THEATRICAL TOPICS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19864, 11 June 1927, Page 15 (Supplement)

THEATRICAL TOPICS

THE GREEN ROOM MIME AND MUMMER PARS (By “Anatol.”) I Stage plays have been adapted for broadcasting, but in England and [America there is a growing inclination ;to write condensed comedies and [dramas for that special purpose. One • provider of work of the kind is Begin • aid Berkeley, the author of “French 'Leave” and several other stage pieces. Now he has reversed the earlier prokuss by adapting one of his broadcast iplays for the theatre. This is “The j White Chatcur,” which was produced •'at the Everyman Theatre, Hi»p:>tead, at the end of March. ■ Following on the eight weik.; pl ■; p l 'by her in Melbourne and Jn -y, ?,'• ‘lie Stewart will take a bri rc'. When she reappears it. will pr: • ybe to make a tour of New Zealar. Charles Zoli, last here w I •• Wildflower,” is now head of a r ■ ' u Company, calling itself ti.c Cha’L Zoli Splashes. As re-organi: cd the [ members of this will include Lui’.a Fanning, Wylie Watson, Victor Wise, Alda Y.’ampbcll, Emmie Ensor, Marshal! Lawrence, John Harper, Maggio Foster. ; Daisy Yates. York Gray and Ernest I Powell. * * * * Are small casts veering into favour [among playwrights and managers [There have been one or two plays .lately that have been very limited in I their number of characters, and the general effect has not suffered in the least. Your modern dramatist likes to plunge into the story right away—the extreme instance, of course, is the explosive start of “The Letter’’; and with the abolition of the old conventional dialogue of dusting housemaid and fidgeting butler, who filled up in Greek chorus fashion the gaps in the action, the need for these and other subordinate personages has gone, though they still often strangely persist. sft jfe »«e A Although Australian audiences did not like Nellie Wallace, the English comedienne, here is what a London critic wrote about her when, she returned: Just to be let loose on the stage gives her so much joy that she performs an entrechat in each corner. •She is free, however, from the indelicacy of the ballerina. Instead of frills she exposes what seems to -be au expanse of lurid wallpaper. How she has been missed over here during her tour in Australia and South Africa is evident in the Swelling roar of greeting—until her humour breaks down in emotional thanks. No one has so wide a range of humour. There is a touch of the comedy of Aloliere in her cry of “Strange! He promised to be here at 9.30. It’s now twelve.” There is all the rascality of the halls in other jokes—meaningless without action to suit the word. But perhaps we may repeat her account of the disadvantages of living on a houseboat: “Every time the cat wants to go out I have to row him ashore.” * * ❖ ❖ The authors of the new play “Alarigold,” recently produced at the Kingsway Theatre, London, are given as L. Allen and F. R. Abbott, but these are said to be pseudonyms covering the identity of the late Charles Garvicc. the novelist, and a business man long connected with the London stage. It is described as an Arcadian comedy, [and besides Angela Baddeley, the com|pany includes Jean CadcH, Beatrice i Wilson, Alary Barton, Hubert Harbcn, [Athole Stewart, Robert Holmes and i Percival Clarke. I * * [ Jan Caryll, the Now Zealand dancer who started his career with J. ('. ‘Williamson’s Revue Company, and who with his parener, Delysc, has been meeting with much success in England and on the Continent in cabaret and productions, were at the time of mail leaving, appearing at Victoria Palace with their new act of Dance Creations in a specially designed setting. Also lat the same time they were appearing [at the cabaret at the Empress Rooms. Royal Palace Hotel, Kensington, and' I the Trocadcro, where they were rc[peating their former cabaret successes, having appeared at most of tho principal cabarets and hotels in London. * * « >:< i When Sir Barry Jackson staged I Shakespeare’s seldom-performed plav, [“All’s Well That Ends Well,” in lmodern dress, at tho Birmingham I Repertory Theatre, recent ly, Eileen Bel|don appeared as “Helen” with her hair semi-Eaton cropped. “Bertram” ’was dressed in a lounge suit, and coflfee was served, but there was no smok[ing. George Bernard Shaw watched 'the play. » | Elsie Janis, the celebrated American [actress and mimic, who is to tour the [Tivoli circuit in Australia and wi'l come to New Zealand later on, will receive one of the biggest salaries ever paid in this part of the world. It is said that London and Now York managers were in competition for this star, but the enterprising firm of J. C. Wil- ‘ liarnson secured her for au Australian and New Zealand vaudeville tour. ; Alany New Zealand “Diggers” will remember Elsie Janis in the Big show. “Hello, America!” at the Palace Theatre, London. • • • • i London theatre-goers have recently [remarked the presence in tho audience of mysterious men, taking furtive and copious notes during th • performances. [Letters to the Press have spo u/ated on ;their activities, the most: popular explanation being that th y are acting as •censors. They arc, however, “Laughcatchers,” members of a new theatrical [profession. Th< ir duties are to spot and analyse the lau-i s in each shew, .note when and low the audience laughs, and correlate such information for the guidance of pkiyv;rights, who are hard put to tickle their blase public. * * * * “Kong.” another play bought in .'London by A.l Woods, has been drama[tised for Oscar Asche from Harold ;Kingsley’s novel, which will be published in a few weeks. “It is a story of revenge,” explained Woods, “and has a real thrill, i That fellow, Oscar ASche, is a groat iactor. ‘What Shall It Profit a Alan?’ in which I saw him at Golders Green, could be re-writton into a fine play. | “In ‘Kong,’ in which I want to take .him to America, he plays the part of ja wrestler, a giant of a fellow, who rel venges himself upon his enemy, and I'gets a real punch home. His size will help the wrestling part.”

