Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

The Stage

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL.

By

PASQUIN.

Clem Dawe and Eric Edgley are at the head of a vaudeville company playing at the Bijou Theatre, Melbourne. While London is laughing r.t his comedy, George Shiels, the author of “The New Gossoon,” is sitting in a cripple’s chair at Ballymoney, County Antrim, Ireland. He was the victim of a railway accident in Canada years ago, and was given a small pension. Then he began to write. He has never seen one of his plays performed. He merely sits in a chair trying to imagine it all. _ . ‘■■ I love jazz, but why call it music ? ” pertinently remarked Alischa Levitzki to an interviewer.

The London 'Sunday Times says that Isabel Wilford, daugher of he New Zealand High Commissioner in London, gives a fine performance in “ Lean Harvest,” a new play just produced. “When I go back I have immediaetly to start on my European and American tours,” said Miseha Levitzki, the pianist. « I tour the United States and the capitals of Europe once every summei, and rest for about three months. ®ln future I will rest more. I will only play for six months, and rest for six. Mr Alan Richardson, who, by his excellent work as accompanist, shares materially in the success of the Dawson‘Hambourg concerts, received his early training in Edinburgh, his birthplace, and was later a pupil in London for two years of Mr Harold Craxton. Upon the advice of Mr Craxton, Mr Richardson took a course of conducting at the Royal Academy of Music, and there had the opportunity of coming under the influence of Sir Henry Wood. The pianist’s grandfather, Thomas Richardson, a well-known organist in his day, composed many anthems and songs. One of these ballads is the famous “ Kind, Kind, and Gentle Is She,” which he disposed of to a publisher for £5. Mr Richardson reports a keen revival of interest in England in music for two pianos, largely due to the fine performances of Ethel Bartlett and Rae Robertson. Mr Edgar Wallace’s new play, " The Old Man.” opened in London last month. The scene of the play is a Surrey inn, the ArranWay Arms, and the east includes Maisie Gay, Frances Doble, Alfred Drayton. and 'jack Melford. Mr Wallace is his own producer. • In these difficult days the man who has not one business, but a chain of them, is kept very busy indeed. Mr John Fuller, who divides his time between the directorships of Fullers' Theatres, Australia, and John Fuller and Sons. Ltd., New Zealand, finds that the chain of theatres which he controls takes all his time and attention. New Zealand, he said in an interview in Christchurch on Tuesday, is very much better <?ff than Australia, for there the people suffer severely from too much government —local government, State government, Federal government. This handicap, together with the world factors of mass production, sheltered conditions for labour, and increasing taxation, had put Australia into the difficult position where she now found herself.

t. " G. BERNARD SHAW. DEBUT AS SONG-WRITER. The latest anecdote regarding Mr George Bernard Shaw concerns his entry into the field of song-writing. Mr Shaw launched forth into this new avenue as a result of a s6ng being sent to him by an ambitious song-writer. The song in question, “My Irish Daddy,” was written by Miss Maisie Hurl, and set to music by Haydn Wood. After being published by Messrs Chappell and Co., a copy of the song was sent to Mr George Bernard Shaw. x /. The first,.verse ran: — Tho’ my eyes have never rested on that dear delightful land. Yet I know her hills and valleys are the work of Beauty’s hand; And I'm sure there’s angel’s laughter in each gleaming stream that) flows— For my Irish Daddy says it, and my Irish Daddy knows. The song came back from Air Shaw with “ Envoi, by G. Bernard Shaw.” Inside was this verse, in the handwriting of Mr Shaw: — At last I went to Ireland. 'Twas raining cats and dogs : I found no music in the glens, nor purple in the bogs; And as for angel’s laughter in the smelly Liftey’s tide! Well, my Irish Daddy said it; but the dear , old humbug lied. MISS IRIS DARBYSHIRE. Miss Iris Darbyshire, engaged in London to play leading roles under the J. C. Williamson management, arrived in Sydney on June 12 by the Narkunda to join the Frank Harvey company at the Theatre Royal. Miss Darbyshire, who was born in London, and educated there and in Paris, first went on to the stage seven years a_go in Paris as a dancer.

