Variety of Comedy from Auckland

Radio Record, Volume VI, Issue 51, 30 June 1933, Page 17

Variety of Comedy from Auckland

Three Comedies, Straight and Musical, from 1YA Next Week -Where Was Kurtz of the Famous Trio?-1ZM Commended for its Sporting Action.

EXT Thursday 1YA again offers a celebrity recital, when the noted Russian pianist, Vinogradoff, will play from the studio. In addition, Zoe Bartley Baxter presents that rarity of recent months, a one-act comedy, with the title, "Her Last Act." Just to make up for any lack in this department the Baileys on Friday are to give some scenes from Goldsmith’s entertaining comedy, "She Stoops to Conquer." Ani finally on Saturday the second of the B.B.C. programmes (this time the musical comedy, "Postman’s Knock’) comes on the northen air. Those who complain that programmes are stereotyped will surely have to take it back this week. Good comedy, or drama with a dash of comedy, will surely find a warm welcome, and be a refreshing break in the ordinary run of musical programmes, however good these last may be. ? * ¥ T is to be hoped that the notable variation scheduled for the coming week is to be the forerunner of a definite break with a concert platform tradition for all programmes. s s [x4 promises a capital selection of talks this coming week. In addition to the current W.H.A. sessions, John Harris, of the Water Lily, speaks of that Pacific gem, Rotuma, and Professor R. M. Algie, on Tuesday, will have something to say of a trip down

the rivers and rapids of Finland. The Professor, by the way, has done some mountaineering in New Zealand and he should be interesting in his run down white water in the far northern country. On Wednesday, Mr. H. J. Hawards will continue with African biggame hunts, and on Thursday "Dpiscopus" will give his first talk, "Under Tropical Skies." The speaker spent many years in Sumatra, Java, and the Dutch Indies, and his talk will deal with life and experiences in this interesting and not very well-known section of the tropics. Finally, on Saturday, "Old Wire Whiskers" will offer a complete change of temperature in a sea story called "Ice and Icebergs." That, plus the regular weekly talks, makes a list that will take some beating, wherever you care to tune in. * . LJ * HB highlight of 1YA’s programmes this week was the relay of a portion of the Spivakovsky-Kurtz Trio’s concert from His -Majesty’s Theatre, This was 2 tusical treat. The relay

was well done, and Culford Bell’s footlight commentary made everything intelligible. While the piano work of Jascha and the violin solos of Tossy Spivakovsky were brilliant, many listeners in the north will regret that the combination was not heard as a trio, and that the ’cellist made no appearance in the relayed portion of the programme. A sample of concerted work and a Kurtz solo would have materially enhanced the entertainment value of the broadcast. * * "STROLLER," stranded at midnight in a railway station, filled in the the night watches by consulting the only available literature a P.O. Directory, and told his discoveries from

1YA last Saturday. In spite of the depression -he found Money and Cash to the Dominion, besides some farthings and several pennies, Indeed there were very few poor in the country. Morally, too, we were above the reproach of gambling since last year there were only 8 Betts in the entire country. There were six Harps and four Angels, and a whole orchestra of musical instruments-but fortunately no Saxophones. Of Bachelors there were but two in the Dominion, so that any tax on them will not help much in balancing the Budget. The saddest fact

of all was that there are not enough Darlings to go round, the total being but five. However, there were hardly any Flatts in the country, and but four Frights, though, as the lecturer said: "ve seen more than that in Queen Street." It all made excellent nousense, x % % IX the educational sessions broadcast by 1YA each Tuesday is a deal of excellent material that must surely be appreciated by adults as well as the children for whom it is primarily intended. For instance. last Tuesday Mr, D. M. Rae spoke briefiy on "Foreign Affiairs’"; there was a talk on the

"Clothing of the Maori" by Miss Smith; Mr. J. W. Shaw read a simple yet dramatie playlet; Dr. H. B. Wallace told of a journey from London across Belgium to Germany, and Mr. Hollinrake presided over a bright singing lesson. Dr. Wallace spoke of the German attack on Liege forts and the final disheartened retreat of Ludendorff’s army. He added interest to this last by the statement that he himself had seen it as a prisoner of war eonfined by the Germans in one of those same Liege forts. The whole session was worth while. x a * . PORTING broadcasts in the past week included relays of trotting, wrestling and football, so that patrons had good measure in this respect. The Walker-Patterson bout was particularly well done by Gordon Hutter for 1YA and it will not be surprising if appreciative letters come from both north and south. It was a pleasure, too, to hear "Bill" Hindman back on the air for 1ZR with a bright description of the League games at Carlaw Park. By the way, the absence of 1ZR enabled 1ZM, Manurewa, to break its usual programmes to relay "Scrim’s" Sunday service. That this action was appreciated by the host of folk who regard "Serim," with his friendly talks, as one of the outstanding.radio personalities of the Dominion, was shown by the sheaf of letters of thanks that came to the suburban station.