THE THEATRE THE new musical comedy at the Hippodrome has
the advantage of music and lyrics by Cole Porter, who at the moment seems to be without a serious rival in this field. The book is also by one of the authors of the other Cole Porter show at present at His Majesty's Theatre, and there is not a great deal to choose between the two entertainments in the actual material of the two musical plays. Nevertheless, owing to a somewhat Less tasteful production, a duller beginning, and less attractive dressing, the general effect of the newer production is, not quite as good. /and this in spite of the fact that Mr. Bobby Howes is in high form. His lively rubber-face antics and resourceful mimicry are called upon to fi.1 a far greater gap in the authors' inventiveness than his rival comedian in Du Barry Was a Lady. Miss Pat Kirkwood is the other great success. She has, charm, wit (not of words, but of move- ment), elegance, an excellent voice, and is the only singer in the cast able to do justice to the best of Cole Porter's music. Her very attractive voice is of unusual timbre, and she always sings dead in tune, a rare accomplishment for a vocalist on any stage. The excellent dancing of jack Stanford and Halama and Konarski are the other outstanding features in a production which can be called a good average George Black entertainment.
It looks as if Mr. Robert Helpmann, of the Sadler's Wells ballet -may turn out to be the English Diaghilev, for he has now followed up his amazing success in his Hamlet with a new ballet in quite another genre, The Birds, in which a similar complete unity of style in music, choreography and decor is achieved. And this in spite of the fact that the music is from old masters, arranged by the Italian composer, Respighi, the costumes and scenery by a Chinese artist, Chiang Yee, and the choreography by Mr. Helpmann himself. Respighi as an original composer was no more than mediocre, for his own themes were always commonplace ; but as an arranger and orchestrator of the minor classics, such as Rossini, he showed exceptional skill and taste. This has not failed him in The Birds, where his orchestration generally, and his use of the original material, also of the song of the nightingale and the cuckoo's cry, is absolutely masterly. It must be a pleasure to play such music, and it is certainly a delight to hear. The music has an intricacy and delicacy which are matched and repeated in the fascinating, slightly Chinese character given to the English woodland and birds. The costume of the Hen is a brilliant chef-d'oeuvre of caricaturing fancy, while those of the Dove and the Nightingale are quite lovely. Mr. Helpmann has put just the right touch of sentiment into his comedy, and the only quarrel I have with this entrancing ballet is that it is too short by quite five minutes. Several of the younger and less-well-known dancers in the company are showing great promise : Moyra Fraser (The Hen), Beryl Grey (The Nightingale), Alexis Rassine (The Dove)—all contribute considerably to the success of The Birds. It is no wonder that the New Theatre is full to standing every night, for the Sadler's Wells ballet at its best is a feast for eye and ear probably unrivalled anywhere in the world at present, including Russia. JAMES REDFERN.
Previous page
