Open Microphone

New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 782, 16 July 1954, Page 24

Open Microphone

since Alan de Malmanche made his bow to Listener readers. Still in his teens then, his picture appeared as co-author with Robert Newman of Outpost of Empire, a play about the adventures of the British in India 100 years ago, which included such sound effects as "a liberal 14 years almost to the day

sprinkling of horses galloping, rifie shots, calls to arms, gong booms, native chants, and even an astral voice." It’s something of an understatement to say that Alan de Malmanche has remained interested in plays and the theatre ever since. A few years ago he won a British Council Bursary and New Zealand Government Bursary for dramatic studies, and spent just over a year in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Among his fellow students were Suzanne Holman (Vivien Leigh’s daughter, who is now’ starring in BBC Television), Audrey Dalton (who is working for 20th Century-Fox Films in Hollywood), and Vivienne Martin, of Christchurch (now appearing in London in . The Belles of St. Trinian’s). Mr. de Malmanche headed the men’s verse-speak-ing competition at the Academy, so he was well fitted to undertake the reading of The Ballad of Reading Gaol, which 3YC broadcast this week. After

his year in London Mr. de Malmanche returned to business life in Christchurch -that was in 1952-and he has: been acting and producing locally ever since. He produced Peer Gynt and The FirstBorn for the Theatre Arts Guild, and formed his own drama company in the firm with which he is working. He has also done coaching in drama. But all this apparently isn’t enough for Mr. de Malmanche, and he plans to leave for London in September to resume professional acting.

DRUM ROLL

UDDY RICH, top drummer in the last Downbeat poll, . organised his first band in November, 1945, and has been consolidating his reputation (against tough competition) ever since. According to Stuart S. Allen (Stars of Swing) he first appeared in public at the age of five, playing a timy set of drums in a toyshop scene in "Green-

wich Follies‘ of 1923," and at 7 toured Hawaii and Australia in his parents’ vaudeville act. His first big break

came when Art Shapiro got him to sit in with Joe Marsala’s group in New York, and a long term with Marsala followed. Rich later transferred to Bunny Berigan, and in 1939 joined Artie Shaw. After the latter assignment he moved to Tommy Dorsey’s band and stayed there (recording and making many film spot appearances) until he joined the Marines. After demobilisation he rejoined Dorsey for a time, but soon formed his own band with the backing of Sinatra. Now mainly freelancing, he has been heard here recently on record as a member of the Oscar Peterson Trio (with Ray Brown on bass). Lee Young (about whom Phil Warren, of Kingsland, also enquires) has been drumming in and around Los Angeles since 1935, and though he recently visited Britain, generally likes to stay at home. "When you can make a living in the studios," he says, "all that running around on the roads is so much tinsel." "Studios" for him means both recording and film, and he has worked

for Columbia and M.G.M., among other © assignments making the soundtrack for Mickey Rooney in Strike Up the Band. He has drummed for Norman Granz" and Goodman-when they were in Cali-fornia-and also for Nat Cole. Lee Young was not placed on either Downbeat’s or Metronome’s last polls, Max Roach was top drummer in the latter, with Rich in ere place, ‘

EAN KIRK-BURNNAND, of 4ZB, who is now overseas with this year’s Korea Concert Party, is what you might, call (with appropriate to Mr. Gerald Moore) a well-tempered accompanist. She has, at any rate, been

tempered and tested in all sorts of musical temperatures. She is pianist to the Dunedin Amateur Operatic Society, and acts as accompanist in the dancing sections at the Dunedin Competitions Society’s festivals; grand opera and "pop" music both come within her capabilities, and she has been heard frequently on the air as accompanist to (continued on next page)

Th OF BROADCASTERS, N AND OFF THE RECORD

the light vocalists Leone and Dave Maharey. She is particularly adept in providing background music and effects for stage turns, and Ces Morris should find this aptitude useful during the Concert Party’s tour of duty overseas. Jean spent a twelve-months’ holiday in England last year, seeing shows and generally getting up-to-date in popular music -all of which suggests that Commonwealth servicemen will be hearing her at the top of her —

LASS WITH A ZITHER

1 GHIRLEY ABICAIR was unknown in Britain when she went there from Australia in 1952 at the age of 22. Now she is a top show-business personality who claims that her sudden fame resulted from taking tea at the BBC Tele-

vision studio canteen at Lime Grove. A producer with whom she shared a table offered an audi-

tion, and her unusual personality as a singer of popular and folk songs soon won her an enthusiastic following in both television and sound radio. While studying philosophy at Sydney University, Shirley Abicair sang in a cabaret for pocket money, and to vary her act taught herself to strum a zither. When

she won a fadio talent contest she decided to try her luck in Britain.. Accompanied by her zither and an instrumental trio, Shirley Abicair is being heard in a series of BBC programmes now going the rounds of National stations. Not inappropriately the first item on the " first programme is "Botany Bay." *

IT STARTED WITH JULIET

"THEA HOLME, who prepared the BBC’s radio adaptation. of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park and also acts as narrator, studied drawing and sculpture at the Slade School in London, until a part as Juliet in a London University Dramatic Society production

turned her thoughts towards the. stage. After that she joined the Ben Greet Players

and later appeared in many London productions, including Lady Precious Stream, in which she played the title role for two years. ‘Mansfield Park is not her first venture in adapting Jane Austen, for she also broadcast inher own version of Northanger Abbey. Thea Holme’s adaptation of Mansfield Park is at present being heard from several National stations,

"THREE men of the theatre who are well known in New Zealand had a hand in plays produced at the Q Theatre,

in London, about a month ago. Copies of The Stage which came to hand as we. were going to press mentioned that Frederick Farley, broadcaster, and_ theatrical producer in Christchurch and Wellington, and for the Community Arts Service. had pro-

duced Oscar Wilde’s Salome, with John Carson-Parker, formerly of the NZBS

and the New Zealand Players, in a small part as the second soldier. Harold Baigent, a former producer for the C.A.S. in Britain on a bursary, was responsible for the lighting. The following week John Car-son-Parker. had a

leading part as a Victorian husband in Angelina Pantaloon, by Clement Anderson.