ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS

Waikato Times, Volume 96, Issue 15033, 2 September 1922, Page 14 (Supplement)

ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS

'I «*■ PLAYS AND PICTURES. (By "Fra Diavolo.") THEATRE ROYAL. Nightly—Pictures. "September 25, 26, 27—Hamilton Operatic Society (“Miss Hook of Ci Holland.’’) TOWN HALL. September 4 —Waikiki Hawaiians. KING’S THEATRE. Nightly —Pictures. ' ' FRANKTON’S OWN THEATRE. Nightly—Pictures. • K JWuaio and Chautauqua. Those interested in Chautauqua, and music-lovers generally, will probably toe interested in the following extracts from letters received by this week’s -i mail from Mr Guy Marriner, the New , Zealand pianist who is on a Chautauqua 'ivkj circuit in America:— “I was interested to hear of the visit : v. to Australasia of Guy Maier and Lee Pattison in their duo-piano work. As you~bnow,~" these performances are opening a new sphere of work. Maier j and Pattison'have been doing great work-in New York (where criticism is i too terrible for words), and they have ' triumphed all the time. I was delight- ; H ed to read of their departure for Australasia, and I do hope people will be quick to realise their art, their ability, - • and their excellent musicianship. That kind of work thrills me, and lam .especially interested, because: I am going to study this winter with the -world-famed- virtuoso, Josef Lhe\inne, • and his talented wife. She used to be a pupil of his, and she is exceptionally Tine. Recently' she has been playing with Jlim in duo-piano recitals, and ,theyrare considered par excellence in -r. this line of work. Since Lhevinne has been in America, and has taken pupils, he has been in demand everywhere, ■ owing to the results he has obtained m comparatively short periods. Personally I consider myself extremely 'fortupote in being able to study with him, because his lime is-precious, and his bookings terrific. I remember ■y'l a recital by him in Chicago, about 18 months ago. His mastery of the keyf: 7 : | board was what first struck one, and •s§i then his masterly control of every def j tail. People went wild over him that .'lay. It was freezing outside —too cold almost to speak. Chicago gets that ; way, you know, when a wind blows in off Lake Michigan. But it made no ■’■if difference to Lhevinne. A tower of (Strength, plus a magnetic personality, : plus a human sympathy, equals :>5 Lhevinne on the platform. fifi “By the way, Percy Grainger is one jvou know about whose playing I am crazy. I think lie’s absolutely marvel- ■ :-;i lous. His new records arc clearer than :■ apvone else's I think —it's his brilliance of * touch and technique that does it. . Grainger is wonderfully popular too, ’ [ be has been booked for England and i the Continent for nearly a year. ’ j “I could talk music by the hour—y':T; but wait till I get to New York City in -" f pecember, I won't think or dream anything qlsel, I am fortunate to be here VC'-': when times for- musicians are so cruel. - In England. Indeed., it is shocking to read of the condition some big artists .• are in. I ,have, been advised to wait over-here so long as I can get employ- ; i j? ment! And.after all, New York is now what Germany was for music before ■V’s* the war- ' _ •:v-.y - “l see Toscha Seidel is in New Zealand. He is rather fine, isn’t he? He -56*. studied, of course, with Auer, and that W#- made him. The young Scottish Canadian with .whom I am working now is a 'r* i pupil of Auer too. She has a future, j “Recently we played into the Radio, - i-| which as vou know is -the latest craze i over here.‘it is really a system of wire- ; less telephoning. I have accompan- ' i'l led'-' into -.a gramophone, but this “broadcasting’’ is far more exciting. ' One can be heard to a radius of-1000 miles or more, and heaven knows how '' 'j many radio stations are “listening in’’ on' your waves. A lot, of course, depends on-atmospheric conditions. But although the-business Is in its infancy 'good results are almost invariably obtained. We were performing in North- : ern Idaho and were heard in Seattle a«d. gppkgne.(.Washington), Portland 1 (.O.regon) and Butte (Montana) and I belfeve-in Calgary (Alberta in Canada). 'Yom'TarihoV''conceive now fascinating . the whole business is. lam longing to do it again. (' —“ln just over three weeks this huge 1 circuit will be over. I cannot believe fl % that it is so nearly finished. The 'j scenery, especially round the Glacier- . National Park, here in Montana, is ab■ff. r solutely exquisite. The Rocky Mountains, combined with the forests of ;.. pines, and the lakes, make it indescrib- ’ : able. fir, “W e got up to-day at 2.30, and tra- ./. 'i veiled till 12 noon. Do you wonder that ( iam tired?.-. .... .My movements are r Indefinite this autumn. I may work in U.S.A. or in Canada. It depends. Any--7 way, in December I am going to New J' york- to study under Josef Lhevinne.’’ 2 “Miss. Hook of Holland.”

