he deserted “the inky way” for the stage. His advance work, however, showed the hand of the expert, and his “puff preliminary” was usually a work of art. Of late the genial one has been indisposed, and at intervals has had to seek medical advice, A seVere cold developed until the medical mandate was that it would be advisable to avoid colder climes during the winter, and as “Primrose” was booked for the southern tour Mr Berkeley surrendered, and transferred the reins to the capable hands of Mr “Wally” Monk, who also knows New Zealand like a book, (lie is a native of* Dunedin.) Before Mr Berkeley left Wellington for Auckland, where he was to catch the Sydney boat, a number of those connected with the theatrical profession assembled just to say “au revoir” and wish him a speedy recovery. Among those present -were Messrs Alex. Wilson (manager of the Primrose Company), Roy Stevne (brother of Hugh), also of the company now at the Opera House; George Matheson, one of J. C. Williamson’s most popular managers, who is returning to Brisbane; Walter Monk, Thomas Farrell, and many members of the “Primrose” and other companies now in New Zealand. Those present toasted the health of the genial one and expressed the hope that he would soon be restored to health. They extended to him their best wishes, and spoke of their high appreciation of his many good qualities and their regret that circumstances had compelled him to return to Australia. If long life, health and prosperity could bd the lot - of C.M.8., as his well-wishers desired it. he would indeed be thrice blessed.

. Those present toasted the health of the genial one and expressed the hope that he would soon be restored to health. They extended to him their best wishes, and spoke of their high appreciation of his many good qualities and their regret that circumstances had compelled him to return to Australia. If long life, health and prosperity could be the lot of C.M.8., as his well-wishers desired it, he would indeed be thrice blessed. It was a nice appreciation of the merits of a sterling man and a thoroughly capable and conscientious worker, and there was just a litle quaver in the voice and a trembling of the lip when “Charlie” returned thanks to his “pals.” May he soon recover, is the wish of all, for he is a merry soul and a likeable man.