FROM THE RADIO THEATRE

New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 123, 31 October 1941, Page 13

FROM THE RADIO THEATRE

HE comment which most early visitors made &fter inspecting Station 1ZB’s fine premises was "Well, the new studios are certainly magnificent. I wonder what the new programmes will be like?" By now, most New Zealanders who habitually listen to the ZB stations, have had an opportunity of judging for themselves, for the big half-hour shows presented from 1ZB six

nights of the week are being recorded and "aired" from the other stations as well. All the programmes are heard from 1ZB in the first instance between 8.30 and 9.0 p.m., and all except one, the half hour of drama by the 1ZB Dramatic Players, originate from the radio theatre. On Monday nights comes Out of the Box, a high-pressure variety show, compéred and produced by Jimmy McFarlane, who is already well known to 4ZB listeners. Mr. McFarlane describes it as a "radio revuette"- complete with

gags, interludes by the 1ZB Orchestra under Theo. Walters, items by trios, solo vocalists, what Mr. McFarlane refers to as "squeeze box artists," and other instrumentalists. There are also "surprise items,’ but nobody is supposed to know anything about them until they go on the air. Local talent is being used to the utmost. Escorted Musical Tours On Tuesday nights comes Arthur Collyn’s show, From Where To-night, which has an international flavour and takes listeners on escorted musical tours of most of the countries which are worth visiting. Mr. Collyns writes and produces the shows, and appears in them, too. Once again the 1ZB Orchestra is the foundation of the programme, and it is a tribute to its versatility that it can switch from Harlem to the Kentucky hills to Latin America to Sweden, to Russia without faltering. Reg. Morgan has the Wednesday show, which is entitled Souvenirs, and which can be described roughly as a programme of familiar ballads. Some of them will be played by the orchestra, some by Eric Bell at the Novachord, some will be sung by trios and quartets, and a good few by Reg. Morgan himself. The programme is linked by means of a narrative. _ Comedy is the keynote of the Thursday night’s programme, which is conducted by Dudley Wrathall, well known as the "stooge" in Chuckles with Jerry, and is entitled Musical Mirthquake. Since "Dud" will be one of the most active participants, the compéring will usually be done by Rex Walden. The musical side will feature occasional items by Johnny Madden as guest artist, and lest a surfeit of comedy should prove indigestible, there is a five minute contrast "Here is Mystery," a playlet with a believe-it-or-not sting in the tail. Several well. known Auckland artists will be helping along the musical side. On Friday nights comes ‘Theo Walters’s own programme, Band Waggon, which is designed to show off the capabilities of the 1ZB Orchestra, col-° lectively and individually. It will be a novel programme, with items by | all

tgents, and there are also surprise features and what is technically known as "radio blackouts." New Zealand Plays Eric Bradwell, who is supervising the Saturday night drama presentations, is endeavouring to use, as far as possible, plays with a New Zealand atmosphere and written by New Zealanders. The first play produced was The Damnation of Foster Brown, by Isobel Andrews; the second, Heritage, by George Joseph; and the third, Hard Luck Story, by F. W. Kenyon, of Auckland, A young New Zealand writer, Mr. Kenyon has sold plays in Canada, Australia, and South Africa. Three of the most interesting plays which Mr. Bradwell will produce wera written by members of the CBS staff. Associated with "The Listeners’ Theatre" is John Gordon, 1ZB’s production supervisor, and W. Eliot, CBS head office production manager.