ACTING IN LONDON NAZIMOVA’S RETURN. Nazimova, who last acted ia London in .1905, when she was an unknown Russian Jewess knowing not a word of English, lias made her second appearance on the London stage in England, when she appeared at the Coliseum, with a four-week’s engagement at a large salary to act in a dramatic sketch called “A Woman of the Earth.” When she acted in London before, Alla NasimofT, as she was then called,■ i lived in a Jewish hostel in White’•chapel. She appeared at the Playhouse, .then called the Avenue, with some •Russian players in "The Chosen > People. ” • When Lee Shubert saw Alla Nasiimofr act with the company in America, •he was so impressed that he told her ; 1 lint if in five months she could learn (English sufficiently to be understood by 'an American audience, ho would not .only have a play specially written for ‘her, but would build a theatre and .name it after her! Nazimova, as she became, kept her l part of the bargain. Five months later 'the Nazimova Theatre was opened in New York with an unknown girl as dazzling star. ' Afterwards Nazimova went on the • screen, with results known to all the i world. She married i i . '•■ , s Bryant, an ■ English actor, amas.c.l a fortune—and •has now returned to act in London in I English. MUSIC NEVER AGES AN IGNAZ FRIEDMAN APHORISM. "There is good music and bad music,” but never modern and anti quated music. I know no composer more modern than Bach,” the great Ignaz Friedman has declared as the main arictle of his faith. This affords a wonderfully clear insight into the comprehending personality of the man. His is the, splendid gift of regarding music as a Napoleon regards the world: for him. neither the lands nor the centuries have boundaries. Friedman is as consummate an interpretater of Bach as he is of Chopin. Beethoven and Liszt. Hearing him surmount with complete case, the almost insuperable difficulties of Busoni’s transcription of the, violin, "Chaconne,” of Brahms’ "Variations on a Theme of Paganini,” or Liszt’s "Don Juan” Fantasia, has simply amazed the minds of all critics. In every country, they have chorused their wonder over these feats, besides pouring forth admiration of his ever-glamorous musical poesy. ROMANCE OF REPERTORY Hazel Jones, who. after trying to obtain recognition in London, where she acted in "Pandora.” "Damaged Goods,” and "The Very Idea,” went to America with other English players and became a director of a repertory company at Northampton. Alassachusetts, has found a husband there! "Instead of going to New York, five of us undertook to run a season here and prove that it could pay.” she writes. "Now, nearly at the end of it, we can show a profit of £4OO. "We have interested the public by speaking at women’s clubs and mothers’ meetings and giving tea parties on the stage. At the close of the season, however, I say farewell to the stage. In June I am to become Airs Lee by marrying the director of a large silk factory, founded in 1838. My fiancee has been one of our keenest supporters. The romance is one of love. He is not an American millionaire. ” Playgoers in Melbourne have respected the request of the management of the Theatre Royal not to divulge the secret of the identity of "The Ringer,” and great mystification is the result. Mr Moscovitch, who has achieved his latest success as Maurice Maister in Edgar Wallace’s thrilling I play, says that it is impossible for the i actors not to become filled with the excitement that characterises the audlience at every performance. "As each | of the artists comes on,” said Mr Mos- • coviteb, "there is a buzz around the .theatre, as everyone discusses the possibility of the newcomer being ‘The Ringer. ’ But. as a rule, everyone is , wrong, for it is not easy to make the i correct guess. I must admit that I find playing in this mystery drama thoroughly exhilarating.” * * ♦ ♦ Strangely enough, it is a grand-niece of the great Russian novelist and idealist, Count Leo Tolstoy, whose obsession against music may be set down as (merely one of his many eccentricities, to whom the illustrious Polish pianist, Ignaz Friedman, is married. Needless .to say, the dislike for music is not a .family failing. An inseparable companion now of Friedman’s whenever ;his travels and her schooling permit of 'it, is his pretty daughter Lydia, who is now sixteen. It is not yet known ■ here whether Madame Friedman and Lydia will accompany the famous pianist of whom they are so proud when [he makes his tour through Australia {and Now Zealand under the direction | of Mr E. J. Carroll.