1948-02-13 — Page 2

2

CENTRAL

5 SHOWS DAILY

AT 12.30, 2.30, 5.15, 7.15 & 9.15 P.M.

FIRST EPISODE *

CAPTAIN

AMERICA

DICK PURCELL - LORNA

GRAY LIONEL ATWILL

Dead by JRI INOLÒNICHED CLAPTON Ba du bort kan bruge derman, Ja

A REPUBLIC SERIAL

IN 15 CHAPTERS

CAFLAME AMERICA

YOUNG AND

THE NUMBER ONE CHOICE OLD --CAPTAIN AMERICA........... The thrilling atploits which have spatbound a notion of i¿tomic fora — now cotopuked to the screen in

a serial packed whit action-adventure and i axcrementi

DEE THEATRE

ADVANCE BOOKING OFFICE: ST. FRANCIS MOTEL BOOKING HOURS: 11.00 A.M. TO 5.30 P.M. DAILY

5 SHOWS TO-DAY

AT 12.00 NOON, 2.30, 5.00, 7.15 & 9.30 P.M.

NOW

GRANT SMITH Milton and Day

THE STORY OF COLE PORTER,WITH THOSE COLE PORTER SONG SENSATIONS!

MONTY WOOLLEY-GINNY SINUS-JANE VAYMAN

EVE ARDEN CARLOT RAM:RES · DOVALD WOODS

Baby Derramen

BITTED

and

L MICHAEL CUMIZ - ANTIR SHVERT

MARY MARTIN

Adrian by Juri Make a Based on the Corner of Cala Porter • Orchestral Airyngiant by Way Handw

SHOWING

TO-DAY

MAJESTIC

Meet Fred's new dancing dream!

Songs!

*Angel" "WIE You

Marry Ma

*This Is A

Day For

Kove

At 2.30, 5.20,

7.20 & 9.20 p.m.

M-G-M'S NEW SINGING DANCING DELIGHT

FROM THE SAME PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR WHO DAVE YOU

' ME IN ST. LOUIS”

Filled with breath-taking moments

with delightful surprises—with laught lar-with sangi Thrillingly lovely!

IN TECHNICOLOR!

YOLANDA

THE THIEF' ASTAIRE-BREMER

starring

FRANK MORGAN

COMMENCING SUNDAY

Rita HAYWORTH

Gono KELLY

in "COVER GIRL" In Technicolor

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1948.

D

ESIGNING

The British ballot has risen to a pro-eminent position in its sphoro. An important contributory factor to its success is the originality and beauty of the decor and costumes. In this article, the man who was responsible for the designs for Andree Howard's "Lo Festin do l'Araignee" and the Covent Gardon production of Purcell's "Fairy Queen" discusses the work of English artists such as Leslie Hurry, Edward Burra and Oliver Messel, who have produced for British ballet companios.

The scenery and costumes for a ballet. demands from the artist A rather different technical and practical knowledge from the designing of a "straight" play: the limitations are very much greater, but there is much more scope for producing exciting and beautiful effects in- ballet decor than is usually found in the

more static forms of theatrical production.

A major consideration when designing scenery (and one

that holds good for every kind any

of production on almost

stage) is the line of sight from the various parts of the theatre

ما

DESIGN IN BRITISH BALLET

BY

MICHAEL AYRTON

for

things, Recently his designs Benjamin Britten's opern "The Rape of Luerotin" show him as having! mastered the limitations imposed by the theatre, and the work has both strength and coherence,

Early in the late war, "Coppella" was presented in its entirety with new decur and costumes by WIlliam Chappel. Chappel, like Ikush Stevenson. who designed Pro- mennde" in 1944, is un excellent designer of costumes for divertine- ment, but his scenery has never been sreessful,

Stevenson's "Promenade," a baliel In Regency costume,is exquisitely dressori, Aling all the require- ments of period costume and ease of movement, but the setting. Itself is weak and uninteresting.

