AT THE REHEARSAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3191, 15 September 1917, Page 2

AT THE REHEARSAL

"LA MASCOTTE" IN S THE MAKING

WHAT "PRODUCING" MEANS

(By "Sylvius/')

"Produced by Mr. Tout Pollard." Of tho many hundreds of thousands of people who liuvo read that line in the newspapers, oil tho hoardings, and programmes in New Zealand, Australia, !>outh Africa, and India, how i..any know what the above term really means, and, to make for exact definition, wherein lies tho difference between "produced by" and "under tho direction of" or "stage-managed by"? So Ion.? as the show is a good one the public does not worry much about the duties of those behind the scones; but really'thure arc wide and important differences in the duties attaching to each position, and of these tho producer is tho King Pm. A company might be "under the direction of" the man in the boiled sl.irt in front, who sits in receipt of custom, and smiles or frowns, according to the number of theatre seats filled. On the other hand, the stage manager is he who carefully understudies the producer so that as soon as the former's work is done and the show is before the public he may take charge of the stage (from the prompt entrance), and see that in the acting, li<j!itirjg, and setting the producer's ideas are, faithfully carried out. It is the producer's powers of invention, his imagination, his ingenuity and intelligence that, to a very grsat extent, make or mar a show. Of course, the material he works with roust be plastic enough to absorb the producer's ideas. Stage is largely a focnlty to absorb and give expression lo ideas and fancies, in speech, gesture, sons pot necessarily one's own. A full realisation of that could not be missed after once seeing the genial Tom Pollard—the doyen of producers in Australasia—at work. Mr. Pollard's exporienco right back to the misty 'seventies—to the days of. Simonsen's, Wansantieim's, Luscombe Searelle's, Lister's, and llon-lague-Turner's opera in which he played sundry parts. Perhaps his biggest hit was as the miser fiaspard in "Lea Clqclus de Corneville, , " in which he is said to have given a ramarknble performance. But Tom Sullivan (his real name) soon merged into the Tom Pollard that we know—Tom Pollard the producor, the man whose bisiny work is only seen through the ••:odinm of others. Curiously' euough, "La llascotte" was one of the first operas "f the second period or phase of his producing life.

The first was a life of cninie opera, devoted to such operas as "Fautinitza," "The Little Duke," "Tim Princess of . Trebizond," "Estrella," etc. 'then came the first production in Melbourne., in ISS2 of "Mascotte" with Maggie Moore as the Bettina, Nellio Stewart us Princess Fia.metta, Harwood as Laurent, Edwin Kelly ns Eocco, Woodtield as Inttelini, and Verdi as Pippo—a very able cast. Two years later Mr. Pollard secured the opera for his juveniles, and produced it in Hoburt with Ruth Wallace as the Bettina, May Pollard as Fiametta, Maud Pollard as Laurent, a boy named Ferguson as Eocco, Julia Simmons as Fr.ittelim, and Beryl Mackay ns Pippo. After a tour of Tasmania and Queensland the company came to New Zealand, with the following principals:—Alt' Stephens (Laurent), H.Quealy (Hoeeo), Lily Everitt (Bettina), Kdio Zoigler (Frittelrm), Beryl Mackay (Pippo), and Lily Stephens (l'ltimctta). Mr.. Pollard admits that "La Mascotto" was always one of the companr'e most popular bills. "Oan you wonder at it? The opera has tin excellent plot, the music is nnifoiinly melodious, the comedy is excellent, ami the opportunities for dressing and spectado are eplendid—there you have all the elements of sound comic opera, ioull see next iveck!" But to get back to -Tom Pollard, tuo producer. The writer was privileged to see him at work on the amateurs the. other evening. It was an illuminating lesson in two ways.. Tho performers, good and clever as-they are all known to be, placed themselves entirely in Mr. Pollard's , hands. Though they aid not say it in so many words, tho wireless impression given was: "\Vo uro as clay in tho potter's hands. Thou art tho potter-do with us what you will! Hint is tho spirit in which the competent, producer must be accepted-tor ho knows. Ho knows the tempo ot every sons and chorus, knows exnetly how much can. be got out of each number: knows how to "work" the number with pose and gesture, and always with; the artist i cvfi for -picture effect. 'Then hear him wading into tho ma-logue-somo of it apparently tho most inino drivel-but hear the ones spoken by Mr. Pollard as he would have the performers speak them, and ««T '£ come alive with comedy. One finds oneself laughing at n lino one thought merely silly a momont before. Over and "ve ho will take the same line, until tile performer senses the exnet inflection of each word, the exact strength of voice, tho exact pose, gesture, ar.cl °rimace. tutil finally you hnd the performer getting the "Pollard touch. It if the opera taking form. One of the greatest d faculties with amateurs is to got them to speak natui»llv, with just tho proper modulation, perhaps a little accentuated for stage purposes; anS another is .to get them lo speak lines without movmg about. .Repose on the stage is tho rarest, and most precious of all virtues. It is the nerves that are calling for action all the time. Ono noticed that though Mr. Pollard laid a strict injunction on more than one performer not to move until they spoke a certain line they.: won d invariably take-a step this or that.way as. thov spoke, and, as tho producer would illustrate, it always had a weakening effG"Now, bo ready this «>« e 4 r Mr E ot Tour stick!" orders Mr. Pollard. "N-ow, that bit over .gain. Laurent m there, Bettina uud Fiannetta are at Jinn. i "IIocco, Kocco, where are you?" says King Laurent, as ho is given a real doing bv his irato daughter, and no less, irate "Mascot." who tear his crown to pieceAt this moment Rocco enters, hcc» Mio monarch in difficulties, «n». » wand of office, and turns head over'.eels in the contro of the s\a S e, whilst the King, with woebegone expresMOi., picks up the rent crown, saying- Here is . ouarch r«xlucod to tar» halfjM^l m,; tho t.«'o termagants axo instnsstcd to coinmenco the row.slowly, an; work up necelarando to "boiling point. Rom) 3 told that ho must pretend that his wrist is broken, and fir. on. Every step, even- gesture, every shade of expression moment in the opera, is worked out according to tho plans and speciliealious of the producer, and it.is because ho Wellington amateurs aro fortunate enough to securo the services of_Mr. Pollard each year that their penormances are so uniformly delightful.