One of her earliest experiences was in the English run of “White Cargo,” in she understudied Miss Dorie Sawyer as Tondeleyo, a part which Miss Darbyshire played later in the season in London, and then on tour. Her success was so pronounced that she found herself cast for coloured roles, and for two years she appeared all over England in the lead ih “ Aloma,” and then as Nubi in “ The Squall.” a play which achieved great success in the English provinces as well as in New York, but did not catch popular favour in London. Changing from these Toles, she became a member of the company supporting Dame Sybil Thorndike

in the London production of “ Ghosts." She was naturally greatly interested in the news that Miss Thorndike’s name had appeared in the birthday honours list, and spoke warmly of the fine personal qualities of that distinguished artist, and of her gifts as an actress. SEQUEL TO “ JOURNEY’S END ” It is unlikely that we shall see R. G. Sherriff's -sequel to “ Journey’s End.” When I met him the other day (says a writer in a London paper) he told me that he wrote a scenario, dealing with Stanhope after the war, at the request of James Whale, but Hollywood complained that it was not exciting enough. As Sherriff said, “ How could it be exciting? Most of the Stanhopes had a very dull time of it when they came back to civilian life.” He is very busy, however, at work on a novel. “ I found the technique difficult at first, as it was so different from playwriting. but now that I have settled down to the book, I enjoy the writing very much; it i§ about half finished.” His passion is still rowing, and he is at Abingdon, coaching one of the Oxford eights. A DISTINGUISHED ACTRESS. ’Dame Sybil Thorndike, whose name appears in the list of birthday honours, has long occupied the position of a leading British actress, famous for one of her most eminent achievements in the performance of the title-role of Bernard Shaw’s play, “Saint Joan.” “I am unable to expressin .words what I feel for the privilege of having been allowed to play this part,” she said, in returning thanks at the “ Saint jpan ” dinner, organised as a tribute in her honour in London, at the Hotel Cecil, in October, 1924, during the run of the piece at the Nqw Theatre. The chairman on that" occasion, Sir Herbert E. Morgan, described Miss Thorndike as a great Englishwoman and a great national asset, who not only had, with amazing sincerity, self-sacrifice, and courage, attained an extraordinary position on the stage of the world, but had set a very high example to Englishwomen wherever they were congregated. Dame Sybil Thorndike was at first a pianist, who appeared ill recital after a course of study at the Guildhall School of Music, but soon afterward she a'ud her brother, Russell Thorndike, became students at ■ Ben Greet's Academy, and so their pathway was opened to the stage. Dame Sybil has received the degree of LL.D, from Manchester and Edinburgh Universities. WESTMINSTER GLEE SINGERS. In the course of his tour of the East with the Westminster Glee Singers, Mr Wilfred Thomas, of Sydney, enjoyed a recital of Filipino folk songs,- part of the programme at a reception given to the visitors by the Manila Conservatoriuni. Later, when we visited Bagui, in the hill country,’’ he writes, “ I was the guest at a native fiesta, and heard some of these songs performed by the Igorots. The cities of the Philipines are ,rapidly. becoming Americanised, and although we lamented 1 “ ie P ass *”g of the picturesque Spanish architecture and customs, we were glad to find that the natives are becoming very keen on our music. Several recitals were given during our stay in Manila, and a symphony concrt.” Air Thomas mot in Hongkong Toti dal Monte and her husband. then touring the East under engagement to Air A. Strok, the concert manager. LONDON PLAYS. „AP ar * fro ™ T Sir . Os «’ald Stoll’s “ The \v lute xiorse Inn,’ there is really uo remarkable production in the West End, though the “Barrets of Wimpole Street ” continues on its money-making way, and Shaw’s “Saint Joan” has been successfully revived at His Majesty’s Theatre. wl j Sybil 1 horndyke in the title role and several members of her original coinpany in their old parts (writes the London correspondent of the Alelbourne Argus under date Alay 7). Following upon the long run of “ The Second Airs Frasjer.” rn, rie Tempest is once more at the theatre Royal, Haymarket, supported by her husband, Air Graham Browne, in a comedy called “ Five Farthings.” A widow is in jjiarge of a pension on the Italian Riviera, but she is sadly hampered by poor business methods combined with an absence of working capital. The love affairs of her son force her to pretend to a financial position which the pension cannot justify. Upon this unsubstantial foundation “Five Farthings” passes from laugh to laugh. The widow’s battle with the borker’s men is memorable, and if failure reduces her to tears just before the last curtain-fall it is only that tears may restore the son to his mother’s arms and the audience to laughter. Sir Gerald du Alaurier is at the Playhouse in an Austrian comedy, “ The Church Alouse.” He plays a colossus of finance, who falls in love with his attractive secretary. Unfortunately the_ banker finds that his business is suffering, so the real heroine is introduced in the person of Susie Sachs, a woman of truly astonishing competence, who can take down letters in French, Italian, or American at express speed. Soon the position of the former secretary is undermined, but the colossus of the banking world refuses to admit a second defeat by Cupid until the very end. Sir Gerald du Maurier is well supported by Aliss Leonora Bonda. an Austrian girl, who plays Susie Sachs. LAUGHING AT TALKIES. Cinema audiences are learning to restrict their laughter. The explosive bursts of mirth which used to greet the antics of a comedia* or a pithy bit of dialogue have gradually subsided to a quiet chuckle or a low-pitched laugh. I was interested to read these remarks, made by Alfred Green, a film director, because I have been increasingly conscious of the fact that audiences are becoming