The

POCKET CARTOON

by OSNERT LANCASTER

BY THE

WAY

by Beachcomber

Tcided not to have any THIS being Friday. I have

in which the ballet is to be per-orranisation of the ballet and

The same stricture may be the most successful of the formed a difficulty which, it is wie-founded opers company, was Sutler's Wells ballets, "Miracle

some recent pilled, in

degree, to in Prospect Before Us," un eighteenth hoped, will be very much re the first full-sente revival of the 17th the Cortals." The act drop of rust- rentury bailes of immense gusto and opening paragraph, in order to duced as new theatres are built century mosque, whil contained hal- ex hulks and dirty tramp stemmers is well-deserved popularity. The ac-save ink. paper. and newsprint. by people who are aware of the t and songs grafted upon a version a confetaporary theatrical master- Uon inkes place in the theatres of For, as the Chinese so wisely possibilities of theatrical de-

Shakespeare's "Midsummer plece, and the scene itself, a built two rival impresarios, and the use say, "Chang wa, Ghung wo.' Night's Dream," In effect, it was at set, unusually three-dimensional for of

undressed stage, sign.

rantombme of a graceful and partiallet, to meet the requirements of enery, is very successful in the re-which is almost untranslatable,

decor. this choreographer, ularly English kind. The

and heareal scenes. What cloths there but

said may be based on the designs of Toigo Jones, gloomily convincing representation are, however, purport to be "after roughly, "What you do, you wes entrusted to myself.

of Glasgow

es- Rowlandson," and the designer, are doing." tawdry and Rover Furse, has taken this s art BH

In addition to the revivals num-

17421

hus

drab

without

to mean.

In the New Theatre, St Mar. tin's. Lane, London, which was The

wartime home of the

anes are provents, The Sadler's Wella Ballet Company,

the excuse for an enlarged waler-colour And now, Duchess, na the the full upstage height can be breed above, the ballet at Covent roughly in keeping with

tf the ballet. Whatever technique which is, particularly In American visitor sad to his hostess, recently been enleben writlems of the basic set design may the net drop, very remote from the" you will lead me to the billbird- sven only from the stalls and the oresence of Leonide Maksine, the first few rows of the dress who restarted.

be made are reintive to the producer hiting line and exquisite wash of his room. we can go into the necking with British dancers

and her than to Buern himself, and distinguished model. The costumes, business in a big way.” circle. This is true in most 191 with the original scenery

however, are charming, theatres, and consequently only tunes by Picasso and Dernin, two even then they are fete,

Diaghilov about one-third of the audience ballets celebrated in the

Boutique are able to see the whole of the Tricorne" and "La

Fantasque." scenery, and a large percentage of the spectators are unable to see more than a small part of the back cloth. It is therefore important that the arlisl

effect is gained mainly by what is painted in the centre of the bottom third of the backcloth.

New Productions

Impressive Moment for

Leslic Hurry. I wartime New- comer to ballet, is responsible

one new ballet, "Hamlet." and one revival, "Swan Lake," both of

VEN in his most recent ballet,

which show promise of Hurry's Aslam Zero," which was prodiced thing as nothing.

coming a Brst rank theatrical artist.

Those who follow

the remainder of the cloth bus among the most famous in the decor for the revival of "Swan blood and iron of 1920's "experimen Neo-Neantisme? If it can be finally

in supplementary, but still an artistic whole

the themselves.

whole

are

decor

John Piper's Work

In

ሲ

"Philosophy is the deuce!" (Pico della Mirandola) THE Frustrationists appear to be Those who follow split. Meitzloft say that there is no such a few months ago, Furse, though he Tilbut say that nothing is only TREE of the new productions were He has an neute dramatic sense; his belles compacted mens another word for the non-universality Tdesigned by there of the most costumes, for "Hamlet" in particular, of

Garden Opera stage of everything. of the Covent

And between the consuminate briliance. loser tur repe imriant of contemporary British were

two comes Choisy, with his doctrine arrange his design so that his painters, whose work is not seen to superlative; but in scenery be half the power of his conception byl of suspended being, borrowed from

intended to overcrowd and nver- 20

the allowing the sets what there are

the Gogalsts. "And how, pray. disadvantage even in the company of ornament, with the result that of them-to be vaguely Georgiana asks Mrs. Towell, of Worcester the revived ballets of those masters, cloths distracted the eye and de- where they should have been hard Park, "duer all this concern - The Picasso and Derain, whose designs tracted from the clarity of the move and almost Cubist to suit the ballet housewife?" Madam! Have you not

of the dancers.

itself, which is reminiscent of the

read Platt on the Poopootsm of the Dinghilev repertoire.

conception

tal theatre."

demonstrated that there is no such Early In the war, in circumstances Lake" was simpler in

The rostrums and flats are placed thing as existence, it will certainly of extreme difficulty, Sadler's Wells he was entirely successful

binding together the somewhat un- Variable Limitations

Wanderer," presented "The

concern the housewives of England. with wieldy structure of this long, three- in position during the action of the scenery and costumes by Graham net ballet with the consistency of his ballet, and every conceivable devier Or, perhaps it won't. THE other two main limita Sutherland. The two backelaths.