r The scenery and properties, for “Miss Hook of" Holland" have arrived. Judging by the progress being made bv the' members of the Hamilton Operatic Society the production of the ' rnerrv musical comedy on September 25. 26. and 27, will be very success- ? ful. Mr n. G. Ross will act as stage fp manager,.Mr, A. E. Manning, as producer, and Mr S. Tombs as conductor. | '.Competitions, I am glad to see that several Hamtl- \ ton residents are now supporting what I j have been advocating in these columns for some time past—the re- : vival of the Hamilton Musical and Elocutionary Competitions Society. The ; success of competitions in other centres has been pronounced, artistically and financially. In Wellington this week thousands'of competitors are contest--1 " lng the various classes, with profit to themselves and enjoyment to large- ■\ audiences daily, and at Invercargill also j -'successful competitions are being held. V j (Why-floes Hamilton, which is ideally ■ igufted for -the purpose, being the cen- \ itre of a wide district, lag behind? ! Death of Mr Tom Pollard. T O The news of the death of Mr Tom -- Pollard will revive many memories in ‘the minds of old playgoers. Who does P : no t remember the Pollard Juvenile : Opera Company, which included Maud I arid May Beatty. Marion Mitchell, Alice : Pollard, Will Percy, Aif Stephens, i jtorrv Ouealcy, Charlie Albert, Jack ' Ralston,” and many others who have -: since won prominence in a wider field. • Tiie passing of Mr Pollard will be : deeply regretted. E!la Shields Home Again. Ella Shields, who been absent from this country since last October fsavs the London Era of July 19). lias piaved 2G weeks in Australia and New Zealand where she was ah immense favourite, and to rerixo some of tier old successes. Elia- arrived home last Wednesday and was day. On Monday she opened at the : Empire, Liverpool, which was the last town she piaved before sailing. Kext

week Ella goes to Manchester, and will make her re-appearance in London at the Victoria Palace the second week in August.

News From Australia, ■Mr Les Levante, the Illusionist, writes me from Brisbane, Queensland: “I saw Louis Bennison in "The Great Lover,” and thought him very fine. You will like him when he comes to New Zealand shortly. . . . Edgely and Pawe (“Keep your eye on my umbrella”) are going big at the Majestic Theatre. . . I have seen George Carney, the English comedian, and consider him the finest male entertainer of the decade. All the time he works in his varied turn you can see artistry exuding- He radiates personality, and is beautifully subdued. . . . Miss Amy Rochelle is very popular here. She has a wonderful voice, a good figure, and personality 100 per cent., and should she go to London would show them what a principal boy should be.” Of his own doings Mr Levante says: “I am in harness again, and am presenting the illusion, “Sawing Through a Woman," to good business through Queensland. Afterwards I go to Sydney, and then to New Zealand.” Oscar Asche’s Repertoire.

Oscar Asche’s Australian repertoire, according to the London Daily 'Chronicle Is: “Cairo,” “Chu Chin Chow,” “Othello,” “The Taming of the Shrew," “A Midsummer Night’s Dream," and Pinero’s ‘lris.” Sir 'George Tallis, the paper states, bought outright Mr Asche’s scenery and property for the Shakespearean plays. Special arrangements had to be made for the admittance into Australia of Mr Asche’s six greyhounds, as the most tempting offers failed to move him when it was suggested that he might leave his dogs behind. The company will open in Sydney with'“Cairo" about the third week in September.

Jennie Hartley Off to Amerioa. -Miss Jennie Hartley, who. made many friends in New Zealand as principal' boy of the “Sinbad the Sailor” pantomime, is off to America shortly, and it is extremely doubtful whether she will return to Australia- She has big contracts waiting her over the water, and it will be a long time before she completes these. Jennie is sorry to leave Sydney. “I have had a wonderful time and made a legion of friends,” she said to an interviewer recently.

Toscha Seidel Becomes a Maori. Mr Toscha Seidel, the young Russian violinist, with his party, left Auckland -for Vancouver by the Niagara this week. Last Sunday Mr Seidel and his mother were entertained at the Maori pa at Otaki, and received into the tribe". They were presented with mats, and poi dances and hakas were performed in their honour. The great violinist responded with several violin solos.

