STAGE ACTIVITIES

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21188, 10 August 1940, Page 13 (Supplement)

STAGE ACTIVITIES

New Zealander in Egypt Lance Fairfax, who served with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the last war and attained the rank of major, also winning the M.C., is reported to be in Egypt organising entertainments on behalf of Drury Lane (E.N.S.A.) and Mr Basil Dean. Mr Fairfax was last in New Zealand as the Red Shadow in “Desert Song.” Marie Ney For Sydney Marie Ney, the New Zealand actress who has won great success on the London stage, will open in Sydney on August 24 in ‘‘Ladies In Retirement.” Only Women Dance in New Ballet Highlights of the ballet at the Theatre Royal were the world premiere of Nina Verchinina’s “Etude,” and the first presentation in Sydney of Lichine’s “Le Pavilion,” says Sydney Sun. It would be difficult to find two pieces more strongly contrasted. Lichine’s ballet is warm, friendly, charmifg: “Etude,” though not lacking in beauty, is austerely cold, built on severe classical lines. Like most of Lichine’s choreography, “Le Pavilion” is colourful, and rich in popular appeal. It follows conventional techniaue. There is only one man in “Pavilion,” and in “Etude” the dancers are all women. As an exhibition of classical dancing, “Etude” has considerable merit; its emotional content is negligible. Mile. Verchinina has used Bach’s tnusic and sought to interpret it in terms of ballet, mainly by artistic grouping and graceful movement. There is no story, no drama, no heart-throb; merely an attempt to 1 envisage what the creator describes as “musical architecture” in dance form. Comedians Still Popular Jim Gerald, who used to be so popular in vaudeville in New Zealand, is one of the “headliners” at Sydney Tivoli. George Wallace, also pleasantly remembered here, heads the programme at Melbourne Tivoli Gilbert and Sullivan Not Known Here’s an echo from the recent Gilbert and Sullivan season which reveals the astonishing fact that there is one person, at least, in Sydney, who apparently has never heard of the famous operas and thinks that H.M.S. Pinafore is part and parcel of the Royal Navy, says a writer in Sydney Sun. Maxwell Oldaker, who played one of the leading Gilbert and Sullivan roles, tells the story of how he took a photograph of himself in “Pinafore” costume along to a shop to buy a suitable frame. The girl attending to him brought out a number of rtatty little model frames embellished with coats of arms and names of H.M.A.S. warships. Looking at his photograph she apologetically explained that there didn’t seem to be one with his ship’s name on it but she was sure she could order one for him. Ballet Art Competition Seventy-six artists submitted designs to the Colonel de Basil Ballet competition, said the director of the National Art Gallery (Mr Will Ashton) at Sydney. The prize was awarded to Mr Donald Friend for his “Hold-up,” and the following were highly commended:—Misses Kathleen and Florence Martin (“Flagstaff Hill”), Miss Jean Campbell (“Synopsis”), Mr Gene Ashton (“Port Arthur, Tasmania, 1810”), Miss Joan Pitman (“Waltzing Matilda”), Miss Phyllis Pitman (“First Hobart Regatta. 1838”). Tay Compton in England In the belief that its sentiment and story will meet the needs of the hour, the Daniel Mayer Company propose to present in England the great American success. “Family Portrait.” It tells of the life of Christ as seen through the eyes of His family in Nazareth. Fay Compton has the part of Mary and Ursula Jeans is Mary Magdalene