Jun design. The lake scene itself is the is used from the undressed stage, as What next? constitute the wh tions are variable and are de- which

final dance of death on the bare OWS milked by hand-by pendent on both the size and are marvellously in tune with best individumi setting in the ballet. The Prospect Before Us," to the

What a degrading, and choreography and.

stage before plain cyclorama. This milkmaidi shape of the actual stage and

they

beautiful

Inter is a tremendously impressive unenlightened, unprogressive, rent- on the requirements of

unfortunately through

as tionary spectacle for these lines. scenery: hut

Is disappointing that John Piper, moment on so gigantic a stage

of Covent Garden.

Yet apparently this ท

ghastly sight choreographer. Obviously there ark of uractical experience Suther-

whom one wonkl expect to

My criticism of Furse's rather loose was to be seen at Olympla the other must be more floor space for the land had falled to realise the limita-

be on English painter particularly

technique also applies in some day. Perhaps it was a concession of the line of sight. dancers, who are to be in fairly This reason, coupled with the fact suited to fine ballet design, was not

motion, than fast

Tank as a designer of

of some of

the scheme is put into force by which Sadler's Wells, "The Quest." The most elegant settings in the con-all cows will be milked by remote tors who may sit round a table that the costumes are not sufficiently more successful in his first ballet for me to Oliver Messel, who must to some old farmer, before the ac

first and last scenes, related in the

the story is a long and not entirely satis temporary British theatre. The first control from an office in Whitehall. for most of a scene, and ob. For designed for movement in

version of the St George scene of his "Comus" seems to less factory

ine Resentment viously the clothes worn must second scene, made the whole

Antirely satisfactory than could have legend, hased on Spencer's Faerie to lose much in its entargement from REFERRED the other day to the nilow whatever movement

the th been

the designs on Queen

what must be a charming drawing, een haped from

Piper's first scene is by fur

fun that is to be got out of resent- but the whole bailei in impeccably choreographer desires, without

paper.

diorly conceived and beautiful designed in depth and is splendidlying everything that is said. that best using their character or effect It is earnestly to be wished

Meisel's latest ballet the ly expented; the final pastoral au costumed.

is is another example. Sutherland will soon be given as costumes.

opportunity to employ his hard apotheosis are relatively successful, the revival of "The Sleeping Prin- railway compartment A rare case of a costume earned experience in the creation of what one might have hoped, and the the Sadler's Wells

fast the intermediate sernes are nu cese, with which, in February 1046, cussing some publie figure-prob-

Ballet Company

tably Betty Grable. One of tually limiting movement was in

costumes are, al- opened its Arst season at the Royal

will say, "You know, I didn't ilke "Le Festin de l'Araignee," Edward Burra, another English majority of the

Opera House, Covent Garden, which in her last picture." You then produced by Sadler's Wells in painter of wide repute, who had the fortunately, pourly designed,

previous ballets is to be hoped that Piper, like has subsequently been their head-say, firmly. "I resent that remark, 1944 with my ewn decor. Two experience of two

That lady, happens to be my to quarters.

sister."

That will astonish then of the characters were dressed-Barabar" and "Rio Grande"-be- Sutherland, will be called upon

bind him. Was responsible for the-design-more-bullets;-for-avan_in_The

and quieten them down a bit, in tubular costumes

the Quest" there which decor and cntumes of one of allowed them to move.em foot only about 12 inches away from the other, but as they were playing insect grubs they were only required to shuttle ami wriggle. The majority of bal- let costumes almost unlimited movement of all the limbs.

for

tion of

ELE-

new baller.

the

promise of

Lan

(Continued on Page 3)

THE ELECTRICALLY TESTED

Ilere Two men in аге dly-

MAN

must flow for IN the words of the Bible, na Britain's New philgaphan illegraph, that the record is not taken photo-

Can

the

be "weighed in balances and found. wanting." The fact that man can also be tested electrically, and that any deficiencies in him muy in this way he uncovered, is a scientific

since it has been known that

Aid For Brain Specialists

BY

JOSEPH KALMER

tv

it la

fe.