Tosdha Seidel, in returning thanks for the honour accorded him, said he was extremely glad to become a member of the tribe. On going abroad again he would endeavour to represent the natives to the best of his ability. He said he had no more to say, except that “when a man feels most he says less.” . Mr Hori te Waru said it was the wish of the natives to give Toscha Seidel an official name, and stated that the last illustrious person (Huia Onslow) to- be present at Otaki was the son of a late Governor. He asked that Toscha b e named Raukawa, and stated that Huia, who was christened in the same building, was the grandson of Raukawa, a great chief—thus Toscha would be an uncle of Huia. Where Was the Orchestra? Much comment was caused at Nicola’s entertainment on Monday night by the fact that the incidental music was provided—and not provided too well, either —by a pianist only. All through the performance the lack of an orchestra was very noticeable, and instead of receiving any help, from the music, the clever magician was handicapped by what was provided. It says much for him-that he succeeded so well. Seeing that the prices of admission —6s, 4s, and 2s—were fairly high for what was practically a “one man show,” It was surely not too much to expect that an orchestra would be in attendance. The music reminded one of the shows of the long ago, and certainly was not what, one has reason to expect from a prominent management.

Madame D'Alvarez. Madame D’Alvarez, the famous contralto, who has made such a sensational success in Australia, will in all probability pay a'brief visit to New Zealand, and ■ provisional dates have been 'arranged by Messrs J. and N. Tait. It is expected that she will give her first concerts in Auckland early in October.

News of John O’Hara (“Lightnin’ ”). Mr J. D. O’Hara arrived In London, with his wife, in mid-June as part of a long..holiday programme after their two years’ stay in Australia with “Lightnin’,” “Three Wise Fools,” etc., and left again for New York on July 20 by the new steamer President Peirce. Writing from London, the visitor reported tilings theatrical as in a very bad condition, with many of the great •playhouses closed or closing. The big hits during his stay were Ciiartes Hawtrey in “Ambrose Applejohn’s Adventure” and “Tons of Money,” at the Savoy. The American character-actor saw “Decameron Nights” at Drury Lane, and admired the new theatre, but described the drama as “nothing more than a beautiful spectacle with • but slight dramatic interest.” Negotiations were started to have Mr O’Hara make his first appearance in London, but he replied that he was not seeking any engagement, having decided to rest until called upon for his definite American dales next season in the United States of America, Meanwhile, Mr O’Hara will do his best to secure two or three clean and wholesome American comedies of_ the best for Australia, when J. C. Williamson, Ltd., intend to bring him back in 1924. Mr and Mrs O’Hara find themselves vastly improved in health by their holiday. Footlight Flashes. Grace Palotta (the former comedy favourite) was holidaying in London when the mail left. She had been for a summer vacation to Monte Garlo, Paris and Vienna. Mr Lawrence Grossmith, Ibe wellknown English comedian, will make his first appearance in Australia, at the Criterion Theatre, Sydney, to-night, in “Ambrose Applejohn’s Adventure,” a London and New York success. The Waikiki Hawaiians, who appeared in Hamilton with success some months ago, will make their re-appear-ance at the Town Hall on Monday next. Mr K. Greig, with his sled guitar, and the hula, dancers are still with the I combination.

Miss Minnie Hooper, who has occupied the position of dancing mistress and directress of the chorus and ballet with J. C. Williamson for many a year, has signed a contract with the Hugh J. Ward-Fuller directorate. Mr W. S. Percy, who lias been appearing in Dunedin and Wellington in various plays under the Williamson management, left for Australia this week. He is bound for Adelaide, where he replaces Alfred Frith in the "Night Out.” Nicola, in conversation with me this week, expressed surprise at the number of young magicians—amateur and professional —he had met In Australia and New Zealand. He proudly wears the badge of the Magicians’ Sooiety, of which h e was made a member while in Auckland. “The Four Horsemen of the (one lady was heard to call it* “The Four Horsemen of the Eucalyptus”!) will be screened at the Theatre Royal next week. In this picture Rodolph Valentino, who later appeared in “The Sheik,” first cam e into prominence. The Nellie Bramley Dramatic Company, after a successful season in Wellington is now in Christchurch. The company has in rehearsal “The Lion and the'Mouse," “Leah Kleshna," and "The Squaw Man.” The company’s Christchurch season will extend well over six weeks. Eugene O’Brien will probably be Norma Talmadge’s new leading- man. After allowing Conway Tearle. Harrison Ford, Charles Richman and many other men to make screen love to her, Norma has decided that there’s nobody like Eugene, as far as film affection is concerned. So she’s trying to get him back again. Tom Mix has just received another injury. In this instance, for the first time, the Fox star admits it was his own fault. When shooting “The Gun Fanner” 'on location near Prescott, Arizona, the scenario demanded that Tom jump thirty feet from a cliff into a river. The usually careful star took a youngster’s word for ft that the wat er’was deep enough, and jumped. He came out of the Incident with a sprained ankle and a scratched leg.