N.Z.'s "Ready-Made Leading Lady"

Radio Record, Volume VII, Issue 52, 5 July 1935, Page 25

N.Z.'s "Ready-Made Leading Lady"

Elaine Hamill, Taihape Girl, Gains Praise From Sydney Press-Menuhin Opens: N. Z. Tour at Auckland--Desmond McCarthy Praises "Sheppey’-Dramatie Recital at Oamaru.

‘LASHINGS of praise came the way of Elaine Hamill, the’ beautiful Taihape girl, at present. in Australia, for the ‘performance, she gave in Sydney recently in Phillip Lewis’s production of "The Shining Hour. " Miss Hamill, + who gave-up nursing in New Zedland to try her luck on the Australian stage, "was given wonderful’ Press notices after her first night’s performance. Said "The Sun": "Elaine Hamill, out of the blue, via New Zealand! Sydney seldom has. been faced with a ) leading lady ready-made. There have been manufactured ones, but net one with all the natural’ graces. . The Fragonard: beauty, poise, elegance and exquisite voice of Blaine Hamill in ‘The Shining Hour’ at the Savoy Theatre, with an uncanny knack of getting: ‘all her inflections just right. proclaim a real rising star. If Australia does not want her, .London .or New York will hold out inviting arms. She. probably gained her poise .from her experience of nursing after the Napier earthquake, but the rest is. Nature’s gift to an actress born." One of the hardest critics in Aus"tralia said: "The two main women’s parts- were played respectively by ' Elaine Hamill and Sybil Davidson, and .. their scenes together. were :the highlights of the production. Sybil Davidson’s excellent work is known already ‘to most playgoers, but Elaine Hamilla New-Zealand girl-deserves to be bet‘ter known. She has ability to take -her far." Said "The Telegraph": . "Winning a talkie star contest some 12 months ago, Miss Hamill -appeared

in one Cinesound film, but her appearance in "Ihe Shining Hour’ should prove a stepping-stone to further .successes. In a difficult role she looked : exquisite, and played with increasing. sincerity as the dramatic intensity of the play developed.’ Miss Hamill joins the cast of the J, C. Williamson musical comedy, "Roberta," when it opens at His Majesty’s Theatre, Brisbane, on Saturday evening,

Me. CLAUD KINGSTON, concert director for Messrs, J. and N. Tait, who is in New Zealand completing arrangements for the visit of 'Yehudi Menuhin, reports an astonishing amount of interest in the advent ‘of: ‘the 18-year-old musical celebrity. Menuhin began his New Zealand tour ut the Auckland Town Hall on .Tuesday, coming direct froma record tour of Australia. Over 70,000 people attended the Sydney and Mélbourne concerts, and never in the history of music in Australia have there been such unforgettable scenes of enthusiasm, Yehudi comes as a climax to the Tait direction of such famous personages aS Paderewski, Galli Curci, Pavloya, Kreisler, Heifetz, Hislop, Hambourg, ‘and the like, and it has been Jeft to a lad still in his teens to lift audiences to their feet in wild appreciation of the most glorious violin music it has been their privilege to hear. The boy receives the highest terms of any artist ever to visit. New Zealand, But then he is a genius for whom no praise is too flattering. Dates for the rest of the tour are: Wellington, July 10, 13, 17; Christchurch, July 20, 23; and Dunedin, July 27, 30, N R. DESMOND MACARTHY in the ‘ "New Statesman and Nation" deyoted a coliimn to his review of Mr, Somerset Maughan’s latest play, "Sheppey," which is to be produced by the Wellington: Repertory Theatre under the direction of Myr. Léo. du: Chateau from July 17 to 20... "Yes, ,it is a comedy," he writes, "but a comedy which borders upon drama, and even upon religious drama, It begins in the gnloon of a fashionable hairdresser’s shop. Most of the humour lies in lines revealing selfish snobbishness and ‘genteel aspirations, Here Mr, Maughan has always excelled. ... How does, Mr. ' Maughan modulate from a fashionable _ ‘ saloon to the theme of Christian char"ith? ‘It is‘deftly done and ‘the ‘management of the transition will excite the admiration of those who know any‘thing about the playwfright's: craft. ‘ Sheppey has won £8500 in the Irish Sweepstake; we are naturally. left _ guessing how his luck is -going. to affect him, I do not suppose a single . person ‘in the theatre anticipated the actual consequences." | ‘ ; {2 is some years since a draniatic re- ’ eital has been given in Oamaru,.and when a recital was: given in the St. _Paul’s Hall recently,.a capacity «house rewarded the efforts of the players. Those present were. treated to a characterisation of dramatic impersonations seldom seen on the present-day stage. The Rey. A, Hunt, who Dossesses a Dominion-wide reputation as an elocutionist, gave an outstanding performance and his interpretation of several well-known Dickens characters was received with loud applause,

(COMMUNITY singing has taken Dunedin by storm. Besides the weekly sings held in. the Strand ‘Theatre, which is always packed, a sing under the auspices of Toc H is to be held on Saturday night. The weekly sing held avery Iriday is proving very popular, hundreds having to be turned away every time, and, under the leadership of Mr. H. P. Desmoulins, a very enjoyable hour may be spent in the theatre. Toe H has come on the scene and, to aid the appeal for wireless sets for un-

employed relief camps, intend holding a sing .on Saturday, June 29, in the Yown Hall, According to advance xeports over 1500 seats have been reserved so far, and probably many more will be reserved in.a last-minute rush. Mr. Allan’ Brown and Mr, Bert Good--land, well-known song leaders, will be in. charge, while a first-class dance band, as well: as a number of préminent artists, will assist,