In principle the Electro- purposes, such as cardiographs, 15

Electricnl oscillation, known tu Praphically which must then every radio mechanie and selentist, he developed and is, therefore, not is an electrical alternating current available until some time later. Bu produced in a circuit by electro- becaus

because ink and pen are sufficient. Ballet Rambert

magnetic wireless waves. The the recording and investigation pro- frequency of the oscillation, that is cess is made cheaper, which is not ECAUSE of the extreme smallness

the stroke of the recording needle.

un unimportant factor as relatively of the stare of the Mercury Thea-

dependin upon self-inductance and

long Electro-Encephalograph tre, which is their headquarters, the

the capacity of the circuit. As the

the cords are taken of each patient. Ballet Rambert, which is regarded discovery of recent years. Rut

Erain generates such waves. It by many as the home of

of modern

possible to record them bringing ballet in England, has been prevent-

as its Greek name implies, the P

the patient's scalp into contact with ed from doing any really outstand- man himself is "electric" too--

Flectro-Encephalograph records the pairs of silver and silver-chloride ing decor. although the company that is to say, transmits waves transmitted from the brain electrodes. The complex electrical WE do not intend to go into the has done very good work in keeping

waves which are generated by brali technical details and methods of up a varied repertoire and is worthy | waves--scientists and doctors and its object is to serve doctors as

cell activity are plcked up by the operation of the Electro-Encephalr- of great honour for having been the have invented several types of a vital means of diagnosis. original home from which the best

Its primary use is as an investiga electrodes and fed to six very high: Fraph here, as these are not neces

The outputs from sary for the non-professional render. Instruments with the help of British chorengraphers und trany

tion apparatus for brain specialists an ampliers.

these

drive amplifiers then

the should, however, be mentioned of the leading British dancers have which mari

be can

more to enable them to detect broin dis- direct-writing pen recorders. -

that the Electro-Encephalograph is come. They have also been lucky in thoroughly examined, and any orders more easily than hitherto,

equipped with every conceivable that, due to the mall and

nd compact

such na brain tumours, epileptic disturbances in his auditorium, line of sight presents no

mental conditions, certain pathological men problem to their designers. Certain equilibrium investigated to an tal states and head injuries. де of their productions have however extent hitherto impossible. contained notable costumes, such as those of Nadia Benols for "Lady into Fax

nf

The Sadler's Wells Ballet Com- pany, on the other hand, hus been very enterprising and far-seeking in its choice of designers for the ballets

E latest model of a discovery in this field was to be seen at Radio- lympia in London, where it was

con

should be pointed out, of course, THE lines, written in ink on or- that the apparatus does not replace dinary piper, drawn by these pen existing methods of investigation, recorders are called oselilograms. neither does it mechanise them, but They provide information as to the rather supplements them.

condition of the patient during the Furthermore, the Electro- process of investigation by means of Encephalograph can be used in other the Electro-Encephalograph, as well fields of medicine such as Electro- as serving as a permanent record of it has presented since the outbreak demonstrated. This discovery is the Myography the recording of muscle the patient's case history, as these of war in 1938. These number 14 Electro-Encephalograph. un

nction potentials: ap-

Electro-Cardio-

oscillograms can be picked up in or- original bailets, four revivals and paratus which at first glance could graphy-the recording of the

der to be examined inter and used one opera-ballet-masque, Purcell's casily be mistaken for a permanent action of the heart muscle by mea- for comparison purposes. "Fairy Queen," which was staged at waving machine especially were a suring the difference in the heart's Covent Garden in December 1946. patient being examined at the time. action when relaxed or active; and The difference between the Eley

This latter work, intended to But this error would only be posin industry where, for example, tro-Encephalograph and other Exis- bridge the gap between the existing sible from a fleeting glance, because, vibrations can be measured.

ting Instruments used for the samu

1

NANCY

Easy Does It

HOW TO

BUILD A BIRD HOUSE

Owww

-MOV~ 3

By Ernie Bushmiller

HOW TO

BUILD A

BIRD

HOUSE

IE BUSHKIL LEP

type of auxiliary Instruments, such a pilot lamps, which indicate the ink reservoir level or even wam the doctor when the paper threatens to run out.

Wag

The Electro-Encephalographi shown for the first time to the public at large at Radiolymplu. The standi where the apparatus was exhil: exhibited was crowded constantly, not only with interested onlookers but with voluntary "patients" who anxious to see what their were Brains looked like.

The Elneiro - Encephalograph alrendy in use in a few British hospitals, and doctors regard, it as a valuable aid to, dingnosis.

bif

INSECT SPRAY

WITH DOT

When there's bif

Ineedn't use my fist!

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