J. C. WILLIAMSON CO.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 1, 16 January 1937, Page 13

J. C. WILLIAMSON CO.

PERFORMANOE IN HASTINGS, The receiit revivals iu Sydiiey and Auckland pf "Lilac Time" anj "Panl Jones" which are to be ataged at Hastings by the J. Cf Williamson Cooiic Opera Company on Wednesday and Thursday nights next created a positive sensation, and the theatre there proved quite inadequate to aecommodate the large number of playgoers who nightly endeavoured to obtain admission. "Iolanthe, " was to have been staged on Thursday afternoon, but the popularity of "Lilac Time" elsewhere has made it advisable to repeat this great comedy on Thursday afternoon instead of ' ' Iolanthe. ' ' The leading artist of the company, which consists of over 100 talented singefs ',daneers and comedians, is Mr TvaD Menzies, the irresistibly humorous comedian, who is a firm favourite with playgoers of New Zealand. Ijfe hiM «!•

ways been Ivan Menzies' ambition to take the role of Franz Schubert, and in it he has seored his best triumph. It is said that he has made a eomprehensive study of the part, and that he gets right into the very soul of it. The glorious music of Schubert 's in "Lilac Time" gives Miss Helen Langton's rich and sweet voice great opportunities to distinguish itself, and it is said that the singer takes every advantage given her by the famous composer. The romantic love story of Schubert is beautifully told in "Lilac Time" and the play is noted for the fact that it ineludes all the loveliest of the famous composer 's music. His melodies, dainty as gossamer as in the numbers "Light out oi Heaven," "Tell me, dear Flower," the "Secret Tell," throb with passion, as in "Yours is My Heart" and the _dropping into the rollicking rhythm of "quartettes, are the foundation on which a production full of delicious humour, with sudden touches of the drainatie, is built. Playgoers remember "Paul Jones" will recall it for its gloripus melodies, its extremely hun).orous dialogue and funny situations, and for its picturesque scenery and stage settings, Qn its original representation in Melbourne it' ran for twenty weeks, which was an outstanding record up to that time, and recently its revivals irf Australia all had to be considerably extended, so popular did it prove. In addition to Ivan Menzies and Helen Langton the company ineludes Gregory Stroud, Godfrey Stirling, Richard Watson, Bernard Manning^ Eile.en Kelly, Clifford Cowley, Tommy Jay and Miss Evelyn Hall, a brilliant young Australian contralto. The company includes a full operatio chorus and orchestra. On Thursday afternoon, beginning at 3 o'clock the company will stage a speeial matinee performance of "Lilac Time. ' ' This play has created a f urore every where it has been played in New Zealand this season, so Hawke's Bay audiences are fortunate that the opportunity is being given them. The box plans for the three operas will be opened at Fail's on Monday morning next at nine o'clock. A queue will be foriped from 8 a.m.