THEATRICAL TOPICS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20168, 9 June 1928, Page 3 (Supplement)

THEATRICAL TOPICS

PLAYS AND PLAYERS GOSSIP FROM GREENROOM AND STAGE The young New Zealan... actress. Miss Isabel vVilford, who made a sensational rise to lame when she was calle,4 upon to take Miss Tullulah Bankheau’s part in “The Garden of Eden,” is forging ahead and has won considerable praise for her work in a prominent role in the recent comedy ‘ ‘ oquarc Crooks. ’ ’ * * * 9 Negotiations have just been eoncludea with Mr Alfred O’Shea, the popular Irish tenor, for a tour ot New Zealand:. Air O’Shea was one of the members of the Aleiba Grand Opera Company that visited Australia some time ago- an,4 he is well known to most people through his gramophone records. • « • • Frank Errollc (the divorced hu.band of Strella Wilson, so popular here in Gilbert and SuLxvan opera), formerly of the Chicago and Metropolitan opera companies, lias joined the American

Opera Company, making his debut with that organisation in Chicago on Alarch 29. as Faust the Cavalier. The singer was born in Chicago, and as Ralph Errol Smith .had his early training there. • • • •

Air Bernard Shaw says in a letter included in the foreword to “Clara Butt: Her Life Story,” by Aliss Winifred Ponder. “1 cannot imagine anything more insufferably superfluous than au introduction of Clara Butt to the British public.” The book gives the story ot the famous singer’s career from the time she was twelve, when she began her training. * * * ♦

Some time ago a man wrote, to George Robey asking for £2OOO (says a London paper). George receives many begging ■letters, but was so surprised at the cool cheek of a request irom an utter stranger for £2OOO that he could not fin»i words to reply. He has now received an indignant letter from the same man: “1 am surprised that you have not answered my application for a loan. It has been a cruel disappointment to my fiancee, as without the money we ca* "Ot get married.'” * * * * Keith Wilburn, the New Zealand mimic, who lias done particularly well since going to England, has been a big success on the programme at the Coliseum. * * * *

George Riley celebrated this month his fiftieth year as conductor of the Orpheus Glee .Society of Bristol. He first joined the society m 1803 as associate and librarian. He himself conducted his jubilee concert, receiving an enthusiastic greeting and a testimonial cheque. * *

In a first-night critique f “The Student Prince.” the “New Zealand Herald” says: —“First impressions of the little Dutch actress, Aliss Beppic .de Vries, were highly favourable. A capable artiste, wiiose personality, at all times winning, hestitates between tragedian and soubrette, she danced ainu flirted, laughed and sang, to swing round with surprising ease to the pitiful outpourings of a broken heart, reaching their maximum intensity at the close of the second act. when her lover prince torn from her to attend, the Court, leaves her in a state of frantic bereavement. Her voice has a suggestion of tremulo, and she enunciates her r’s with the engaging roll that comes to one who has not been born to the language. Mr James Liddy is thoroughly worthy as* her partner. Flaxen-haired. fresh-com-plexioned, he makes a stalwart hero, using a voice of good quality and power in solos and duets with Miss de Vries. He knows how to make his speaking voice throb with emotion and uses it in the traditional operatic style. His best work was done in the vision scene in the third act. Miss Adele Crane made a popular appearance in the role of the princess, and sang with fine effect the duet with Air Frank Webster. The latter, whose role was a small one, gave some inkling of his capabilities in this duet. He will no doubt be heard of to better effect, later in the season. Aliss Vera Spaull was amusing and charming by turns. Her comedy was linked with that of Air Arthur Stagnant, who played the fool as the prince’s personal attendant in his customary meticulous manner. Air Hedley Hall di,d some fine work as the prince’s kindly old tutor, his vocal solo receiving deserving recognition. Air H. Browne’s voice was an asset in the student songs, Air P. Cory was capable as von Mark, and Aliss Millie Engier was amusing as the Grand Duchess. ’ ’