much quieter (writes Herbert Thompson, in the Film Weekly). With a silent film, of course, audiences could laugh as loud’y as they wished without injuring their own enjoyment; but the talkies presented a new problem. Several film-makers have described to me the difficulties of making a time allowance for laughs. Soon after the talkies arrived filmgoers began to complain that, they lost quite a large proportion of the dialogue which followed a particularly amusing' incident because of the noisy laughter evoked by it. As a result directors did provide a pause, for laughter in some films, but the expedient was not very successful. When the joke failed the succeeding silence underlined its failure. I remember quite well an occasion when a line which was expected to create laughter was followed by a pause; but the laughter never came. Like Queen Victoria, the audience was not amused. For about seven seconds the actors just stood still; then they began to talk again. The effect was disastrous.

Having learned the danger of gambling on laughter they cannot ensure, most producers now prefer to make pictures as if they did not expect a single laugh, and just risk the consequences. Fortunately filmgoers are adapting themselves to the situation. Talkies have exercised a moderating influence ou laughter. Laughter has a cheerful sound, but is it indispensable to the appreciation of wit. A short time ago I was discussing with a Harley Street specialist the psychology of laughter. He declared that it did not necessarily indicate enjoyment or even merriment. To support his point he quoted i the tendency of factory- girls to burst into noisv laughter on leaving work after several hours of repression. Though flieir mirth sounds joyous, very often they are laughing at, nothing at all. Such laughter may be either an ebullition of animal spirits or near-hysteria, but in either case it has little relation to humour. In my own experience I have found that the people who laugh loudest seldom possess the keenest sense of humour. The man or wornan who rarely laughs has generally an acute sense of the amusing. To indulge in loud guffaws would certainly appear unnecessary to the full enjoyment of humour. Charlie Chaplin’s “ City'Lights ” pro- • vides an interesting example of the difference between silent and talkie comedy. I noticed that at the theatre where it was showing the audience let itself go much more freely than is common nowadays, for the excellent reason that it knew no enjoyment would be lost thereby.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/OW19310630.2.218

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Otago Witness, Issue 4033, 30 June 1931, Page 60

Word count
Tapeke kupu
2,247

The Stage Otago Witness, Issue 4033, 30 June 1931, Page 60

The Stage Otago Witness, Issue 4033, 30 June 1931, Page 60

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert