WILLIAM HEUGHAN

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 364, 26 May 1928, Page 15

WILLIAM HEUGHAN

FAMOUS ACTOR-SINGER On Monday and Saturday nights next week, in the Town Hall, Heughan, the famous actor-singer, will again demonstrate to the public of this city what the critics of five continents have termed “a remarkable art.” His is more than a mere song recital. It is the art of one of that rare and remarkable guild, the song interpreter. Words and music are not the all-in-all, and end-all of his programme. He is actor, singer and story-teller all in one. He has made a fusion of the arts and brought to the concert platform much of the life and appeal of the contemporary stage. H~ sin'gs the songs of many lands, but unlike the ordinary concert artist he calls to his aid to make his song pictures more animate and complete the powers of c h a r a c t erisation and dramatisation of which he is considered to be a master. He is not afraid to be thrilling nor is he afraid to make full use of his sense of humour, nor does he cover personality with the cramping conventions of the concert platform. He will present two entirely different programmes, each of which will include operatic arias, classics and ballads of England, Scotland, Ireland, Russia, etc. He will be assisted by Maud Bell, the celebrated English ’cellist, and • Gladys Sayer, the wellknown pianiste who assisted Heughan on his lafct world tour. Michael Vavitch is a member of Norma Talmadge’s cast in “The Dove.” Many critics have said Mr. Vavitch gave promise of becoming another Emil Jannings. In “The Dove,” h e has a strong, if unsympathetic role, that of a vicious, murderous scoundrel named Gomez, who is a tool of his wealthy cousin Sandoval in dark intrigues of a mythical country. Mr. Vavitch played Marco, the blind beggar, in Constance Talmadge’s “Venus of Venice.” H e also appeared in “Resurrection” and “Two Arabian Knights.”