“The Desert Song,’’ nhie.li ran for I over a year in London, was taken off j on April 14 while it was still drawing £3OOO a week. J. C. Williamson, Ltd., has the rights for the Australian and New Zealand production. .« * * Fourteen operas will be aged by the Fuller-Gonsalez Italian Grand | Opera Company, which opens in Wei- j lington on July 31. They are:—“ll I Trovatore” (Verdi), “ Riggoletto” | (Vcndi), “La Traviata” (Verdi), “Faust” (Gounod), “Lucia ,'li Lammermoor” (Donizetti), “Norma” I (Bellini), “Mignon” (Thomas). “Fra Diavolo” (Auber), Lohengrin (Wagner), “La Favourita” (Donizetti), “Ernoni” (Verdi). “Barber of Seville” (Rossini), “Un Ballo in Masehera (Verdi), “Carmen” (Bizet). Excepting for concert versions of grand operas, it is eight years since Wellington audiences have had the privilege of hearing opera, and the season will be a big musical event. However, the repertoire is rather an unusual one. Puccini is not represented. and the two one-act operas “Cavalleria Rusticana” (Mascagni) and “1 Pagliacci” (Leoncavallo) are also strange omissions in view of their excellence and popularity. Opera bulle is represented by “Fra Diavolo. an,l it. is rather unusual to have Wagner figuring in the repertoire ot an Italian company. The Italians never seem to be at home with the German composer’

Never was London endowed with so many magnificent music and dance shows as happens to be the case at the moment. One or two have reached the days of decay, others are in hale and hearty middle life, and the rest in robust infancy, says a London critic. If there is a record-breaker among them —something to outlive

“Rose Alarie,” for example—it might easily be “The Yellow Alask.” This “melodramatic musical comedy” lias been transferred from the Carlton to His Alajesty’s, where it was welcomed to its new home by an audience more demonstrative, if possible, than on that unforgettable first night, and already shows signs and portents of n tenancy as long a.s “ Chu Chin Chow. ” Paul All house, who delighted New Zealand audiences, with his singing a few seasons back, is singing in opera in America.

The forthcoming tour of Alfred O’Shea, the brilliant Australian tenor, whose great voice is already known to many New Zealanders through his popular gramophone records, is under the direction of Mr Henry Hayward, with Messrs Leo du Chateau anil Scott Colville as managers. The lour will commence about the middle of next month, and must be confined to brief seasons in the four centres, and perhaps a few of the more important provincial towns, as Air O’Shea is to sing at the great Eucharistic Congress in Sydney in September. Subsequently he is leaving for America, where he has operatic and cone rt engagements. Soon after his records reached America ho was sought after by several of the big impressarios there and contracts followed.

Swift retaliation against English actors has been taken in New Yorh by the Actors’ Equity Association for the British Government’s refusal to permit Aliss Alden Gray, the American actress, to play in “Married Bachelors” because she entered England without a contract. The American association, at. a meeting attended by SOO members, decided to put a corresponding ban on English actors going to the. United States. They will be allowed to act only in the. part for which the contract was made. Should they go to America seeking employment there will be nothing available. At the end of a play’s run the actor must return home or remain unemployed there for six months. Alien actors who are in America under the quota system will be considered residents. No action is proposed against complete companies who come to play and leave a.s units. Should any actor be there without having been entered on the quota he will be suspended after November 1 if he has not been there two years. The, strength of the Equity Association to enforce its new ruling is assured, for 'ts ban on any individual actor has all the force of excommunication. Air Alexander Marsh, a well-known Shakespearian actor, has just arrived from the Old Country to join Air Allan Wilkie's company, and will be soon in Sydney during the forthcoming season. Air Alarsh has toured his own company in England for some years. A young acrobat. Trevor who was very badly injured whilst performing n three-high in the act of the Flying Wartons, some time ago in Melbourne, has been an inmate of the Homoeopathic. Hospital. Alelbourne for some months. His spine is injured. He is progressing slowly.