Felix Cherniavsky - Performing Artists Touring Australia, 1914

Added 18th Mar 2022 by Beth Dobson (Archives and Programming Assistant, DCD) / Last update 18th Mar 2022

Maud Allan 699 51 2008-1-36.jpg
Maud Allan 699 51 2008-1-36.jpg
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Felix Cherniavsky - Performing Artists Touring Australia, 1914

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Maud Allan Research Collection
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Auckland June 10 , 1914 THE TRIAD 323 The Great Ellen Terry $ 6 name 66 CC 99 46 9 I have discovered why Ellen Terry has so strong a hold on the affections of the English people . She gave two dis courses in Wellington - one on the triumphant heroines of Shakspere , and one on the pathetic heroines ---- and I had the great good fortune to attend both . Just a few words to hint at an aesthetic delight that words can scarcely express . First of all , the wonderful , superb , alluring , exquisite , grave , endearing , Ellen Terry voice -- the voice of marvellous modulations never marred by a dissonance . It is a voice we must all remember while we live , and always gratefully . A woman's voice made perfect is one of the love liest things in nature , and Ellen Terry's is surely one of the most beautiful in the world . It is faultlessly produced . It receives an added charm from the impeccable delicacy of her English . Her diction is so delightful that it seems some times to rise to an ecstasy of grace . The voice must count for much in the amazing personal charm of the woman ; but there is more than the voice in that there is a personality that is for ever revealing new golden depths that shine , there gracious dignity that is never at fault , there is a radiant of sheer exultant womanliness that is probably unex ampled among other actresses of the day . Leaving aside for the moment consideration of charm as a special or personal attribute , let us say a word about the accomplishment of the actress . These discourses , often pointed by illustrative acting , are eminently worth while in the critical sense . They are obviously written by a loving and reverent disciple of the great poet . For here is another grace Miss Terry possesses . While losing none of his dramatic force and intensity , she gives us Shakspere the poot always . She is caught up and transfigured by the rhythm of grave music that sways splendidly along : she is a transparent medium through which the high genius shines incomparable . She seems to miss nothing that matters . There are delicious subtle touches of humour . The way in which she managed her “ asides ' ' was no less than wonderful for the rare artistry of it . There were naturally some slight flaws , since absolute perfection in all kinds would demand a genius as great as Shakspere's own . Occasionally Miss Terry's emphases were not strictly correct , and more than once the cæsura was not in the right place . Some times the faults were due to the fact that the great actress ' s memory is nowadays more than a little defective . But when all has been said , Ellen Terry is still Ellen Terry -- the most charming actress , and one of the greatest artists , that modern England has produced . I remain her debtor , and am sorry that the sense of my indebtedness cannot be more adequately expressed . Incidentally she is doing a great work in making Shakspere known to people who heretofore have known him not at all . English people in the mass know virtually nothing of Shakspere . He is our greatest poet , our greatest dramatist , in a sense one of our greatest philosophers -- all that everybody knows , or is supposed to know , Shakspere having grown into a kind of national tradition or worshipful Mumbo Jumbo of the loud illiterate . A book of Shakspere's works is kept about the house -- and nobody reads it . But when people hear the delightful humours of the Bard brought out by Ellen Terry they are often quite immoderately surprised and disturbed . They cackle and titter . They are pleased . They are astounded to find that such things can be in Shakspere at all . Miss Terry was supported by Mr. Joseph Blascheck , whose art has matured and mellowed more than a little since he was here last . His work is refreshingly subtle and refined , and his facial expression is always apt and illuminating . He knows the value of the pause -- a thing the ready amateur always misses . As a set - off , he occasionally makes some extraordinary wrong emphases . The boys all know my Christian name . “ They call me by my Christian name , for instance : the in tention being " The boys all know my Christian ( or , better , simply The boys all know my Christian name ' ' ) They call me by my Christian name . But his work was really excellent , and I enjoyed everything he did . On the first night his gestures were often a little crude : that seems , indeed , to be his worst defect at this stage . On the second night the fault was not so noticeable : it was more marked in Devil May Care than in any of the other items . He made a very delightful thing of His First Long Trousers , " by Shaw Mayer . “ Devil May Care was a fragrant oasis in the desert , after the dreadful performances of that piece that we have had at the Competitions . What vor do ' e luv Oi ? " was an excellent bit of character work . Miss Gladys McDowell is not properly a singer , and never will be a singer : so much is certain . Her ear is evidently defective . Through everything she sings she sings flat . She has not the slightest idea of the art of creating a song . Her work is dull , stodgy , uninteresting to the last degree . A rather amusing thing : she had four distinct pronunciations of Mélisando - Mellysong , Malesong , Mellersong , and Malleesong . If we can't be anything else we will be French - what ! She runs all her final consonants into her initial vowels , and her phrasing is absurdly bad . One or two instances from “ The Rosary . As a string of pearls " .. “ Unto the end " To kiss the Cross . The least worst thing she did was " Mother McCree . ' Miss Nina Forbes has one of the most disagreeable voices I have ever listened to . Her production is shocking . She sings in her throat , and blocks her nasal cavities . Her tongue is for ever getting in the way . Her attempts at serious sing ing were an affront to an intelligent audience . In some of the little humourous things -- where one's attention is dis tracted from the quality of the voice by the gaiety of the song she was sometimes passable . She played the accompaniments very much better than she sang . If she must sing , she will do well to stick to humourous iterns . Here is no harshness . My comments on the work of these two ladies err lamentably on the side of indulgence . A great artist like Miss Ellen Terry should surely have better vocal support . B. 66 66 66 99 & Auckland Public Library a