Banshee in the Background
HE news that we were after all to have an Olivier broadcast filled me with joyous anticipation, but it took the portentousness of Ngaio Marsh’s opening comments to make me fully conscious of the signality of the honour. (The Old Vic, said Miss Marsh, has changed the face of drama in New Zealand, and given us a touchstone by which our own performances can be judged.) And though staunch Wellingtonians may re- | member against her that reference to "the banshee howling of the wind, Well- | ington’s signature tune,’ yet even they | may feel proud that the Olivier intro- | duction to the local radio audience was effected by as famous a representative of the local drama. Apart from the ‘aforementioned obligato by the northerly' and a slight difference of opinion among the cognoscenti as to the pronunciation of Olivier, the epic broadcast went off without a hitch. Possibly there has never been over a New Zealand radio station so rich and varied a programme. Sir Laurence was Harry of England, Rhett Butler, Darcy, Romeo, and Sir Peter to Vivien Leigh’s Katherine, Scarlett, Elizabeth, Juliet, and Lady Teazle. Not even the occasional offstage interruption by the banshee could spoil the show.
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19481105.2.21.1
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Listener, Volume 19, Issue 489, 5 November 1948, Page 10
Word count
Tapeke kupu
203Banshee in the Background New Zealand Listener, Volume 19, Issue 489, 5 November 1948, Page 10
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
Log in