“JAZZ NEARLY DEAD”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 493, 24 October 1928, Page 1

“JAZZ NEARLY DEAD”

NEW YORK BANNS SAXOPHONES TREND OF MODERN PLAYS Sex plays having reached the limit of suggestiveness and mystery plays a satiety of thrills, the theatre shows signs of a return to the light opera type, a Gilbert and Sullivan idea of real collaboration between author, composer and lyrist, according to Mr. Fred J. Blackman, producer for J. C. Williamson, Ltd. Mr. Blackman, who sails by the Niagara to-day on a flying visit to New York to get a new play to produce, was the producer at Daly’s Theatre, London, where “The Maid of the Mountains” ran for 31 years and “The Merry Widow” for 2£ years. In 25 years the average time for a play to run was 18 months. “HIGH - SHOTS" WANTED Since the war plays have taken a different turn, he explained, New York becoming the market of the world instead of London. “No one now cares whether the hero marries the heroine in the last act,” he said. “Every show has to have ‘high-spots’ and if there are sufficient of these the show is a success. There has to be some sensation like a totem pole ballet or a last line like Lonsdale’s in ‘Aren’t We All.’ ” Stage lighting was another factor of the success of the American movement. Once upon a time the producer tried to get correct atmosphere by lighting —if it were moonlight, he tried to make the scene look as though it were under the light of the moon. But now lighting was purely for effect, sensationalism taking the place of realism. “Jazz is very nearly dead in New York,” he said. “In its own home it has I'ost popularity. ‘The Student Prince’ and even ‘Rose Marie’ were not jazz. No longer do the managers employ _ saxophones in the orchestras which are used for plavs. This throw-back to the past, the saxophone, is discarded, the instrument being limited to the dance floors.” SEX PLAYS In some London theatres before the i war the word “bother” might have ; been objected to and “damn” was certainly banned, said Mr. Blackman, but sex plays had had a wonderful innings since the war. London had been sav< I from itself by the censor, but Ne\. York had reached a climax in suggestiveness. A friend of the famous playwright, Frederick Lonsdale, Mr. Blackman was associated with him in “The Maid of the Mountains.” Lonsdale writing the libretto. They went to Berlin together to see the Herman production of “Pompadour.” It was utterly untranslateable from the original form, the situations being altogether too steep for England. Lonsdale said at first that it was impossible to tone it ' down sufficiently but he was persuaded i to do it. Mr. Blackman came out to Australia to produce “Pompadour” there and he since produced “The Student Prince” and “The Girl Friend” which are coming here next week. Annie Croft, who is the “girl friend.” is a real London star, says Mr. Blackman. and one of the five first women on the London stage. She has that simplicity and charm which is demanded by English audiences. The show is especially strong in comedy, Loo Franklin and Gus Bluett being the comedians, and is practically on Lon- ! don scale. Talking of the changes he expected ;n plays. Mr. Blackman said that the : ore-war managers, like his own chief. I George Edwards, were artistic first and ! commercial next. For some years the | managers had been out solely to make j money. Now there were signs of i managers again exercising knowledgi able supervision of the work and j building the work of author, lyrist, j composer into a complete whole.